350. Telegram 3067 from Paris, December 131
Pass Treasury and Southard. Ref: Embtel 3064.
Following is verbatim text of exchange of letters as agreed today by the Finance Ministers and other principal financial reps with respect to supplementary resources for IMF:
Begin text of letter from Minister Baumgartner to other participants:
Dear . . .:
The purpose of this letter is to set forth the understandings reached during the recent discussions in Paris with respect to the procedure to be followed by the participating countries and institutions. (Hereinafter referred to as “the participants”) in connection with borrowings by the International Monetary Fund of supplementary resources under credit arrangements which we expect will be established pursuant to a decision of the executive directors of the Fund.
This procedure, which would apply after the entry into force of that decision with respect to the participants which adhere to it in accordance with their laws, and which would remain in effect during the period of the decision, is as follows:
A. A participating country which has need to draw currencies from the International Monetary Fund or to seek a stand-by agreement with the Fund in circumstances indicating that the supplementary resources might be used, shall consult [Facsimile Page 2] with the Managing Director of the Fund first and then with the other participants.
B. If the Managing Director makes a proposal for supplementary resources to be lent to the Fund, the participants shall consult on this proposal and inform the Managing Director of the amounts of their currencies which they consider appropriate to lend to the Fund, taking into account the recommendations of the Managing Director and their present and prospective balance of payments and reserve positions. The participants shall aim at reaching unanimous agreement.
C. If it is not possible to reach unanimous agreement, the question whether the participants are prepared to facilitate, by lending their currencies, an exchange transaction or stand-by arrangement of the kind covered by the special borrowing arrangements and requiring the Fund’s resources to be supplemented in the general order of magnitude [Typeset Page 1524] proposed by the Managing Director, will be decided by a poll of the participants.
The prospective drawer will not be entitled to vote. A favorable decision shall require the following majorities of the participants which take part in the vote, it being understood that abstentions may be justified only for balance of payments reasons as stated in para D:
(1) A two-thirds majority of the number of participants voting; and (2) a three-fifths majority of the weighted votes of the participants voting, weighted on the basis of the commitments to the supplementary resources.
D. If the decision in para C is favorable, there shall be further consultations among the participants, and with the Managing Director, concerning the amounts of the currencies of the respective participants which will be loaned to the Fund in order to attain a total in the general order of magnitude agreed under para C. If during the consultations a participant gives notice that in its opinion, based on [Facsimile Page 3] its present and prospective balance of payments and reserve position, calls should not be made on it, or that calls should be for a smaller amount than that proposed, the participants shall consult among themselves and with the Managing Director as to the additional amounts of their currencies which they could provide so as to reach the general order of magnitude agreed under para C.
E. When agreement is reached under para D, each participant shall inform the Managing Director of the calls which it is prepared to meet under its credit arrangement with the Fund.
F. If a participant which has loaned its currency to the Fund under its credit arrangement with the Fund subsequently requests a reversal of its loan which leads to further loans to the Fund by other participants, the participant seeking such reversal shall consult with the Managing Director and with the other participants.
For the purpose of the consultative procedures described above, participants will designate representatives who shall be empowered to act with respect to proposals for use of the supplementary resources.
It is understood that in the event of any proposals for calls under the credit arrangements or if other matters should arise under the Fund decision requiring consultations among the participants, a consultative meeting will be held among all the participants. The representative of France shall be responsible for calling the first meeting, and at that time the participants will determine who shall be the chairman. The Managing Director of the Fund or his representative shall be invited to participate in these consultative meetings.
It is understood that in order to further the consultations envisaged, participants should, to the fullest extent practicable, use the facilities [Typeset Page 1525] of the international organizations to which they belong in keeping each other informed of developments in their balances of payments that could give rise to the use of the supplementary resources.
These consultative arrangements, undertaken in a spirit of international cooperation, are designed to insure the stability of the international payments system.
[Facsimile Page 4]I shall appreciate a reply confirming that the foregoing represents the understandings which have been reached with respect to the procedure to be followed in connection with borrowings by the International Monetary Fund under the credit arrangements to which I have referred.
I am sending identical letters to the other participants—that is, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Attached is a verbatim text of this letter in English.
The French and English texts and the replies of the participants in both languages shall be equally authentic. I shall notify all of the participants of the confirmations received in response to this letter.
End text.
Begin text of replies of other participants:
Dear Mr. Minister:
This is in reply to your letter of . . . setting forth the understandings reached during the recent discussions in Paris with respect to the procedure to be followed by the participating countries and institutions in connection with the borrowings by the International Monetary Fund of supplementary resources under credit arrangements which we expect will be established pursuant to a decision of the Executive Directors of the Fund.
On behalf of . . . I am pleased to confirm that we are in agreement with the statement of understandings as set forth in your letter of . . . I am attaching, in accordance with your suggestion, the (begin bracket) French (end bracket) (begin bracket) English (end bracket) text of this letter of confirmation.
End text.
- Text of exchange of letters on supplementary resources for IMF. Official Use Only. 4 pp. Department of State, Central Files, 398.13/12–1361.↩