ATHENS, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Greece raised 1.625 billion euros (1.95 billion U.S. dollars) on Wednesday in the first auction of treasury bills for 2018, the Greek Public Debt Management Agency announced.

The six-month treasury bills were sold at an interest rate of 1.65 percent, down from 1.95 percent in the previous similar auction in December.

Shut out of international markets since 2010, Greece runs a monthly treasury bill auction program to cover maturing debts and meet its financing needs, in parallel to the bailout program.

The debt-ridden country is expected to fully return to the markets in 2018 when the current third bailout program ends. (1 euro = 1.2 U.S. dollars)