IMF Congratulates Greece on its Progress

Greece's exit from the memorandum dominated the meeting between Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis and International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde on Sunday at the Fund's headquarters in Washington.

According to a senior government source, "discussions have started" and the "IMF is positive because it has contributed to this effort."

The IMF congratulated Greece on its "great progress" adding that it would support the Greek efforts, Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis said after a half-hour meeting with the IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Sunday.

More specifically, Hardouvelis made the following statement:

"We had an interesting discussion. Ms. Lagarde congratulated us for the great progress our country has made over the last years. She recommended continuing the reforms adding that these reforms should be made in such a way that they become property of the Greek people and go on. We should not retreat. The International Monetary Fund will be a contributor to the Greek effort and to what we are going to succeed."