French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is leading the U.N. conference, stated that he intends to release a nearly final draft on Thursday afternoon to minimize disagreements and pave the way for a final round of revisions. He expressed his determination to reach a final agreement during a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Fabius has emphasized the importance of completing an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the official closing date of Friday, rather than allowing the conference to run overtime as in the past. However, ministers and negotiators from 195 countries are still divided on key issues, such as which countries should provide the necessary funding to assist developing countries in transitioning to lower-carbon energy sources. The current issue has worsened disagreements behind closed doors between the United States and China regarding the financial contributions of certain countries, as mentioned by US Secretary of State John Kerry. While the Chinese did not delve into specifics, they expressed willingness to find a middle ground. The debate over whether the global temperature should be limited to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius continues. Chinese negotiator Gao Feng stated that more discussions with colleagues are needed before a revised draft is released, with hopes of reaching an agreement by Friday or Saturday. The discussions have reignited debates on the level of ambition the deal should have in addressing the increase in global temperatures. Developing nations are pushing for a long-term goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, despite the current carbon emission cuts falling short of that target. Many are still mindful of the failed negotiations in Copenhagen in 2009. There is a strong desire to reach an agreement this time, but the outcome remains uncertain. Former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta emphasized that compromise will be necessary for all nations involved. He told Reuters that a treaty is not set in stone like the Bible and can be reviewed and strengthened in the future, implying that the agreements made in Paris are subject to modification.