Greece's left-led government says it would welcome a decision by the International Monetary Fund to pull out of the country's bailout program, which is bogged down in disagreements on further spending cuts. Government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos is blaming the Washington-based fund for "pointless delays" in the negotiations.

Athens hopes a deal with European creditors and the IMF will boost Greece's battered economy, allowing access to the European Central Bank's bond-buying program and, later, to international markets.

The IMF participated in Greece's two previous bailouts, but is still deliberating whether to finance the current, third program signed in 2015. It says fiscal targets agreed upon between Greece and the Europeans are too optimistic. Tzanakopoulos said Tuesday it would be "a good development for Greece and Europe" if the IMF declines to participate.