Business leaders in the Netherlands are calling on the Dutch government not to cut its budget for the international fight against HIV/AIDS.

Today's edition of financial newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad contains an open letter signed by leading figures including Peter Bakker, director of postal company TNT, and Albert and Monique Heijn of food giant Albert Heijn.

They write that the current Dutch approach to combating HIV elsewhere in the world is very effective. They underscore this by stressing that, as a result, the Netherlands is internationally recognised as a leader in the fight against AIDS.