LUANDA, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Angolan official has said negotiations between the Angolan government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unblock aid are making good progress and a formal accord could be reached "soon," Angolan news agency reported Tuesday

    Angolan deputy-finance Minister Severim de Morais was quoted byreports as saying ongoing talks with the IMF on Angolan managementof oil revenues and the economy were "on good course."

    IMF demands, however, for the adoption of "shock therapy measures" to kick start Angola's moribund post-war economy were still a hurdle that had to be overcome, he added.

    "We believe that 30 years of war were too high a price to pay by the people and that shock measures will add to the misery and poverty of Angolans", Morais said.

    Observers say the IMF is likely to agree to a poverty reductionprogram and growth lending package with Angola early in 2005, after an initial Staff Monitored Program that will scrutinize the use of oil and mineral revenues.

    These accords with the IMF would lead to other donor nations freeing up aid, and Luanda hopes it would eventually pave the way for an international donor conference.

    Angola is sub-Saharan Africa's No. 2 oil producer with a daily output of about one million barrels.Enditem