KIEV, July 30 – The International Monetary Fund will welcome the restructuring of Naftogaz Ukrainy's debt if it is properly designed to ensure the company's profitability and financial soundness and is conducted on voluntary basis, said IMF Mission Chief for Ukraine Ceyla Pazarbasioglu during a conference call on Ukraine, when asked whether the
IMF supported restructuring a $500 billion eurobond coming due in September.

She said that restructuring of Naftogaz debt was not necessarily a recommendation of the IMF.

"The recommendation was, since the start of the program, to look carefully at the debt obligations of the government and any state-guaranteed debt, and to make sure that there is good asset/liability management, which can include voluntary restructuring of its debt," the mission chief said.