Paulson upbeat about G-7 action plan

Kuala Lumpur News.Net
Saturday 11th October, 2008

A five-point plan proposed by G-7 ministers meeting in Washington, has received a ringing endorsement from the U.S. Treasury Secretary.

'At today's meeting of the G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, we finalized an aggressive action plan to address the turmoil in global financial markets and the stresses on our financial institutions,' Secretary Hank Paulson said after the meeting. 'This action plan provides a coherent framework that will direct our individual and collective policy steps to provide liquidity to markets, strengthen financial institutions, protect savers, and enforce investor protections.'

'The G-7 is compelled to robust international partnership and cooperation. Never has it been more essential to find collective solutions to ensure stable and efficient financial markets and restore the health of the world economy,' he said.

'Global financial market conditions are severely strained. In the United States, our economy has been facing a prolonged period of uncertainty and our financial markets are experiencing unprecedented and extraordinary challenges. A root cause of this situation is the housing correction and a lack of confidence in mortgage assets, as well as a lack of confidence in many of the financial institutions that hold these assets. We are squarely focused on the immediate need to stabilize our financial markets, and recognize that investor confidence is critical to restore liquidity and enhance the stability of our financial system,' said Paulson.

'As recent developments have demonstrated, the market turmoil is a global event. Governments around the world have taken actions to address financial market developments, and international cooperation and coordination has been robust. It is critical for governments to continue to take individual and collective actions to provide much-needed liquidity, strengthen financial institutions, enhance market stability, and develop a comprehensive regulatory response. We must continue to closely coordinate our actions and work within a common framework so that the action of one country does not come at the expense of others or the stability of the system as a whole,' Paulson continued.

'Central banks from around the world have acted together to provide additional liquidity for financial institutions, taking the necessary steps to support the global economy. The Federal Reserve has established swap lines with nine central banks to reduce pressures in global short-term U.S. dollar markets. Additionally, the U.S. Treasury implemented a temporary guaranty program for the U.S. money market mutual fund industry.'

The treasury ecretary also outlined how serious steps were being contemplated by the G-7 to tighten the regulatory framework overseeing markets, and to reign in abuses.

'Securities regulators around the world have taken measures to enhance market stability by addressing market abuse,' he said.

'The G-7 and others are working together through the Financial Stability Forum (FSF) to ensure a comprehensive, international regulatory response to the financial market turmoil. FSF Chairman Mario Draghi reported to us on the good progress that has been made in improving prudential supervision and regulation, increasing disclosure and transparency, and enhancing accounting frameworks. I am committed to making sure this work continues. We are also committed to tackling the next steps laid out by Chairman Draghi to be done by the end of this year and our ambitious agenda for 2009.'

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