Andrew Stevens, anchor : It's not officially on the agenda but the vacancy at the top of the International Monetary Fund is sure to come up at the G-8 summit, as well. A point of contention we've been discussing is where the next managing director should come from. Until now, the position has always gone to a European but calls have been growing for a managing director who represents emerging economies. Well, Thailand's Finance Minister has been vocal about that. Korn Chatikavanij joins us now from our Tokyo.
Minister, thanks very much for joining is. Is now the time to have a leader of the IMF from an emerging economy?
Korn : I think so. The world has changed substantially since Dominique Strauss-Kahn was appointed back in 2007, and even then the European nations were saying that next time around it would be the turn of somebody else. And, as I said, with the collapse of the global economy in between time and the emerging status of the Asian economies in particular, I think it's not time to review old traditions.
Stevens : Now, what we have been seeing is European leaders coalescing around the French finance minister. There are two firm nominations from emerging markets, from Kazakhstan and from Mexico. Does the emerging economies need to put a common candidate up now to have a chance at changing the status quo?
Korn : Well, first of all, I'd like to say Madame Lagarde is certainly highly qualified and she has said she shouldn't be barred from the job just because she is a European and I can sympathize with that. I've got no problem with that issue at all.
Our perspective is the IMF is a global institution. It's tasked to look after all countries and shouldn't be limiting its choice simply from one area or just one nation. Now, in regard to your question regarding whether there should be a common consensus behind a single name, well, we do have until June the 10th to put forward a name. But in reality, it shouldn't, in itself, be necessary for blocks of countries to have to rally around any particular name. The IMF itself should have a transparency process to asses the best possible candidate, whoever and wherever that -- he or she is from around the world.
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