Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan, 30/ Trend / On January 27, Trend news agency published the article "IMF to send mission to Azerbaijan evaluating influence of financial crisis on economy", which inaccurately reflected information provided to the journalists by the Resident Representative of the IMF in Azerbaijan.
With this message, we want to clarify that the IMF mission, which will take place sometime in the middle of 2009, will conduct the regular annual Article IV consultation in Azerbaijan.
IMF economists visit member countries to gather information and exchange views with government and central bank officials on a regular basis-usually once a year.
Naturally, in the light of the ongoing financial crisis, the mission will also assess its impact on the Azerbaijani economy. At the same time, there is no intention to have an "expanded delegation", as claimed by the article.
IMF staff latest assessment of the Azerbaijani economy has been published and can be found at:
http://www.imf.org/external/np/ms/2008/121608b.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/ms/2008/rus/121608br.pdf
Koba Gvenetadze
Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund in Azerbaijan