The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday it has had no discussions with Greece about a third rescue program, as the current plan will continue until 2016. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble earlier this month predicted Greece would need a new rescue program, though he later downplayed his remarks that a rescue was imminent. Greece has been rescued twice since 2010, with $317 billion (240 million euros) worth of agreements coordinated by the European Central Bank (ECB), European Union (EU), and the IMF. But the IMF estimated last month that Greece still will have a funding gap of almost $15 billion (11 billion euros) in 2014 and 2015. "In our next review, we'll discuss developments on that front and see where we are," IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters in Washington, referring to Greece's funding needs. "The numbers, of course, could change in either direction." Rice reiterated that Europe already has pledged to support Greece until it can borrow independently, as long as the heavily indebted country can meet its current rescue obligations and post a budget surplus this year. The IMF said the next review of Greece's rescue package will happen in the second half of September, although it was unclear whether it would be before or after German elections on September 22. Further money for Greece is a politically sensitive topic in Germany, which as the euro-zone's biggest economy, has the most exposure to Greece.
