HSBC would not rule out buying Citi assets

LONDON (Reuters) - The chairman of Europe's biggest bank HSBC Holdings said he would not rule out a move for some assets of U.S. bank Citigroup after the U.S. government stepped in to rescue the lender.

Asked if he would look at Citi's assets, Green told reporters at a conference on Monday: "It would depend."

He declined to comment on specific situations but said acquisitions were possible if they met his criteria.

"We have a clear strategy that says we're going to develop our business with a primary focus on emerging markets and that for us primarily means, because of our footprint, Asia, Middle East and South America," he said, adding deals also needed to fit in terms of price and the quality of assets.

(Reporting by Tom Bergin; Editing by Erica Billingham)