{
  "title": "Transcript of a Press Briefing by David Hawley, Senior Advisor, External Relations Department, International Monetary Fund",
  "publication": "IMF News, February 17, 2011",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/28/04/54/tr021711",
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  "summary": "Date: February 17, 2011",
  "publishDate": "2011-02-17",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Event details and contact information",
      "content": "- Date: February 17, 2011\n- Location: Washington, DC\n- Embargo: briefing is under embargo until 10:30 Washington time. That's 15:30 GMT.\n- IMF EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT — Public Affairs — Media Relations\n  - E-mail: publicaffairs@imf.org\n  - E-mail: media@imf.org\n  - Fax: 202-623-6220\n  - Phone: 202-623-7100\n- Webcast: Webcast of the press conference"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Housekeeping and Managing Director travel schedule",
      "content": "- Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn:\n  - Will take part in a conference in Paris (today and tomorrow from the briefing date).\n  - Will attend the G-20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on Saturday following the briefing.\n  - Will visit Latin America with public events and press availability:\n    - Panama on February 28\n    - Uruguay on March 2\n    - Brazil on March 3\n- Press availability: anticipated following G-20 participation and for Latin America visit; details to be provided by media relations."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Greece — communication, privatization, and program status",
      "content": "- Communication:\n  - IMF position: \"Communication is important and it should be effective. We are not prescriptive as to the manner in which it takes place.\"\n- Privatization and public assets:\n  - Greek government has \"designed a program to maximize returns from Greece’s large portfolio of public enterprise and public property.\"\n  - IMF and European partners: providing support through offering technical advice to the government on how to design such a plan.\n  - IMF stance: supportive and ready to offer advice; respect for prerogatives and initiatives of the Greek authorities in decision-making.\n- Program assessment:\n  - IMF current view: the program is assessed \"to be broadly on track.\""
    },
    {
      "heading": "Argentina — technical assistance mission timing",
      "content": "- IMF staff expectations:\n  - Staff expects to make further visits to Argentina in the context of its technical assistance work.\n  - Goal: present final conclusions on the issue and recommendations to the authorities sometime in April.\n  - No date has been set for the second mission; therefore IMF does not characterize the situation as a delay."
    },
    {
      "heading": "United States — budget and fiscal consolidation",
      "content": "- IMF comment on U.S. budget:\n  - Authorities are \"continuing to work towards stabilizing the fiscal situation.\"\n  - Fiscal adjustment will require \"spending cuts as well as revenue increases.\"\n  - Given the \"size of the fiscal task ahead,\" it \"would be helpful if the budget targeted some additional fiscal consolidation in [2011].\"\n- No further detailed comment provided at the briefing on the 2012 budget or specifics on entitlement reform."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Ukraine and Cote d’Ivoire developments",
      "content": "- Ukraine:\n  - IMF: referred to statement made on February 15; \"I haven't got anything to add to that statement. There have been no further developments.\"\n  - Timing and resolution: IMF had no comment on whether matters would be resolved before a forthcoming bond repayment; mission schedule to be clarified later.\n- Cote d’Ivoire:\n  - IMF: \"I don’t have anything specific on Cote d’Ivoire. Naturally, we follow events closely.\"\n  - Noted reports of runs on banks and closure of international banks’ facilities in Abidjan; regional stock exchange in Abidjan was also closed."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Middle East and North Africa outreach",
      "content": "- IMF readiness:\n  - IMF \"look[s] forward to be in contact with the authorities as they define their programs going forward.\"\n  - IMF \"stands ready to support them in ways that they would see fit.\""
    },
    {
      "heading": "G-20, SDR reform, capital flows, and European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF)",
      "content": "- G-20 and SDR/Yuan:\n  - IMF did not anticipate the G-20 outcome at the briefing; Managing Director will speak to the press after the G-20 meeting.\n- Capital flows:\n  - IMF deferred comment pending G-20 outcomes: \"I’m going to leave G-20 until the weekend.\"\n- EFSF and European bailout fund:\n  - IMF: \"We have said nothing fresh in the last couple of days.\"\n  - IMF welcomes \"efforts towards a comprehensive plan\" regarding EFSF resources; no fresh comment provided at the briefing.\n\nTranscript of a Press Briefing by David Hawley, Senior Advisor, External Relations Department, International Monetary Fund, February 17, 2011.\n\n---\n\n\n References\n\n- Greece and the IMF\n- Argentina and the IMF\n- Ukraine and the IMF\n- Transcripts\n- PRESS CENTER\n- Webcast\n- https://www.imf.org/en/home\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2015/09/28/04/54/tr021711"
    }
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    "Published: February 17, 2011",
    "Date: February 17, 2011",
    "Location: Washington, DC",
    "Embargo: briefing is under embargo until 10:30 Washington time. That's 15:30 GMT.",
    "IMF EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT — Public Affairs — Media Relations",
    "Webcast: Webcast of the press conference",
    "Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn:",
    "Press availability: anticipated following G-20 participation and for Latin America visit; details to be provided by media relations.",
    "Communication:",
    "Privatization and public assets:",
    "Program assessment:",
    "IMF staff expectations:",
    "IMF comment on U.S. budget:",
    "No further detailed comment provided at the briefing on the 2012 budget or specifics on entitlement reform.",
    "Ukraine:",
    "Cote d’Ivoire:",
    "IMF readiness:",
    "G-20 and SDR/Yuan:",
    "Capital flows:",
    "EFSF and European bailout fund:",
    "[Greece and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/GRC/index.htm)",
    "[Argentina and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/ARG/index.htm)",
    "[Ukraine and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/UKR/index.htm)",
    "[Transcripts](https://www.imf.org/en/news/searchnews)",
    "[PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)",
    "[Webcast](https://www.imf.org/external/mmedia/view.aspx?vid=775461530001)",
    "[https://www.imf.org/en/home](https://www.imf.org/en/home)"
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