IMF chief 'believed he was target of Russian plot'

Dominique Strauss-Kahn believed he was the target of a Russian plot to have him fired as head of the International Monetary Fund, it was claimed yesterday.

The 62-year-old Frenchman, who now facing charges of trying to rape a hotel maid, accused France and Russia of hatching the scheme to stop him running for the French presidency.

Fellow French socialist politician Claude Bartolone said Strauss-Kahn made the claim to him last month, and said a senior figure in the Russian government was behind the conspiracy.

Mr Bartolone told the French television news channel BFMTV: "He told me this when we spoke on the phone in Paris on April 29.

"He said 'watch out and be careful, they could have tapped the phone'.

"He said the Russians had allied themselves with France to try to have him fired from the IMF, to stop him running for the presidency.

"He said that by not leaving the IMF 'cleanly' he would no longer be able to announce his candidacy."

Mr Bartolone added: "When I heard of his arrest on Sunday, I recalled this conversation and felt utterly baffled.

"I just can't get over what has happened to him."

France's finance minister, Christine Lagarde, has emerged as Europe's likely candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, yesterday said that she "very much appreciates the French finance minister."