Paris, Sep 19 (IANS) Former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Dominique Strauss-Kahn admitted to a "moral fault" in the US sex scandal during an interview Sunday night.


It's "a moral fault", he said, referring to the case charging him with sexual assault against a hotel maid. However, the former IMF chief insisted he had not forced the maid with violence, reported Xinhua.

The televised interview with French TV TF1 was the first of Strauss-Kahn after the case was dropped by US prosecutors Aug 23. He expressed apology for his conduct citing harm to his family and supporters but didn't hide resentment against the accuser.

Moreover, Strauss-Kahn, a Socialist veteran and ex-minister for economy and industry ministry, ruled out the role of candidate in the coming presidential election in the first half of 2012.

"I wanted to be a candidate, but that is behind me. I am not a candidate for anything. I will take time to reflect," he said to TF1 channel.

Once the favourite candidate and promising front-runner in 2012 election, Strauss-Kahn's fame was impacted by the sexual scandal in the US, which was followed by a domestic accusation from a French writer Tristane Banon.

According to a poll published by the Journal Du Dimanche Sunday, 53 percent of the respondents said they want to hear the announcement of Strauss-Kahn's receding from French politics in the TV interview.