Greece pays back IMF loan

Greece repaid a loan due Monday to the International Monetary Fund, further depleting cash reserves that risk running out this month unless a deal is reached with European partners.

Greece made the payment as scheduled, government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said by telephone. The country was due to pay back about Euro 584 million ($615 million). The nation's central bank also said on Monday that its primary budget surplus narrowed to Euro 503 million in the first two months of the year, less than a third of the amount in the year-earlier period. As other repayments come due this week, the Greek government said on March 14 that it had a plan to "enhance its liquidity" and won't have problems paying wages or pensions.