Russia Links Iraq Debt Relief, Companies (more Baker results)

[Rose Siding]

MOSCOW -- The fate of Russian companies and economic interests in Iraq will affect Moscow's position in talks on relieving Baghdad's massive international debt burden, a top diplomat said Friday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov spoke a day after President Vladimir Putin told a U.S. envoy that Russia is willing to start negotiations on relieving Iraq's $8 billion in debt to Moscow, its largest creditor.

While the debt talks and the participation of Russian companies in postwar Iraq are separate issues, "progress in settling one of them will undoubtedly help reach success in talks about the other," Fedotov told a news conference.

After meeting Thursday with President Bush's special envoy on Iraq, James A. Baker III, Putin said he was ready to discuss relieving Iraq's debt in the Paris Club, an informal group of official creditors that coordinates debt repayment.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-russia-iraq,0,1848146.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

The Fixer is fixing but what is the Paris Club?

[Guaranteed]

1. Why is it in Russia's best interest to forgive an $8B debt

for a couple billion in corporate welfare?

[tom_paine]

2. After Baker explained to him that he was the force behind the Coup of 2000

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/12/276214.shtml

The Russians probably understand that, in this unfolding Age of Techno-Totalitarianism, men like Baker rule the world and people clinging to old principles of Liberal Democracy will be squished like bugs under the New Order.

[J B]

3. Because they don't expect to ever be able to collect.

That's my explanation.

[Dimsdale]

4. Will Baker squeeze the Saudis to forgive Iraq's debt to them?

Ha.

[truthspeaker]

5. I wish all these countries would refuse to talk to the US about Iraqs debt

I wish they'd proclaim that they will only discuss debt relief with a legitimate Iraqi government, when there is one, and that they don't recognize the US as having any authority to negotiate on Iraq's behalf.

[BonjourUSA]

6. French gov said exactly that.

Ok for a discuss debt relief but with an Iraqi gov