Germany says IMF aid an option for Greece
(BERLIN) - Germany is open to International Monetary Fund aid for Greece, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Friday, describing the creation of a European version of the fund as a longer term objective.
"The German government does not rule out aid from the IMF if Greece requests it," spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said at a regular news conference.
But Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who this month floated the idea of a European version of the IMF, was "very reluctant" about the IMF bailing out Greece, his spokesman told the same briefing.
Schaeuble earlier this month floated the idea of a eurozone version of the IMF, with Berlin keen to see the 11-year-old, 16-nation currency union able to solve its own problems.
IMF aid to Greece would also involve the United States, since Washington is the biggest contributor to the fund.
Merkel's spokesman stressed that possible aid to Greece and the creation of a European lender of last resort, which Berlin believes would require changes to the EU's governing treaties, were two very separate issues.
"The questions have to be differentiated, for example for whether there will be support for Greece ... plays no role in the issue of treaty changes," Wilhelm said.
He said that any changes to the EU treaties, the prospect of which has received a cool response from some of Germany's EU partners including France, would be "very laborious" and would take "several years."
He said that talks on creating an EMF "should be discussed further, and are being discussed further ... and are in no way over."
Schaeuble's spokesman agreed, saying: "For the future, medium and long term, he was not talking about the case of Greece (when proposing an EMF), but about strengthening the eurozone in the medium and long term."
Wilhelm also stressed that Greece has not asked for aid.
"There is no decision pending because Greece has not asked for help and because we expect Greece to be able to solve its problems with its consolidation efforts," he said.
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