Greece will pay a €450 million ($489 million) loan instalment to the International Monetary Fund due on April 9 on time, its deputy finance minister said on Friday, despite a cash crunch.

“We strive to be able to pay our obligations on time,’’ Dimitris Mardas told Greece’s Skai TV. “We are ready to pay on April 9.’’

He said state revenue in March had topped targets without providing figures and added that progress had been made in talks with the country’s international lenders. (1 US dollar = 0.9194 euro)

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