Britain backs Strauss-Kahn for IMF top job

LONDON, Sep 4 (Reuters) Britain on Tuesday endorsed former French finance minister, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, over a former Czech central banker to head the International Monetary Fund in a contest likely to go to the Frenchman.

Strauss-Kahn won the backing in July of the European Union to head the institution once IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato steps down in October.

In a bid that seemed a direct challenge to Europe, which has traditionally appointed the head of the IMF, Russia named Josef Tosovsky as a second candidate for the job amid calls by developing nations to throw the selection process to candidates from other parts of the world.

Britain had refused to back Strauss-Kahn in July to make a point that the selection of a new IMF leader had to be open and transparent.

However, days after a deadline for naming candidates for the job closed on Friday, Britain said Strauss-Kahn had the best credentials for the job.

''Dominique Strauss-Kahn has extensive experience in international financial issues,'' said Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling.

''I welcome his commitment to engage with the whole membership of the fund to promote global financial stability and economic development and to tackle the reform challenges faced by the fund,'' he added in a statement.

The Treasury said it welcomed the process the IMF had put in place to appoint the next IMF chief and said it strongly believed it should be a template for all future senior appointment at international financial institutions.

''Such appointments should be open to candidates from all regions of the world,'' it added.

The job came open in July after the sudden resignation of Rato, who was in the midst of reforming the 63-year-old fund, including changes that would better reflect the rise of countries such as China and India.

Strauss-Kahn has vigorously campaigned for the job and even the Czech Republic sad it favored the Frenchman over Tosovsky.

The United States has kept its distance from the maneuvering to pick Rato's successor.

''The UK believes that Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the candidate who best matches the criteria that the IMF board has established for the job,'' a Treasury spokesman said.

REUTERS RS KP0042