IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said the fund looked forward to guidance from the European Central Bank next week on its future plans after a scheduled meeting of the ECB on September 6.

ECB President Maaio Draghi is set to flesh out his plans for a bond-buying program he announced in August, which would help reduce crippling Spanish and Italian borrowing costs.

"We look forward to the ECB's further guidance in terms of defining the modalities of its commitment to this unconventional support," Rice told a regular IMF briefing for reporters.

With news swirling that Spain could request a rescue loan from Europe, Rice reiterated that the IMF was not in talks with Madrid on a bailout and was not making plans for one.

He said it was up to Madrid to decide if it wanted to request aid from the European Union. A rescue from Europe would likely involve ECB buying of Spanish bonds and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said he is waiting to hear more about the ECB's bond buying program before deciding whether his country needed aid.

"In addition to the measures that Spain is undertaking itself, Spain will be helped by further progress at the European level," Rice added.

Meanwhile, an IMF mission will return to Athens next week to complete the first review of the country's economic program.

Rice said the mission, which will include the European Commission and ECB, would focus on reducing Greece's deficit and structural measures to boost employment, and ensure lasting and higher growth.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde spoke to Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras by telephone on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Greece and in the euro zone, Rice said, although he declined to elaborate on the conversation.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by James Dalgleish, Leslie Gevirtz)