Brasília, 11/5/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Anne Krueger, arrives in Brazil today for talks on a new agreement.

Yesterday the Ministry of Finance released a note officially announcing that a new agreement would be made, but without going into any details about it. According to the note, "Teams from the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund have decided it will be convenient to continue the relationship in the form of a new agreement. As a result of that decision, minister Antonio Palocci has invited Ms Anne Kruger to visit Brazil."

Joaquim Levy, the head of the Secretariat of the National Treasury, declared that it was unanimously agreed that a new agreement with the IMF would further strengthen growth in Brazil.

Members of the Brazilian government have said that if another agreement was made with the IMF it would consist of a small loan (the September 2002 agreement consisted of a loan of US$30 billion). Brazilian authorities have insisted that a new agreement would be considered a preventive measure and must have as its principal objective the promotion of sustainable growth in Brazil.(AB)