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IMF may decide by end of 2016 or whether to rejoin Greek program as a lender

An IMF spokesman on Thursday said the fund may decide by the end of the year on whether it join any new Greek bailout program as a lender.  

Speaking in Washington D.C., IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters that any decision depends on ongoing negotiations between the IMF’s mission to Athens and the Greek government, as well as parallel discussions between Athens and its institutional creditors.

Nevertheless, he reiterated the IMF’s position that fiscal targets mandated for Greece through 2018, with a primary budget surplus for that year reaching 3.5 percent of GDP, is unrealistic.