IMF supports Turkish lira flotation

• Pages: 77

Page 77

In a news brief dated February 21, IMF Managing Director Horst Köhler said that the IMF supports the decision of the Turkish authorities to float the lira.

"Looking forward," Köhler said, "we welcome the Turkish government's goals of continuing to reduce inflation and ensuring sustainable growth. Continued fiscal adjustment and a strict monetary policy should help stabilize the exchange rate and ensure-possibly after an initial increase-that the inflation rate continues to decline and that the other substantial gains under the IMF-supported economic program are preserved.

"Although the goals of the Turkish government's economic program are unaltered, the change in the exchange rate regime requires a revision of the macroeconomic framework for the economic program supported by the IMF. The authorities have announced that the structural components of the program will be implemented as planned.

"We expect that discussions between IMF staff and the authorities of the necessary changes in the program will begin this week, with a view to allowing the...