Brasília, May 6, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Industrial policy and Brazil's foreign trade figures were the topics of today's conversations between government experts and representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who are in Brazil to review the government's US$ 15 billion standby agreement with the institution.

The members of the IMF mission, which plans to complete its task tomorrow (7), visited the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Planning, where they met with various federal officials.

This is the second review of the IMF agreement since it was renewed last December and the seventh since the original agreement was signed on August 29, 2002, to cope with the effects of the crisis in Argentina. If the Brazilian government's accounts are approved, the country will be authorized to withdraw approximately US$ 1.3 billion.

Translator: David Silberstein