[stop-imf] Argentine gov't: IMF advice 'offensive'

[Robert Weissman]

Reuters. 12 January 2002. Argentine Government Calls IMF Advice
'Offensive.'

BUENOS AIRES -- Argentina's already icy relations with the IMF took a
turn for the worse on Saturday, with a top government official calling
the lender's advice "offensive" and saying more time was needed to end a
long recession.

Argentina's Vice Economy Minister, Jorge Todesca, said the government
did not appreciate comments on Friday by the International Monetary
Fund's first deputy managing director, Anne Krueger, who asked Argentina
for a "coherent" plan.

"Just a few days after we came into government, Ms. Krueger sent us a
letter, which itself was quite incoherent, bringing up a series of
points. It was unclear whether they were demands or not. I consider it
to be offensive for Argentina," Todesca told local radio.

"They (the IMF) should really talk less, especially if they have nothing
interesting to say, and they should let us work for a couple more days
so we can stabilize the economy," Todesca said.

"Then we will have a plan to present to the Fund, so we can recover
international aid."