ETRAI Country Correspondence

32483

1956-1970

series

textual records

7.5 linear feet of textual records.

Afghanistan, Islamic State of, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Republic of, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Republic of, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mali, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Republic, Bermuda, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Malawi

Series is open according to the Archives Access Policy. Files will be screened by reference staff for any time restrictions.

Series consists of country correspondence of IMF member countries maintained by the Immediate Office of the Exchange Restrictions Department (ERD), later renamed the Exchange and Trade Relations Department (ETR) in 1965. The records within this series cover the period 1957 to 1970. They reflect the function and work of the department, in particular the review of country papers, briefing reports and policy related issues prepared by area and functional departments. In this regard, the department worked in consultation with area departments (Western Hemisphere, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern Departments) and the Legal and Research Departments and provided comments for management approval to assure conformity of the IMF's established policies and practices across the entire membership., Records consist of correspondence and memoranda between the Director of ETR and the Managing Director; correspondence forwarded to Area Department Directors from member countries and copied to ETR for review and information; mission reports or Aide Memoires to the Managing Director which include a review of fiscal, credit, wage and foreign debt policies with country officials; and Article VIII and Article XIV consultation correspondence., Since ETR functioned as a reviewing agent, much of the correspondence and memoranda found in the series are copies, however there is some original correspondence between the ETR Director, Division Chiefs and staff and area department staff in which approvals for technical assistance and consultation visits were recommended. Occasionally some of the correspondence also include annotated drafts of Executive Board Decisions on Article XIV consultations for member countries., Of particular note is the correspondence between David Finch, WHD Division Chief (1957-1965) and Irving Friedman, Director of ETR. Prior to Finch's appointment as Deputy Director of ETR in 1966, Friedman regularly consulted with Finch on matters concerning Stand-By Arrangements in member countries. Another issue of interest includes a discussion on the introduction of exchange restrictions in Argentina. This decision sparked much debate between IMF officials and several European financial bodies., Files within the series are arranged alphabetically according to country and chronologically within.