Argentina says does not need aid from IMF

LONDON (Reuters) - Argentina does not require financial help from the International Monetary Fund and a recent debt swap is part of the strategy to manage its debt burden, the country's economy minister said on Saturday.

"Argentina does not require financial aid from the IMF as it did in the past," Amado Boudou told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers' meeting.

"It sits down to talk, it does not require finance for its current expenditure," he said, speaking through an interpreter.

Argentina is virtually excluded from international capital markets due to disputes over a massive 2002 debt default and some creditors' refusal to accept a big credit reduction in a 2005 restructuring.

Boudou, who took office in July, has made it a top priority to get his country back into credit markets but analysts say it will be tricky to achieve this before the end of the year.

"Maybe we will return to the credit markets this year, I have not a crystal ball," Boudou said.

He said President Cristina Fernandez also wanted Argentina to return to international markets.

"This is the president's strategy and I merely implement it."

Argentina in August launched a swap of 8.3 billion pesos ($2.15 billion) in short term inflation adjusted bonds closing Sept 7. Boudou has said it is a small step toward returning Argentina to international capital markets.

"The swap was good news for us because we did it without being forced into it. We think the important part of bondholders were involved in the swap," Boudou said.

Boudou said Argentina had a $1.5 billion debt payment due in December, and $13 billion was maturing in 2010.

G20 finance ministers agreed on Saturday on the need for reforms to increase the voice of emerging markets in the International Monetary Fund.

However, proposals for quota reform could adversely affect Argentina, which G20 sources say is overrepresented in the IMF.

(Editing by Patrick Graham)