Highlights: Policymakers' comments at IMF, G20 meetings

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Following are key quotes from global financial leaders on the third day of talks around the IMF's annual spring meetings.

CANADIAN FINANCE MINISTER JIM FLAHERTY

On the 45 billion-euro ($60.5 billion) aid for Greece: "Some countries think it's not enough. ... some of the G20 countries, including some of the European countries."

On the yuan: "My impression ... with China is that in the right circumstances, they (will) allow more flexibility. "That's their perception of the right circumstances, and I think that is becoming, again, more likely than it was before because we're starting to emerge from crisis situations."

On deficits: "The crisis in Greece focuses minds on the need for fiscal consolidation in those countries that are running large deficits and accumulating a lot of debt and the need for countries in that situation to demonstrate globally that they have exit strategies."

On Canada's opposition to bank tax: "What was a little bit unusual about this is that one tries to have unanimity of views in the G7 ... and Canada is the smallest player in that group. So there was some hesitancy to disagree so clearly with the United Kingdom and France and Germany.

"But on the other hand their situations were so different going through the crisis ... I also thought that there would not be the kind of support in the G20 that they perhaps thought there would be for that kind of tax."

IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN

"The countries ... which are likely to implement (a bank tax) are the ones having had problems in the banking sector. The others say, 'We didn't have a problem so we're immune.' Maybe it's a bit shortsighted, and maybe if you had asked the U.S., the UK, some European countries, before the crisis, if their financial sector was strong enough to resist any kind of crisis they would have said, 'Yes'. So I'm not sure that this kind of instrument -- it's true also for strong regulation -- shouldn't be applied everywhere."

EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER GUY QUADEN

"We discuss this in Frankfurt month after month. For the time being it seems to me that interest rates are still appropriate. The inflation rate has increased in the euro zone recently but is still at a very low level and the inflation expectations are still anchored in conformity with our definition of price stability."

PEOPLE'S BANK OF CHINA GOVERNOR ZHOU XIOACHUAN, STATEMENT

TO IMFC

"The liquidity poured into financial markets by the central banks of major developed countries and the uncertainty of their exit policies have increased the instability of international capital flows, and, hence, the difficulty of short-term capital flow management for emerging market economies.

"The risk of a resurgence of trade and financial protectionism must also not be overlooked."

BRAZILIAN FINANCE MINISTER GUIDO MANTEGA

"The main current threat to the recovery stems from fiscal weaknesses in several advanced countries. In a few European countries, these weaknesses have already translated into financial instability.

"It is true that an early exit from fiscal support may prove to be premature from the standpoint of recovery. Nevertheless, uncertainties about debt sustainability could force countries into fiscal consolidation sooner than planned. In major advanced economies, a detailed consolidation strategy seems to be indispensable to avoid further turbulence and risks of contagion to other areas of the globe.

"The stance of monetary policy is likely to remain accommodative in advanced economies for an extended period, as long as capacity utilization and inflation pressures remain subdued. However, the lessons from the last decade should not be forgotten. A long expansionary monetary cycle, especially if combined with lax regulation, can generate new bubbles and financial crises."

IMF ASIA DIRECTOR ANOOP SINGH

On currencies:

"I see the strengthening of currencies in Asia as part of this complex set of policies to raise consumption over the medium term."

On Japan's deflation:

"Our present sense is that for a number of reasons, including the improvement we're seeing in growth, that deflation will begin to recede, and we are seeing a return to positive inflation by the second half of next year."

On Asia capital inflows:

"I wouldn't focus only on carry trade. I think what we should be pleased at is that higher growth prospects in much of Asia, as well as obviously interest rate differentials, are attracting higher capital flows. Our sense is that some inflows are currently principally driven by improved growth prospects in Asia. And this is fundamentally good news."

SPANISH ECONOMY MINISTER ELENA SALGADO, CHAIR, EU COUNCIL

OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCE MINISTERS:

"The global economy could experience another soft patch once fiscal and monetary stimuli will be phased out, and private demand will have to play a more prominent role."

ALIPOUR-JEDDI, OPEC:

"The key question now facing the oil market was whether $70-$80 (per barrel range) is sustainable over the coming months."