IMF / GREECE

The International Monetary Fund said Thursday that news of an agreement in Athens is encouraging. IMF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:39
• Production Date: 9 February 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND - IMF
• Subject Topical: ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
• Geographic Subject: GREECE
• MAMS Id: U120209d

Description

STORY: IMF / GREECE
TRT: 1.39
SOURCE: IMF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 9 FEBRUARY 2012, WASHINGTON, DC

Shotlist

RECENT, WASHINGTON, DC

1. Wide shot, IMF Headquarters

Washington, DC – 9 February, 2012

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerry Rice, Director, External Relations, IMF:
“The Managing director has had a discussion with Prime Minister Papademos and he has informed her that indeed the coalition partners have come to an agreement on the measures.”
3. Cutaway, reporters
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerry Rice, Director, External Relations, IMF:
“The IMF is not imposing austerity on Greece. What we’re trying to do here is come up with that program that will return Greece to a sustainable path.”
5. Cutaway, reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gerry Rice, Director, External Relations, IMF:
“We have been mindful from the outset of the hardships that this would entail for the people of Greece and we have sought in these negotiations and in the program to come to an understanding with the Greek authorities that there are ways that the most vulnerable groups can be protected, for example, protecting those at the lowest ends of wages, lowest ends of salaries. We have tried to ensure that the adjustment, difficult as it is can be carried out in a way that’s fair so that the burden can be shared.”

RECENT, WASHINGTON, DC

1. Wide shot, IMF Headquarters

Storyline

The International Monetary Fund said Thursday (9 February) that news of an agreement in Athens was encouraging.

In a press briefing in Washington DC, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said that Greece’s Prime Minister Lucas Papademos spoke to Managing director Christine Lagarde as she was traveling to Brussels for a meeting of eurozone finance ministers.

“The Managing director has had a discussion with Prime Minister Papademos and he has informed her that indeed the coalition partners have come to an agreement on the measures,” Rice said.

Rice said that it’s been an important first step to reach agreement among the coalition leaders. The next step will be to hold further discussions on helping Greece return to a sustainable debt trajectory while restoring growth, competitiveness, and jobs.

“We have been mindful from the outset of the hardships that this would entail for the people of Greece and we have sought in these negotiations and in the program to come to an understanding with the Greek authorities that there are ways that the most vulnerable groups can be protected, for example, protecting those at the lowest ends of wages, lowest ends of salaries. We have tried to ensure that the adjustment, difficult as it is can be carried out in a way that’s fair so that the burden can be shared,” Rice said.