IMF sends mission to Greece to help tackle debt crisis

WASHINGTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund said Thursday it will send a mission to Greece to discuss possible financial assistance to help the cash-strapped country tackle its debt crisis.

"Following a request by the Greek authorities, I have agreed to send an IMF team to Athens to begin discussions with the Greek authorities this coming Monday on policies that could provide the basis for Fund financial assistance under a multi-year program, in the case that the authorities decide to ask for such assistance," IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in a statement.

"The Greek decision to initiate Fund program engagement is consistent with the agreement among European leaders last weekend that financial support from members of the euro area should go hand-in-hand with IMF engagement and financial assistance," he said.

The mission will discuss the amount of a possible loan, IMF spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson said at a news briefing.

After years of irresponsible fiscal policies, Greece had been experiencing a severe sovereign debt crisis in recent months that has had caused an impact on global financial markets.

The IMF sent a mission earlier this year to Greece to provide "technical" assistance. But it was not welcomed by some Euro zone members.