DEAUVILLE, France (AFP) - EU capitals now consider the appointment of the French Minister finance Christine Lagarde as next head of the IMF as a fait accompli, after the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has hailed his candidacy, a European official told AFP at the G8 Summit.
"Lagarde"? This is done, "the main source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity that the decision depends on the IMF and not leaders of the European Union and the G8."
British Prime Minister David Cameron said he had witnessed "very strong support for his candidacy in a range of different conversations that I had" the Summit of Deauville.
"The only thing that everyone says is that it is clearly a very strong candidate, she has what it takes in terms of experience of political leadership and respect as a Finance Minister, not only in Europe but more widely," he told journalists.
LaGarde, a former lawyer of 55 years, is considering a visit to India in his campaign to become the next leader of the IMF, its French cabinet colleague Gérard Longuet, the Minister of defence, said Friday.
"There is a sign of the importance of the India for the France: Christine Lagarde will begin his campaign for the IMF in India,"Longuet told journalists in New Delhi."."
Europe has traditionally provided the Director General of the International Monetary Fund, and the major Governments of the EU are rallied around Lagarde bid for the job following the arrest of former Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on sexual assault charges.
Emerging countries have challenged the automatic right of Europe in the post, but have failed to unite in a candidate.
A former champion silver synchronized swimmer, Lagarde chaired top United States Baker and McKenzie firm before she was persuaded to abandon its conference room of Chicago by then Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.
De Villepin made his trade Minister, and later resumed the portfolio of agriculture.
Speaking in Moscow, the first Russian Minister Vladimir Poutine said that having given candidacy of Lagarde "entirely acceptable".
"The France application is without doubt, very strong."
Thursday, Clinton said that while the United States had not adopted an official position, she welcomed personally nominated to Lagarde.
"I am a strong supporter of women qualified, that it is certainly one, given the opportunity to lead international organizations," she said, referring to Lagarde. "."I really know him. I admire him. ?
While Washington has also stated that Agustin Carstens, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Mexico, is a "credible candidate", the official said EU diplomats at the Summit of the G8 in Deauville had interpreted Clinton remarks as a victory for Lagarde.
A senior White House official, said that French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed the candidacy by Lagarde with us the President Barack Obama, but Obama said had given no firm to its support.
"Support us the process of IMF that they announced last weekend that has a date limit of I think June 30 or so, and are convinced that it will produce a good candidate", he said.
"The President, similar to what I have said, restated our position that the IMF announced a process, and it is important to go through this process."
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