Iraq made 'good progress' in IMF loan talks: IMF
AFP
ISTANBUL, Oct 06, 2009 (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said
Tuesday it had made "good progress" in loan talks with Iraq but
dismissed the Iraqi finance minister's assertion that a
five-billion-dollar loan had been agreed.
"Discussions with the Iraqi authorities on a new economic program that
could be supported by the fund are continuing. We made good progress in
Istanbul" on the sidelines of IMF-World Bank annual meetings, an IMF
spokesperson told AFP.
Iraqi Finance Minister Baker al-Zubaidy had told Dow Jones Newswires
earlier on Tuesday: "We reached an agreement on an IMF loan for about
five billion dollars (3.4 billion euros)" to be disbursed between 2010
and 2011.
Iraq has said it is needs seven billion dollars to cover its budget deficit.
The financial shortfall in Iraq's budget comes at a difficult time for
Iraq as the nation of 29 million people struggles to emerge from a
brutal sectarian conflict triggered by the 2003 US-led invasion.
AFP
ISTANBUL, Oct 06, 2009 (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said
Tuesday it had made "good progress" in loan talks with Iraq but
dismissed the Iraqi finance minister's assertion that a
five-billion-dollar loan had been agreed.
"Discussions with the Iraqi authorities on a new economic program that
could be supported by the fund are continuing. We made good progress in
Istanbul" on the sidelines of IMF-World Bank annual meetings, an IMF
spokesperson told AFP.
Iraqi Finance Minister Baker al-Zubaidy had told Dow Jones Newswires
earlier on Tuesday: "We reached an agreement on an IMF loan for about
five billion dollars (3.4 billion euros)" to be disbursed between 2010
and 2011.
Iraq has said it is needs seven billion dollars to cover its budget deficit.
The financial shortfall in Iraq's budget comes at a difficult time for
Iraq as the nation of 29 million people struggles to emerge from a
brutal sectarian conflict triggered by the 2003 US-led invasion.