IMF chief Rato to pay first visit to Moscow

WASHINGTON (AFP) - IMF director general Rodrigo Rato will travel to Moscow November 16-18 on his first visit there since taking the helm of the Fund in June, his spokesman said.
It will be the "first visit of the managing director to Russia. Russia is an important member of the Fund. It will be a listening and learning tour," spokesman Thomas Dawson told reporters.
The visit "is not in a context of any particular problem," Dawson added.
Rato will meet with Rusian government and business leaders.
On the heels of his Moscow visit Rato was due to travel to Berlin November 19 to take part in a meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors.
The G20, created in 1999, groups the G7 (US, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Britain and Canada), the European Union, Russia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.

11/10/2004 - 17:56 GMT - AFP