Russia slams foot-dragging over IMF reform

Developed nations are dragging their feet over reforms of the International Monetary Fund, where Moscow wants to have a greater say, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Saturday.

"We already see a lot of foot-dragging and tripping-up along this path," said Kudrin during Russia's premier economic forum in Saint Petersburg.

"There is a need to make the IMF a true representative of the world's leading economies. It's not there right now," he said, noting that China had a lower representation quota than Switzerland or Belgium.

The issue of IMF reform should therefore be raised "in earnest, in a bold way," Kudrin said, adding countries should be "represented in proportion to the strength of these economies and their role in the world economy."

Along with other major developing economies such as India and Brazil, Russia wants to increase its representation in the IMF and have a greater say in decision-making currently dominated by developed economies such as the United States.

The IMF is working to issue its very first bonds and Russia said late last month it was considering buying up to 10 billion dollars' worth of the bonds to help boost the institution's resources. - Have you voted in the poll International Monetary Fund ? -

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See AFP