TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian government is optimistic that it will settle all debts to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) within seven years. I think the IMF money will be returned no later than 2010, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti said following a economic sector coordination meeting held at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jakarta on Tuesday (14/1). Kuntjoro-Jakti said that IMF loans amounting to US$13 billion must be repaid and up to now, the government has returned around US$3 billion. Meanwhile, the rest of the funds are saved in the form of gold and foreign currency reserves at Bank Indonesia (BI). However, Kuntjoro-Jakti confirmed that the cooperation with the IMF would be ended at the end of this year. Therefore, the government will prepare an exit strategy for the end of IMFs working period in Indonesia, that is by carrying out G to G diplomacy to gain support from donor countries. According to Kuntjoro-Jakti, the IMF has played a very important role during the economic crisis in Indonesia. The IMF has been like Indonesias solvency guard, he said. (Dara Meutia Uning-Tempo News Room)
