[17/May/2011]

BRUSSELS, May 17 (Saba) -- Spanish finance minister Elena Salgado said here Tuesday that the "crimes IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been accused of are very serious, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

" She told reporters as she arrived for a meeting of EU finance ministers that for the time being we must let justice takes it course, but added that her solidarity "is firstly with the woman who has suffered an assault, if that indeed proves to be the case." The IMF chief is in New York jail after judges refused hum bail following his arrest on Sunday for sexual assault on a hotel maid.

On her part, Austrian finance minister Maria Fekter suggested that Strauss-Kahn should resign from his post.

"I don't comment on judicial matters," she told reportes.

"But in view of the situation that bail has been refused, he himself must think whether he is hurting the institution," she added. The ministers in their todays meeting are discussing the debt situation in Greece and they will also take stock of negotiations with the European Parliament on legislative proposals dealing with economic governance in Europe.

Saba