"We remain ready to assist if asked by the Greece Greek authorities," Gerry Rice, deputy head of external relations at the IMF, said during a regular briefing with the press. "We have not been asked."
Greece plans to raise up to $ 10 billion in the coming weeks even though officials say they are frustrated that the country's borrowing costs have not come after the recent rescue pledge by its fellow European nations and the IMF.
Last week's reassurance by the European Union that the bloc would not let Greece default was meant to lower the amount of interest Greece would have to offer to attract the funding it desperately needs.
A week later, that has not happened, raising expectations that the EU, together with the IMF, will need to step in to bail out Greece. Yet it is unclear how much further Greece's financial position has to deteriorate before the EU would agree to intervene.
Rice did not provide much detail on how any rescue mechanism would be shared by the EU and the IMF, saying only that the IMF would consult with both Greek and EU authorities.
Turning to Iceland, the official said the IMF staff's preliminary judgment on the country's second review, which could potentially release key aid, was positive. But he added that this view now needs to be shared by the IMF's executive board.
Rice said the IMF staff would be working with authorities in Iceland in the coming days, but declined to say Whether to IMF mission would be traveling to the country.
RELATED STORIES: BUSINESS , FOREX , REALESTATE , MARKETING , AUTOMOBILES , CURRENCY’S
