By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/imf1hunsri030410.html
UNITED NATIONS, March 4, updated -- The International Monetary Fund's lack of transparency is matched by its claims to be transparent. Take for example the IMF's arrangement with Sri Lanka, where parliament has been suspended and the state of emergency extended.
Two weeks ago, Inner City Press submitted three questions to the IMF's briefing. Spokesman David Hawley did not take any of the questions on camera. Afterwards, and after complains, two of the three questions were answered, but not the one on Sri Lanka: "With an IMF team in Sri Lanka, what is the IMF's thinking on the EU's suspension of the GSP Plus tariff treatment, and/or the arrest of opposition politician Sarath Fonseka?"
On March 4, Inner City Press submitted five questions, some repeatedly. Spokesperson Caroline Atkinson read out her own summary of the question, about the third tranche of the IMF's loan, and then said that the IMF "mission returned from Sri Lanka," we don't have an agreement, we don't expect the third tranche to be released."
Then Ms. Atkinson said, I understand we have more online questions, we'll wait for technology. See transcript below.
But it appears that the delay is not technology related, but rather consists of IMF staff screening and editing the questions that are submitted. Of Inner City Press' four other questions, only one was mentioned by Ms. Aktinson. Inner City Press had submitted, "In Hungary, why did the IMF meet with opposition party Fidesz? What was discussed? Fidesz says the discussions concerned the deficit, and if Fidesz comes to power in the April elections -- is that true?"
Ms. Atkinson read only part of the question, then said that such meetings are "common... an exchange of views." But the opposition party said it had an agreement with the IMF. Shouldn't the IMF respond?
Inner City Press submitted for the IMF's response this quote last week from Hugo Chavez: "When Venezuela used to get financing, the IMF would come here and impose conditions and rules, and sometimes it would even dismantle our laws. But now, with China and Venezuela, we're on equal footing." But they woudn't even acknowledge, much less respond to, the request for a reaction.
Update: after the expiration of the IMF's embargo and the publication of the above, an IMF spokesperson replied, "I have nothing for you on this. However, I can confirm that Venezuela and China are both members of the IMF. "
Two of the submitted questions were either not passed on to Ms. Atkinson, or were omitted by her and she said there are no more questions:
On Angola, is the IMF any closer to assigning a resident representative to Luanda? What progress has Angola made to the transparency discussed by the IMF, particularly in the oil sector?
Bulgarian Finance Minister Simeon Djankov says he's asked the IMF to inform him whether Greek owned banks are "draining funds from their Bulgarian units" - can the IMF confirm the request, if so will it respond in the 3 weeks given, and separately what does it think of this "draining" issue?
This Bulgaria / Greece question, Inner City Press submitted repeatedly. But it was not acknowledged.
Update: after the briefing was over, an IMF spokesman wrote to Inner City Press that "I’ve asked Olga to get back to you on this. Not familiar with this request. We’re checking." Olga would seen to be Olga Stankova, Senior Press Officer. Numerous publicly available article quote Bulgarian officials about their request to the IMF.
Of those few journalists present in person at the IMF's briefing, many of the questions were about Greece: would there be a meeting is DC? No.
There were questions about Iceland and Ukraine, an expression of condolance for Chile, dodging on gold. Mr. Strauss-Kahn will be in Kenya, with Bob Geldoff and Raila Odinga., then on to Zambia. What about Angola? Watch this site.
Update: Later on Thursday, the following on Angola:
Subject: Angola
From: Thomson, Alistair at IMF
To: Inner City Press
Date: Thu, Mar 4, 2010 at 5:15 PM
Matthew, Thanks for your question on Angola. We are in the process of considering possible candidates for the post of resident representative. On your second question, fiscal transparency is a key part of the authorities' economic program agreed with the Fund. A mission is currently in the field to conduct the first review of the stand-by agreement.
We will continue to follow all this. Watch this site.
From the IMF's transcript:
Ms. Atkinson: I have a question online about the IMF's third tranche to Sri Lanka due in March. I believe we have announced that the mission's return from Sri Lanka that we don't have an agreement with them so we don't expect that the third tranche will be released at least until we have an agreement with them.I understand there are more online questions so we have to wait for technology....
I wanted to go to a question that I'd had online about Hungary. He was asking if there was significance in the mission meeting with the opposition party when they were there. I wanted to note that it's common practice that we will meet with — and this has happened before — that we've met with the opposition party, and of course there were no negotiations with people who were not in the government, but an informal exchange of views.
