World
        

Photos

Sarkozy: G8 not a place to discuss IMF successor

Updated: 2011-05-27 06:45

(Xinhua)

Twitter Facebook Myspace Yahoo! Linkedin Mixx

Sarkozy: G8 not a place to discuss IMF successor
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy addresses reporters during a news briefing at the G8 summit in Deauville, northern France May 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

DEAUVILLE, France - French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday dismissed comment on the qualification of incumbent Finance Minister Christine Lagarde to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF), saying the Group of Eight (G8) meeting is not the place to take that decision.

G8 is not intended to discuss the subject referring to a new IMF head, because it is not the G8 to determine who to lead the IMF, Sarkozy said at a press conference at the seaside resort Deauville hosting all G8 leaders.

Related readings:
Sarkozy: G8 not a place to discuss IMF successor Arab, IMF row to preoccupy G8 leaders
Sarkozy: G8 not a place to discuss IMF successor Security tight ahead of G8 summit in France
Sarkozy: G8 not a place to discuss IMF successor G8 agenda: Nuke safety, Arab and Africa

On Wednesday, Lagarde announced her bid for candidacy of the IMF managing director. Later that day, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon expressed support of his government for the French minister.

Owning support from almost all European Union (EU) members to join the IMF contest due in June, Lagarde was described as "an outstanding woman with a fairly predictable, foreseeable character" by Sarkozy.

Earlier on Thursday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, attending the ministerial meeting at the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, announced that the United States "has not taken a position for the moment" to support any particular candidate.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a former French finance minister, resigned from the post of IMF managing director last week following his dramatic arrest in New York for sexual assault allegations.

Though there are calls for an IMF leader from emerging economies, the EU wants to maintain the leadership in the influential financial organization as the eurozone sovereign debt crisis is still weighing the economic recovery of this region.

So far, Mexican Central Bank Governor Agustin Carstens is the only declared candidate from developing countries.

 

E-paper

Thawing out

After a deep freeze in sales during the recession, China’s air conditioner makers are bouncing back

Preview of the coming issue
Cool Iron lady
Of good and evil

European Edition

Specials

Memory lanes

Shanghai’s historic ALLEYS not just unique architecture but a way of life

Great expectations

Hong Kong-born singer songwriter rises to the top of the UK pops.

A diplomat of character

Belgian envoy draws on personal fascination to help build China ties.

Her story is history
Sino-US Dialogue
Drunk driving