WASHINGTON The International Monetary Fund said Friday it would begin "active" negotiations on resuming aid to crisis-torn Argentina and is satisfied with movements on economic reform measures.

An IMF team is to travel next week to Buenos Aires to continue into the final stages of negotiations to secure a loan package for the beleaguered South American nation, trapped in a downward spiral caused by four years of recession, AFP reported.

After two days of meetings here with IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler, Argentine Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna announced the IMF mission, but stressed that it was to focus on banking and finance issues -- not any "immediate" change in the monetary policy of the government of President Eduardo Duhalde. Koehler called the discussions "productive" and said that two legal issues -- the reform of the bankruptcy law and the repeal of the so-called economic subversion law -- "have been satisfactorily resolved."

Lavagna assured the IMF that "substantial further progress may be expected next week on the outstanding issues concerning the central government's fiscal agreements with the provinces," Koehler said. "Consequently, Argentina and the IMF are entering an active negotiating relationship."

Koehler clarified the focus of the talks next week, honing in on four areas: the fiscal situation, the "critical problems with the banking sector," developing an "effective monetary anchor for the authorities economic program" and reinforcing Central Bank independence.

"We will pursue discussions actively in all these areas, including through staff missions to Argentina to accelerate momentum toward a fund-supported program," Koehler said.

Argentina hopes this round of talks will eventually pave the way for the IMF to unlock the more than $9.5 billion frozen since December, when the government ran out of money and failed to make payments on its $141 billion sovereign debt.

Argentine delegation spokesman Sergio Federovisky said the minister would remain here for the weekend for additional talks with the IMF, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. World Bank Managing Director James Wolfensohn Friday reiterated the bank's commitment to "advance in the preparation of a substantial lending and technical assistance program, particularly in the social sectors, that would become available after an agreement with the IMF has been reached." And the U.S. Treasury Department complemented "constructive progress the Argentine government has made in legal and fiscal reforms."

"We strongly support the IMF's announcement that it is entering active negotiations with the Argentine government," the department said in a statement. It urged Argentina to "press ahead with further steps to stabilize the economy and create sustainable economic growth for the benefit of the people of Argentina."

Half of all Argentines have now slipped below the poverty line and public anger also has been roused by a freeze on bank deposits and the collapse in value of the peso, accompanied by rising inflation.