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IMF's role 'essential' in Greek debt talks, German finance ministry says

IMF's role 'essential' in Greek debt talks, German finance ministry says

The International Monetary Fund's role is "essential" in efforts to stabilise Greece, German finance ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said earlier on Friday.

He noted that the IMF, along with the European Central Bank and the European Commission, were the three institutions with which Greece must negotiate reforms.

Jaeger was replying to questions quoting German press reports that the EU was organising a meeting on Greece without the IMF's participation.

German government's deputy spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz, meanwhile, said she was "unaware of any such thoughts" and that all sides were following the agreement of February 20, which demanded steps of progress by Greece. She noted that there must be agreement with the three institutions and then the finance ministers must decide.

Asked about Thursday's meeting between Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and French President Francois Hollande in Riga, she clarified that the decisions and agreements will not be made by heads of government and that no specific reform proposals were agreed in Riga.