Strauss Kahn visits IMF headquarters to bid adieu

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the International Monetary Fund visited the headquarters of the body in Washington to meet his successor and say goodbye to his ex-colleagues following the dismissal of sex assault charges against him.

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"Mr Strauss-Kahn visited IMF headquarters this afternoon.

"I can confirm that the managing director (Christine Lagarde) met briefly with him prior to Mr Strauss-Kahn's meeting with Fund staff," an IMF spokesman said on Monday.

"These were private meetings, arranged at his request.

We have no further comment to offer," the spokesman said.

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This was Strauss Khan's first visit to the IMF headquarters in Washington after he was forced to resign from the global lending institution following his arrest in New York early this year on sexual assault charges.

Strauss-Kahn, who was arrested in May, returned to his Washington residence on Friday.

Strauss-Kahn, 62, resigned as the IMF's managing director after he was arrested and charged in May.

He was replaced in July by former French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.

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The charges against him have now been withdrawn.

According to Huffington Post, Paulo Nogueira Batista, who represents Brazil on the IMF's 24-member executive board, described the meeting with staffers as warm.

He said hundreds packed into an IMF auditorium to hear Strauss-Kahn speak.

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"It was a very emotional, warm farewell," Nogueira Batista said.

He said Strauss-Kahn received lengthy applause when he entered the IMF auditorium and after he concluded his remarks, Huffington Post reported.

Earlier in the day, the lending agency sent an email to its staff that Strauss-Kahn wanted to meet them and say goodbye.