G7 ministers to meet in February

FINANCE MINISTERS and central bankers from the Group of Seven leading industrial countries will meet in Bonn on 20 February, it was announced yesterday.

Reform of the international financial system in the wake of the crises of the past 12 months will be high on the agenda. German officials are drawing up proposals that build on the G7 announcement in October of a new line of credit for countries in danger of teetering into crisis. Other reforms are also likely, including the strengthening of the International Monetary Fund's "interim" or management committee