International Monetary Fund's top contender for managing director Agustin Carstens had won the support of Australia and Canada as against rival French Minister Christine Lagarde.

In a joint press statement, Australia and Canada had announced their support for Carstens, whom they believe has more experience as he performed the duties of managing director with the global financial institution.

"It is important that the new IMF managing director be selected in an open and transparent process with the candidate chosen on the basis of merit and not nationality," Australia and Canada said in joint statement e-mailed today by Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan's spokesman, Fergus Maguire.

It has been the tradition that a European has held the top IMF job since it was created at the end of World War II, while an American has always headed the World Bank.

The statement said Carstens' experience as a deputy managing director of the IMF, along with his background as finance minister ofMexico, "equip him very well to understand and address, on a collaborative and inclusive basis with IMF member countries, the challenges faced by the global economy."

Lagarde has taken the lead over Carstens in terms of getting support from other nations particularly the emerging economies led by Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia and Egypt. On the other hand, Carstens has claimed the support of Latin American countries except for the Argentina and Brazil.

Both candidates are "highly credible," the statement said.

Carstens has trailed Lagarde in gathering support for his bid to lead the Washington-based fund. Lagarde has the backing of European nations and support among emerging countries from Egypt to Indonesia, while until now Carstens has claimed the support of most Latin American nations while failing to garner endorsements from Argentina or Brazil.

The post of managing director to the IMF became open when Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned following his arrest in New York on sexual-assault charges. The IMF board earlier announced that it will meet on 28 June and will come up with their final decision on 30 June.