[stop-imf] US Exec Dir to IMF Lissakers resigns (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

U.S. Director of IMF Resigns Friday, 06-Apr-2001 3:20PM Story from AP
Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press (via ClariNet)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Karin Lissakers, the U.S. executive director of the
International Monetary Fund, has resigned and will leave her post at the
end of next week, a Treasury official said Friday.

As representative of the largest IMF shareholder, Lissakers has been a key
player in many of its most critical decisions during the 1990s, including
arranging $166 billion in rescue packages for Mexico, Asia, Russia and
Brazil. More recent bailouts have helped Argentina and Turkey.

Confirming the resignation, Tony Fratto, a Treasury spokesman, expressed
``appreciation for the work Karin has done. She made an important
contribution to reform in such areas as enhanced transparency and debt
reduction'' for poor countries.

He said the Bush administration has not yet decided on a replacement.
Lissakers' deputy, Meg Lundsager, is expected to fill in until one is
named.

IMF officials familiar with Lissakers' letter of resignation, which was
sent to the 24-member Executive Board last week, said her departure was
her own decision and was not prompted by the White House.

Lissakers, 56, was appointed to the IMF board in 1993 by President
Clinton. It was expected that she would move on to make way for an
appointee chosen by President Bush.