CNNfn | September 17, 2001
NEW YORK - The International Monetary Fund and World Bank, as expected, canceled their joint meeting that had been scheduled for Washington, D.C., at the end of this month, due to security concerns arising from last week's terrorist attack.
"This decision was taken out of deepest respect and sympathy for the families of all those touched by the horrific events of last Tuesday, and in order to dedicate law enforcement personnel fully to the extraordinary and immediate priorities at hand," the two organizations said jointly in a release Monday morning.
Officials of the two organizations had signaled their plans last week shortly after the attack. About 100,000 protestors had been expected in the nation's capital during the meeting, and providing security for the groups would have stretched law enforcement resources needed to respond to the terrorist attack.
The IMF and World Bank suggested the meeting itself would not be rescheduled.
"The normal business of the Bank and the Fund will not be interrupted," the statement said. "Alternative arrangements for conducting the required business of the meetings will be determined. We expect to return to the normal schedule for Bank and Fund meetings in 2002."CNNfn:
