Brussels, 14/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - If certain reports coming in from Washington and Tokyo (relayed in part by German authorities) are exact, the appointment of Horst Köhler as Director General of the IMF seems virtually certain. The United States and Japan have apparently expressed their intention of supporting this European candidate, approved on Monday by the Ecofin Council (see yesterday's EUROPE, page 7). Mr Köhler will be in Washington soon to make contact with IMF authorities.