OREANDA-NEWS  On 31 October was announced, that Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement on the request by the authorities of the Republic of Belarus for Fund financial assistance:

"The Belarusian authorities have requested financial assistance from the Fund under a program that could be supported by a Stand-By Arrangement. The global financial crisis has adversely affected the Belarusian economy and its access to external finance. At the same time, changing conditions in trade have negatively affected the country's balance of payments. A Fund mission will begin discussions with the authorities in the next few days on a program. The amount of Fund financing under a Stand-By Arrangement has yet to be determined."