MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“No openly populist tone”

The head of the IMF' Western Hemisphere Department said he didn't perceive in his conversations with Argentine presidential candidates “an openly populist tone” and added he was willing to continue working with what ever government is elected next April 27.

Mr. Anoop Singh also pointed out that the economic situation of Argentina "is beginning to improve" and pointed out that during his last visit to the country he "noticed" a new consensus regarding the motives that triggered the country's worst economic crisis in a century; "quiet a change from a year ago".

Speaking in Washington during the recent IMF-World Bank annual assembly, Mr. Singh who was the IMF official most reticent to endorse an IMF agreement with Argentina revealed he met with four presidential candidates or his delegates and was impressed by the fact that he "could not perceive an openly populist tone" in their proposals.

Although Mr. Singh did not identify the candidates, he did mention that "they share" the IMF basic ideas to begin growing again, among which improving the fiscal situation, "revenue, expenditure, and the relation between the federal government and the provinces", most of them deficit ridden.

Mr. Singh mentioned that the current administration had managed efficiently the macro program agreed with the IMF keeping expenditure under control with a primary surplus during the last ten months.

However John Dodsworth, Deputy chief of the Department emphasized that "a long agenda" awaits the new Argentine government that so far has not been addressed, including the banking system restructuring and reaching an agreement with international private creditors and bond holders.

In January 2002 Argentina defaulted an estimated 128 billion US dollars debt.

Finally talking about the IMF long term goals, Mr. Singh stressed two priorities for Latinamerica: how to ensure sustainable growth and a more equitable wealth distribution, and reducing the region's vulnerability to international crisis.