The IMF and the World Bank opened their annual general assembly here Tuesday as Czech authorities braced for an onslaught of thousands of demonstrators determined to disrupt the proceedings.
The annual plenary session, attended by more than 10,000 delegates from the IMF's 182 member nations, was taking place at the Congress Center in central Prague, surrounded by police.
Demonstrators have vowed to march on the facility to prevent delegates from leaving later in the day.
"The course of today's plenary, or if you will, global civilization has been determined by the Euro-American modern era — that is mainly by those who now belong to the wealthiest and most advanced," Czech President Vaclav Havel said in opening remarks.
"For that reason alone, they cannot be relieved of the necessity to engage in a critical reflection of the movements which they historically inspired."
IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler and World Bank President James Wolfensohn were later to address the gathering.— (AFP)
© Agence France Presse 2000
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
