MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Foreign recipes? No way!

The International Monetary Fund came in for further attack from President Néstor Kirchner yesterday, at an event in the Peronist stronghold of Mataderos.

Speaking at the reopening of a Pirelli factory, Kirchner told the 600-odd workers that it is time it be understood abroad "that Argentines are now living different times and will not be bullied either by the (International Monetary) Fund or the friends of the Fund because the hearts and minds of Argentines are intent on building a new fatherland."

Kirchner insisted that the reconstruction of the industrial sector will be carried out by Argentine workers and businessmen and hit out at the "usual doomsayers" who want to impose foreign recipes.

"Minga!" Kirchner exclaimed ? a local expression for "like hell!" ? "We are going to build Argentina with our own resources."

The comments came after a week of bitter exchanges between the government and the IMF that have rolled over into the press, over allegations that the IMF has asked the government to increase its primary fiscal surplus target above the three percent agreed to in Dubai in September.

A new mission turned up at short notice on Sunday after Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna and IMF Managing Director Horst Köhler held a lengthy telephone conversation on Friday.

Yesterday the mission, headed by John Thornton, was scheduled to meet Finance Secretary Guillermo Nielsen, although the Economy Ministry spokesman was not specific on the details.

Thornton will meet Lavagna today.

The IMF has still not approved the first review of the agreement signed by Argentina that enables it to roll over debt maturities to 2005. Sources say that the delay is due to the lack of any progress in Argentina's negotiations with its private creditors

Source: Bue Herald