FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

We welcome Mexico's announcement that it has, well ahead of schedule, fully repaid its outstanding IMF loans of $3.2 billion. Mexico's decision reflects its strong economic and financial performance under the policies of the Zedillo administration.

Mexico's early repayment is consistent with the reforms that we have pursued in the IMF that are based on the fundamental premise that IMF lending should support and not supplant access to the private capital markets.