Corporation (.'NOC) and the Export-Inport Bank of JaPan. JNOC in 1985 ea€ supporting 47 Japanese conpanies in overseas activities. of Pbich ll l|ere in the Middle East, 18 in Asia, 5 in Africa, and 3 in Latin Anerica. Ventures eligible for JNOC tinancing had nainly been Japanese conpanies or joint ventures set up r.rith Japanese participation. Since 1975 JNOC had been enabled to extend di'rect tinancing to foreiqn Governnents, natlonal oil conpanies and similar entities engaged in oil exploration {itbin their respective terricories. The terns of financinq consticuted a soft loan eith 6.75 per cent lnterest, a grace period of up to eight years during exploratlon' and posaible exenption fron rePayrnent of principal in cases uith no discoveries. Sinilarly, geological surveys on a granl basis had been carried out by the Overseas Geological Sureey of Japan in Burma' China, Indonesia, Iras, Mozambique and Zaire. 50. Norriay had also taken'steps to ghare 1ts experience in oil and gas e:rploration and developnent by providing extensive assistance throuqh t.he Nornegian Agency for International Developnent rrlth the Protessional suPport of the !4lnistry of Pelroleum and Enerqy, the Norr,regian Petroleun Directorate, and oore recently t{ith other relevant organizations such as Statoll. the national. oil conPany. Assistance had been provided to Bangladesh, Benin, Burrna, China, Janaica, Mozanbique, Pakistan, Portugal, Senegal and the Uniteal Republic of Tanzania' 5I. Under the Lon6 Convention, the European Econonic Connunity had provided relatieely little financial assistance i.n oil and gas exPloration in relacion to its overall energy asslstance progranme; durlng 1981-1983 granls arnounted to about $8.3 rnilli.on and loans to $19.6 nillion.A/ 40/ 637 English Page 14 ANNEX united Nati.ons svnposium on Financing of Petroleun ExProration and List of ParticiPating countries and organizations Uenber States of the United Nations Denocratic Yenen MaldivesAlger ia Angola Austr ia Benin BotswanaBrazil Burundi Canada Chad Cyprus czechoslovakia Ecuador Egypr Ethiopia Finland France cabon Ganbia Ghana
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the financial assistance provided by various organizations to support oil and gas exploration and development projects. It mentions the involvement of governments, national oil companies, and other entities in these projects. The text also mentions the provision of geological surveys and technical assistance to support these projects.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, International trade