WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund said Sunday that a decision by the United Arab Emirates central bank to pump liquidity into its banking sector was welcome. The United Arab Emirates is a strong resource-based economy and we welcome todays announcement by the central bank of the UAE making available to banks a special additional liquidity facility, a statement from the IMF said. The comments came after the central bank announced it had issued a notice to UAE banks and foreign banks operating in the UAE making available to them special additional liquidity facility linked to their accounts at the central bank. It was widely seen as a move to calm markets and investor fears after state-controlled Dubai World prompted economic jitters by requesting a halt to its debt payments until at least May 2010. The IMF said it was continuing to monitor the situation following the unexpected announcement... regarding a standstill on the debt of Dubai World and its Nakheel subsidiary, which has had an adverse impact on financial markets. The central bank announcement came just before stock markets in Dubai and neighboring emirate Abu Dhabi have their first chance to react to the debt payment request, after a four-day break for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday. It was unclear what impact the central bank announcement, which gave no figures for the amount of liquidity being made available, would have on the stock markets. Dubai stock market rules limit the index to a change of 10 percent in one day. The IMF said it would look forward to further clarification by authorities in Dubai on a cooperative mechanism to address the issues between these debtors and their creditors.