Germany will not prejudge US criminal sex allegations against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a spokesman in Berlin said Monday.
"(The case) is in the hands of the New York judiciary. They must decide about guilt or innocence. This decision has not been made, and until then it is only legally fair not to prejudge anybody, including the head of the IMF," said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, DPA reported.
Strauss-Kahn was arrested just before departing New York on a trip to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany has been carrying the biggest burden in bailouts of indebted euro governments.
She received a telephone call early Sunday advising her that the meeting would not take place, Seibert said.
"The German government thinks any discussion about possible successors for Mr Strauss-Kahn is inappropriate at this point in time. The IMF is a large organization, it has deputies and a competent infrastructure," added Seibert.