IMF say world economic outlook improved for 2006

1. Wide shot of International Monetary Fund (IMF) briefing 2. Cutaway 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rodrigo de Rato, IMF Managing Director: "Well, we have seen clearly signs of recovery in Europe, and the news we are getting - although it is a modest pace - but we are seeing stronger growth in most central European countries like Germany, France and Italy. We see certainly that the recovery in Japan keeps its momentum, and that is a different view of what we were seeing only a few months ago, so in that respect we see that growth is more broad based. We see growth in Asia keeping a very strong performance, even in key countries like China it is accelerating and we see growth in Latin America also being strong, and in sub-Saharan Africa. Regarding North America we see clear shows (signs) that the US economy will continuing to perform on a very strong path." 4. Pan from cameraman to reporters 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rodrigo de Rato, IMF Managing Director: "Q. You mentioned that the IMF expects world economic growth to be slightly stronger than previously forecast for this year and next. Can you give us your new projections? A. No, I can't. I will give them to you in, when it is due, which is in the spring. But I am already saying that our last projections will already be revised upwards, so that means that we are looking toward a better environment and I think that is remarkable in just a few months. We are talking from the middle, the end, of September to today, so that I think that shows the opportunities for many countries is very important right now." 6. Wide shot of briefing 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rodrigo de Rato, IMF Managing Director: "Reform and good macro-economic policies have paid off for Brazil very, very substantially and in a very short period of time. Between the summer of 2002 and the winter of 2005 we see Brazil in a completely different position that we saw before, so this is a very important moment for Brazil and I want to take the opportunity to congratulate not only the government, and the previous government, but especially the Brazilian society. But it is also a very good example for emerging economies that reform cannot only pay off but can make very quick and positive results." 8. Wide shot of briefing 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rodrigo de Rato, IMF Managing Director: "As we are meeting today here, trade discussions are continuing in Hong Kong. This is also a very important opportunity and all countries, all countries, have much to gain from a successful and substantive conclusion of this round." 10. Mid shot as Rato leaves podium STORYLINE: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) offered an upbeat assessment of the global economy on Wednesday, saying that the World Economic Outlook released in September will be revised upwards in the coming months. IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato told reporters in Washington in an end of year briefing that economic growth had become more broad based, with a modest pick-up in most industrial countries and a favourable outlook for emerging markets. He singled out countries in central Europe, Asia and Latin America as performing well, and said that growth continued to look strong in the United States. When quizzed by reporters on the strength of the assessment, de Rato replied: "I am already saying that our last projections will already be revised upwards so that means that we are looking toward a better environment and I think that is remarkable in just a few months." During his speech, de Rato touched on a wide range of issues from good economic performances in Turkey and Brazil to the continuing impact of high oil prices. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/446ade72a6e4a382257d2c55006ad409 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork