IMF chief spokesperson Caroline Atkinson told press Monday that the IMF continues with its regular agenda following the arrest of Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

She said: "First of all, the IMF's executive board met earlier this afternoon in an informal session to receive a verbal briefing from acting managing director John Lipsky and the Fund's general counsel Sean Hagen. This was on developments relating to the managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. The Board was briefed regarding criminal charges that had been brought against the managing director during a private visit to New York. The IMF staff and its executive Board will continue to monitor developments. There was no board action. This was a briefing."

"I also wanted to let you know that earlier in the day, Mr. Lipsky, who as you know is acting managing director of the IMF, called together the staff. Let me briefly recap what he said. While this is a very difficult time, Mr. Lipsky pointed to the experience, depth, and commitment of IMF staff to meet the challenges that our member countries, 187 member countries, face in this post-crisis world. Mr. Lipsky underscored that the IMF is continuing its business uninterrupted and that experience, depth, and commitment of the staff and the ability to work together with our member countries is what will make that possible."

She said that the deputy managing director Minouche Shafik attended a critical meeting of the Eurogroup in Brussels along with senior staff that was dealing with the crisis in the Eurozone.

"The IMF's executive board, the first item on its agenda was to move forward with the next phase of an important loan to Ireland, one of our major borrowers at the moment" she said.

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