Germany denies devising Greek rescue plan without IMF

Germany expects the International Monetary Fund to participate in Greece's bailout program, a finance ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday, rejecting a newspaper report that Berlin was preparing for a deal without the global lender.

Divisions over labor reforms, fiscal targets and debt relief have prevented Greece and its foreign lenders from concluding a compliance review of its current bailout program, the third since 2010.

The IMF says it will only join in if this rescue is the country's last and it includes significant debt relief.

Bild reported on Wednesday that Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was preparing for a continuation of aid without the IMF - an option Greek officials said last week that the government in Athens would welcome.

The German mass-market daily gave no source for the information.

A spokeswoman for Schaeuble's ministry...