IMF MISSION IN MOSCOW.

A mission from the International Monetary Fund opens talks with Russian leaders in Moscow today. The Russian government will seek to persuade the IMF to release a $700 million tranche of its $10 billion extended loan to Russia, which the IMF suspended in October because of the government’s poor tax collection performance. There are rumors that Russia will also ask the IMF for an extra emergency loan to help it prop up the beleaguered ruble. (Financial Times, December 2)

Communist Leader Returns From Iraq.