WASHINGTON -- The IMF, dashing hopes of imminent financial assistance for Argentina, said Thursday it would send a technical mission to Buenos Aires next week but that no timetable for a deal was under discussion.

"I don't think we are at the point where we are discussing any kind of timetable," International Monetary Fund spokesman Thomas Dawson told a news conference.

"It would be misleading to highlight any kind of specific area. The problems in Argentina are widespread. In the monetary area and the banking area there are clearly issues that remain to be solved."

The IMF suspended its credit line to Argentina in December, deciding the government was failing to respect agreed economic targets. Soon after, Argentina defaulted on its public debt of more than $120 billion.

Since then, the crisis-torn South American country says it had taken the required measures to rein in budget spending and to clean up its financial sector.

But the fund remains evasive about when financial assistance might resume.

The IMF mission to Buenos Aires next week would led by IMF Monetary Affairs and Exchange Rate Chief Stefan Ingves, accompanied by the IMF pointman for Argentina, John Thornton.

IMF officials had been discussing with Buenos Aires a letter of intent -- draft proposals for economic reforms -- sent by Argentine Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna to the IMF in mid-August, Dawson said.

"We continue to believe that there is a need to develop a stable monetary anchor for the monetary program," he said.

Dawson said the fiscal situation had stabilized in Argentina but a slew of other issues were on the table, AFP reported.

"We have a fairly good understanding with the authorities of what is needed," he said.

"We need to have a stable set of ground rules for market participants, investors, institutions and domestic and international citizens to participate," he added. "That has been a concern and remains a concern but I think the authorities understand that fairly well."

Argentina, now in its fifth year of recession, was in a tough spot, Dawson said.

"It is a very difficult situation," he said. "This is a country of many millions people with provinces with strong political traditions, institutions. It is a democracy and we have to respect the authorities in their efforts moving forward and support them."

Argentina's struggle to make a deal with the IMF was thrown into sharp relief this month when the fund announced it would extend $30 billion -- its biggest loan ever -- to support Brazil.

The IMF agreed on a 15-month standby credit, which was in addition to a $15.2-billion program reached in September last year.

Dawson said the Brazil deal would be presented to the IMF Board for approval September 6.