HIGHLIGHTS-Comments from officials at IMF, World Bank meetings

ISTANBUL Oct 6 (Reuters) - The following are comments on Tuesday from finance officials in Istanbul for the IMF and World Bank meetings. > For top stories, please double click on [G7/G8]

ECB GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER AXEL WEBER

"Prudent macroeconomic policies, entitlement reforms and growth-enhancing structural reforms are the best way to guarantee robust and sustainable global growth in the post-crisis era. In addition, this calls for greater exchange rate flexibility in some emerging market economies."

ECB GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER CHRISTIAN NOYER

"Global imbalances have grown, and the crisis has shown that the resources for dealing with them are limited, and that they are deeply intertwined. The IMF should be in a position to participate fully in meeting the two challenges that lie ahead: the coordination of crisis exit strategies and the strengthening of long-term growth potential."

NAOKI MINEZAKI, JAPAN'S SENIOR VICE FINANCE MINISTER

"In terms of the next IMF quota review, due in January 2011, political guidance became clear in the Pittsburgh (G20) Summit. In line with this guidance, we need to accelerate the process ... so that quota shares appropriately reflect the current global economic reality."

CHINESE FINANCE MINISTER XIE XUREN

The IMF should aim to "provide a stable monetary environment for global growth and financial stability."

WORLD BANK PRESIDENT ROBERT ZOELLICK

"To serve the changing global economy, the world needs agile, nimble, competent and accountable institutions."

"The old order is gone. We should not waste our time and tears lamenting it. Today we must build anew. Today we can put in place the foundations for a 'new normal' of growth and responsible globalization"

IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN:

"Looking ahead, the post crisis world will be, and must be very different. We need to adapt to that reality, and to adopt policies that will lead to sustainable broad-based growth."

"The crisis is not over. The recovery will be sluggish, and private demand is not yet self-sustaining. The specter of deleveraging will be with us for some time. And on the demand side, consumption is still tentative, especially in countries where household balance sheets remain weak."

"Rising unemployment is likely to cast a long shadow."

"The global economy remains in a very precarious position. Premature withdrawal of policy support could kill the recovery. For sure, policymakers should design credible exit strategies. But it is too soon to implement them."

U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER ON IMF ROLE:

"The IMF will need to be a truth-teller," he said in a statement to be delivered at the IMF-World Bank plenary session by U.S. Treasury Acting Assistant Secretary Mark Sobel.

"This means that rigorous surveillance must help us shed light on trends that could lead to the next unsustainable boom."

"Under the new G20 framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth, the IMF must provide forward-looking analysis of whether the world's major countries are implementing economic policies, including exchange rate policies, which are collectively consistent with G20 objectives."

COMMENTS ON REPORT IN THE INDEPENDENT THAT GULF ARAB STATES ARE IN SECRET TALKS TO REPLACE U.S. DOLLAR IN OIL TRADE

SAUDI CENTRAL BANK CHIEF MUHAMMAD AL-JASSER:

Asked by reporters about the story in Britain's The Independent, Muhammad al-Jasser said: "Absolutely incorrect."

Asked whether Saudi Arabia was in such talks, he replied: "Absolutely not."

Asked whether Saudi Arabia was committed to the dollar, he said: "You asked the question, I answered it. You asked about the story."

RUSSIA DEPUTY FINANCE MINISTER DMITRY PANKIN:

"We did not discuss this at all."

IRANIAN FINANCE MINISTER SHAMSEDDIN HOSSEINI:

"Some of the countries right now accept this idea. But this is one of the subjects that needs more discussion and (to be) agreed on by everyone."

ALGERIAN FINANCE MINISTER KARIM DJOUDI:

"Oil producing countries need to stabilize revenues but ... I don't see a need for oil trade to be denominated differently."

EGYPTIAN INVESTMENT MINISTER MAHMOUD MOHIELDIN:

"No talks whatsoever that I am aware of in secret or in confidence. All Arab countries have their own national currencies and monetary policies."

"After what happened recently of lack of stability of the main international reserve currency, that is the dollar, there has been thinking around the world of some sort of compositions of international reserves. I can see today the dollar is not as dominant as it used to be. It seems to me that despite the talk and sometimes heated debate, it is a matter of time, an evolution rather than wishes and decisions."

IRANIAN FINANCE MINISTER SHAMSEDDIN HOSSEINI:

Hosseini told reporters he had disucss the idea of moving away from the dollar for oil trade with other countries occasionally in the past, but had not held any such discussions in recent days.

"Some of the countries right now accept this idea," he said. "But this is one of the subjects that needs more discussion and (to be) agreed on by everyone," he said through an interpreter. (Editing by Tim Ahmann)