By Ian Talley
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on
Monday the emergency lender is ready to help Greece if requested
after the country's voters rejected its creditors bailout
terms.
"The IMF has taken note of yesterday's referendum held in
Greece," Ms. Lagarde said in a short emailed statement. "We are
monitoring the situation closely and stand ready to assist Greece
if requested to do so," she said.
In the two-sentence statement, the IMF didn't say whether Ms.
Lagarde has been in contact with European authorities, or whether
Greece had requested IMF assistance.
Ahead of Sunday's referendum, Greece defaulted on its loans to
the IMF last week. Until Greece clears those arrears with the IMF,
the fund isn't allowed by its bylaws to lend the debt-ridden
country any more bailout cash.
The fund can provide technical assistance to Greece, if the
country asks for help from the IMF. But the fund is seen by Athens
and many Greek voters as one of the prime architects of a failed
bailout that has fueled the country's crisis.
The fund has placed blame on a succession of governments over
the past five years failing to deliver on promised economic
overhauls and take ownership for a bailout that Athens helped
craft.
Write to Ian Talley at ian.talley@wsj.com