Tunisia says talks with IMF positive, committed to paying debts

TUNIS – Tunisian Finance Minister Sihen Boughiri said on Wednesday that initial talks with the International Monetary Fund were positive and that Tunis was committed to paying all its foreign debts.

Tunisia, in the throes of a severe financial crisis, is seeking to reach a new loan deal with the IMF in exchange for what would be unpopular reforms that include lifting subsidies and freezing wages.

Boughiri also said that Tunisia would repay 3.5 billion dinars ($1.14 billion) in foreign debt this month.

($1 = 3.0812 Tunisian dinars)

(Reporting by Tarek Amara; Editing by Mark Heinrich)