IMF's Lagarde says Greek plan can't be based only on tax pledges

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece must present credible reform plans and they cannot be built only on promises of more tax revenues, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said in an interview published by French magazine Challenges on Wednesday.

Lagarde said a Greek economic recovery would require not only Greek reforms but also steps by European creditors to make the country's debt sustainable.

However, she said the Greek plan had to be credible.

"You can't build a program just on the promise of improved tax collection, as we have heard for the past five years with very little result," she told the magazine.

Lagarde said she did not want Greece to leave the euro zone and did not believe in any euro zone "explosion".

She also said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was well aware that Greece's pension system was not sustainable and needed to be reformed, adding there was no question of cutting small pensions.

"They must be protected," Lagarde said.

Lagarde hinted for the first time that she might run for a second mandate as IMF chief when her current term ends in July 2016.

"It will depend on the IMF members," she said. "If they want me to continue to serve, this is definitely something I would consider."

(Reporting by Ingrid Melander; Editing by James Mackenzie and Gareth Jones)