The Kursk International Foundation appealed to governments of European Union, Japan, Canada, Norway, and the United States to transact 1.9 million euro each ($1.7 million) for the salvaging operation. So far the government of the Russian Federation has not allocated the promised $25 million to the Foundation. Without the money, the American-Dutch-Norwegian consortium refuses to sign the contract and begin preparations to the operation. Preparations should begin in March or the Kursk will be left on the seabed until 2002.