The U.S. White House does not intend to comment on possible candidates for the post of the International Monetary Fund chief, after its current head Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested on rape charges in New York on Sunday.
Strauss-Kahn, 62, was arrested last Saturday at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on board a plane to Paris, just 10 minutes before takeoff. He is charged with attempting to rape a maid at the Sofitel hotel near Manhattan's Times Square.
"I'm not going to talk about the process for selecting potentially a future head of the IMF from here. I don't really have any comment on it. I think the important point is that we believe that the IMF can and will continue to function and fulfill its role in the global economy," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told a daily press briefing.
The IMF chief, who until recently was regarded a front-runner in the French presidential elections, denies the charges, laid against him by a 32-year-old hotel maid. She told police that she was attacked by Strauss-Kahn, who came out of his bathroom naked, chased and sexually assaulted her.
The judge denied the defense's offer to post $1 million bail, saying there was too great a chance Strauss-Kahn would try to leave the United States.
Prosecutors said Strauss-Kahn was arrested trying to flee the country, but his lawyer said he was rushing to an important meeting.
WASHINGTON, May 18 (RIA Novosti)
