WASHINGTON - US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner believes French finance minister Christine Lagarde is an "exceptionally talented" candidate to lead the International Monetary Fund, the Treasury said on Thursday in a statement that stopped short of an endorsement. Geithner and Lagarde met earlier on Thursday and discussed the situation in Europe, a Treasury spokeswoman said in a statement. Geithner "believes that Minister Lagarde's strong leadership skills and experience makes her an exceptionally talented candidate for IMF managing director," the spokeswoman said.