{"id":425876,"date":"2011-05-18T02:25:40","date_gmt":"2011-05-18T02:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/18\/strauss-kahn-in-no-position-to-run-imf\/"},"modified":"2011-05-18T02:25:40","modified_gmt":"2011-05-18T02:25:40","slug":"strauss-kahn-in-no-position-to-run-imf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/18\/strauss-kahn-in-no-position-to-run-imf\/","title":{"rendered":"Strauss-Kahn ‘in no position’ to run IMF"},"content":{"rendered":"

17 May 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 22:25 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\"Dominique<\/p>\n

Please turn on JavaScript.<\/strong> Media requires JavaScript to play.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

Strauss-Kahn was refused bail on charges of trying to rape a maid<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dominique Strauss-Kahn is “not in a position to run” the International Monetary Fund after his arrest over an alleged sexual assault, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said.<\/p>\n

Mr Geithner said the IMF’s executive board should designate an interim head.<\/p>\n

The alleged assault on a maid happened at New York’s luxury Sofitel hotel on 14 May.<\/p>\n

Mr Strauss-Kahn – who denies the claims – has been put on suicide watch in the city’s infamous Rikers Island prison.<\/p>\n

As a precaution, guards are required to check on him every 15 to 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

The 62-year-old, who had been seen as a favourite in France’s 2012 presidential elections, faces seven charges and could be sentenced to up to 25 years in jail.<\/p>\n

The defence offered to post $1m (\u00a3617,000) bail, with Mr Strauss-Kahn to stay at his daughter’s address in New York until the next hearing on Friday. However, a New York judge rejected the application.<\/p>\n

Mounting pressure<\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing the Harvard Club in New York on Tuesday, Mr Geithner said the most important thing for the IMF was that it found a leader to fill Mr Strauss-Kahn’s shoes.<\/p>\n

“He is obviously not in a position to run the IMF,” Mr Geithner said.<\/p>\n

“It is important that the board of the IMF formally put in place for an interim period someone to act as managing director.”<\/p>\n

It is the first time that a top official from President Barack Obama’s administration has publicly spoken about the impact of Mr Strauss-Kahn’s alleged sexual assault.<\/p>\n

However, Mr Geithner refused to comment on the case or the details of the charges against Mr Strauss-Kahn.<\/p>\n

Since Mr Strauss-Kahn’s arrest last Saturday, his deputy John Lipsky has been serving as acting managing director of the global lending agency.<\/p>\n

Washington has a major say in determining who runs the IMF, because it has the largest number of votes in the organisation.<\/p>\n

Mr Strauss-Kahn is not due back in court until Friday – and there are growing calls for the IMF to fill the leadership vacuum, the BBC’s Steve Kingstone in Washington reports.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Austrian Finance Minister said Mr Strauss-Kahn was “hurting” the organisation.<\/p>\n

‘Honest woman’<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, more details have emerged about Mr Strauss-Kahn’s alleged victim.<\/p>\n

One of her lawyer said she was currently living through an “extraordinary” trauma.<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Shapiro said the 32-year hotel maid – who has not been named – was now in hiding and felt “alone in the world”.<\/p>\n

He said she was an immigrant from the West African nation of Guinea. She arrived in the US seven years ago and was living with her teenage daughter.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cStart Quote<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

It’s not just my opinion that this woman is honest. The New York City Police Department reached the same conclusion\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

End Quote<\/span> Jeffrey Shapiro<\/span> Accuser’s lawyer<\/span><\/div>\n

Mr Shapiro said her story of being assaulted by Mr Strauss-Kahn in the hotel suite near Times Square was “consistent” because she was telling the truth.<\/p>\n

“There is no way in which there is any aspect of this event which could be construed consensual in any manner. This is nothing other than a physical, sexual assault by this man on this young woman.”<\/p>\n

The lawyer added: “It’s not just my opinion that this woman is honest. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reached the same conclusion. This is a woman with no agenda.”<\/p>\n

Mr Shapiro also said that his client only became aware of who Mr Strauss-Kahn was after the police were called.<\/p>\n

Formal identification<\/span><\/p>\n

The charges relate to an alleged assault at the Sofitel hotel, which is located in the heart of New York.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n

Charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn<\/h2>\n