Deputy PM Says Russia's Collaboration With World Bank Will Be Reconsidered

The program of collaboration with the World Bank in 2002-2003 is supposed to be prepared by next March, and its main parameters will be elaborated on in December, Deputy Premier of the Russian Federation Viktor Khristenko reported in an interview with journalists today. According to him, the diversification of collaboration will be aimed at minimizing the volume of loans spent to cover budget expenditures, as well as switching to a new technology of taking private loans. In Khristenko's opinion, this will make it possible to reduce credit costs for "final Russian borrowers." World Bank's portfolio in Russia is supposed to be changed in favor of operations supporting credits to the private sector.