ARGENTINE DEBT NEGOTIATOR CONFIDENT OF ACCORD
Argentina's chief debt negotiator
said he was confident of a prompt accord with international
creditor banks for rescheduling the country's foreign debt.
    "I'm quite optimistic about carrying out a serious and
quick negotiation," Treasury Secretary Mario Brodersohn said on
return from talks in New York with leading U.S. and world
financial officials.
    Argentina is currently negotiating terms with the steering
committee for its creditor banks that will allow it to meet
four pct economic growth targets in 1987. It has also asked for
a reduction in interest rates and fresh credit.
    Brodersohn said the growth targets were not negotiable, but
Argentina did not want to follow Brazil in suspending payments
on its foreign debt.
    He said Argentina was seeking 2.15 billion dlrs credit to
meet the targets, adding that the banks' attitude had improved
following Brazil's decision.
    The United States and a group of other industrial nations
on Thursday granted Argentina a 500 mln dlr bridge loan.
    Brodersohn held talks in New York with U.S. Treasury
Secretary James Baker, Federal Reserve chief Paul Volcker and
International Monetary Fund (IMF) head Michel Camdessus.
 Reuter
