IMF director general Dominique Strauss-Kahn yesterday said Norway was ready to contribute as much as $4.5 billion to funding for the International Monetary Fund.

"I welcome the announcement by Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen that Norway's Ministry of Finance and Norges Bank (central bank) are exploring a possible Norwegian contribution of up to 30 billion Norwegian kroner of financial resources to the IMF to ensure that the fund is capable of meeting the borrowing needs of its member countries that might arise in the current crisis," Strauss-Khan said.

"Norway's additional financial support to the IMF would contribute to strengthening the multilateral response to the economic crisis.

"In making this announcement, Norway is adding to the important steps already made by the European Union and the government of Japan toward stabilising the global financial system during this period of unprecedented stress," the IMF chief added.

"We hope that other countries may now provide their own support to our efforts to restore stability to the global economy."

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