IMF chief to visit Russia, China, Japan

November 04, 2011 | 08:35

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International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has chosen Russia, China and Japan as the first countries outside the European Union to visit since taking office in July, an IMF spokesman said Thursday.

The trip comes as all three countries have expressed interest in providing financial assistance to Europe, but under the IMF's guide or oversight, as a part of the EU plan to resolve the public debt crisis.

The IMF managing director, currently attending the two-day Group of 20 summit in Cannes, France, will be in Moscow next Monday and Tuesday, spokesman David Hawley said.

She is scheduled to give a public lecture at the State University of the Ministry of Finance, and a press conference before leaving for China, he said.

Lagarde will be in Beijing on November 9 and 10 to meet with authorities and deliver a speech to the International Finance Forum.

The forum was created by the Chinese government, the United Nations and private financial institutions to promote "global sustainable development."

Lagarde also will hold a news conference in the Chinese capital, the spokesman said, then travel to Tokyo where she will hold meetings with Japanese officials on November 12.

The former French finance minister has been criss-crossing the Atlantic on trips to Europe since taking the IMF helm in July, participating in negotiations on the eurozone debt crisis and G20 meetings organized by France.

AFP

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