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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mistermj who wrote (20029)	12/15/2003 5:43:13 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793543

I just don't see how he survives in that place at this time. We still have control. If he says, "let me live, and I will give you how I sent the WMD's to Syria, and where my money is," they will make a deal.

To: mistermj who wrote (20029)	12/15/2003 6:03:48 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793543

Another failure of Bush Diplomacy, I guess. Krugman said last week that this could never happen. France to Rethink Iraqi Foreign Debt Mon Dec 15,10:50 AM ET By JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press Writer PARIS - France and other creditor nations are looking to strike a deal on helping Iraq (news - web sites) reduce its foreign debt next year, the French foreign minister said Monday. He did not specify how much debt might be canceled or restructured. The announcement comes a day ahead of a visit to France by former Secretary of State James A. Baker, President Bush (news - web sites)'s new emissary on postwar Iraq. Baker is charged with trying to win international support for reconstruction, including promises to erase Iraq's crushing burden of foreign debt. That mission was made more complicated by the U.S. decision to lock out Russia, Germany and France — all opponents of the war to oust Saddam — from bidding on $18.6 billion in U.S.-financed reconstruction projects in Iraq. All three countries were angered by the decision, and Russia suggested it might respond by toughening its position on debt. In Moscow, Russia's diplomatic point man on Iraq, Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov, reiterated his country's position that Iraq's foreign debt can only be restructured though the Paris Club, a group of creditor nations that includes the United States. But he left the door open for an agreement on debt restructuring. "This (Paris Club) is a modern, civilized system for settling the problem of external debt that is applied everywhere, and Russia is in favor of these mechanisms being applied to Iraq as well," Interfax quoted Fedotov as saying. "The mechanisms of the Paris Club are quite flexible and envisage some kinds of steps on restructuring and easing the responsibilities of debtor nations," he said. In all, Iraq owes some $40 billion to the United States, France, Germany, Japan, Russia and other countries among 19 nations that belong to the Paris Club, an umbrella organization that conducts debt negotiations. At least an additional $80 billion is owed to other Arab countries and nations outside the Paris Club. Besides France, Baker will also visit Moscow this week to discuss the debt and seek to increase international support for Iraq's reconstruction. France's Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said his country wants to work with members of the Paris Club to find an appropriate level of debt that is "compatible with the financial capacities of Iraq." "France could envisage the cancellation of appropriate debts," he said at a news conference after meeting a delegation of visiting Iraqi ministers, led by Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, the acting president of the governing council. Jalal Talabani, a member of the Iraqi council, hailed the potential debt reduction as "a gift" and said Iraq was eager to maintain tight relations with France throughout the reconstruction process. "We are convinced of the necessity of a French presence in Iraq on the political, cultural and commercial fronts," Talabani said in Arabic through a translator. The meeting was the first of its kind between such high-ranking French officials and the interim Iraqi leadership. The Iraqi delegates were to meet with French President Jacques Chirac later Monday. De Villepin also said France is interested in helping Iraq build its police force. news.yahoo.com