ar032
02-13-2007, 09:39 PM
February 08, 2007
Iraqis comment on Kuwaiti debt ^top^
"Kuwaitis promised us to write-off 80 per cent of the $10 billion (the total value of its debts on Iraq)," Ayad Al-Samarra'ai, Chairman of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament told Gulf News. "Iraqi political activities towards Kuwait aim to cancel or to convince Kuwait to waive the compensation from the second Gulf War and to reduce its debts on Iraq. Kuwaiti officials expressed the possibility of responding positively to Iraqi demands. However, before the Kuwaitis take any political decision, they want to be reassured on the political and economic situation in Iraq, and that the circumstances will allow Kuwaiti investments to enter Iraqi markets."
Ammira Al-Bldawi, an Economist and a member of the Economic Committee in the Iraqi Parliament said that for Iraq to continue paying compensation for the 1990-1991 Gulf War is "unacceptable because the new political situation cannot endure the burdens of the former regime, and Kuwait, which stood by the political change in Iraq, should take practical steps for the cancellation of debts and compensations."
February 02, 2007
Iraqi delegation will go to Kuwait ^top^
The Kuwait Times reports that an Iraqi delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Sherestani, "starts an official visit to Kuwait this week for talks aimed at convincing Kuwaiti officials to forgive its multi-billion-dollar debt and tens of billions of dollars in war reparations." The article reflects that in 2004 Kuwait "pledged to considerably cut its estimated $16 billion debt" during a visit by James Baker who "also won similar pledges from other Gulf states which have accumulated debts of close to $50 billion." It continues "But Kuwait also told Baker that any decision on forgiving Iraqi debts rested with a decision from the National Assembly which according to the constitution holds the final say on granting or forgiving loans to foreign countries. A majority of MPs do not favour any reduction of debt or compensation, let alone forgiving them. Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai said in a statement that a large majority of MPs and among the Kuwaiti people reject the idea of forgiving Iraqi debts for "national, security and economic reasons"... He also said that the Iraqi government has no legitimacy to negotiate the issue of debts because it is accused of being sectarian in nature."
February 01, 2007
100 Iraqi MPs sign note to Kuwait ^top^
Following the recent discussion in Kuwait, 100 Iraqi Parliament members have signed a note urging the Kuwaiti authorities to cancel Iraq's debt to Kuwait in order to help the government to reconstruct the country and restructure the economy, Iraq Directory reported. A senior Iraqi deputy said that canceling Iraq's debts will help the war-torn country to abide with the requirements of the International Monetary Fund to reconstruct Iraq's economy and improve the citizens' income and living conditions.
http://www.jubileeiraq.org/blog/2007_02.html#000942
Iraqis comment on Kuwaiti debt ^top^
"Kuwaitis promised us to write-off 80 per cent of the $10 billion (the total value of its debts on Iraq)," Ayad Al-Samarra'ai, Chairman of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament told Gulf News. "Iraqi political activities towards Kuwait aim to cancel or to convince Kuwait to waive the compensation from the second Gulf War and to reduce its debts on Iraq. Kuwaiti officials expressed the possibility of responding positively to Iraqi demands. However, before the Kuwaitis take any political decision, they want to be reassured on the political and economic situation in Iraq, and that the circumstances will allow Kuwaiti investments to enter Iraqi markets."
Ammira Al-Bldawi, an Economist and a member of the Economic Committee in the Iraqi Parliament said that for Iraq to continue paying compensation for the 1990-1991 Gulf War is "unacceptable because the new political situation cannot endure the burdens of the former regime, and Kuwait, which stood by the political change in Iraq, should take practical steps for the cancellation of debts and compensations."
February 02, 2007
Iraqi delegation will go to Kuwait ^top^
The Kuwait Times reports that an Iraqi delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Sherestani, "starts an official visit to Kuwait this week for talks aimed at convincing Kuwaiti officials to forgive its multi-billion-dollar debt and tens of billions of dollars in war reparations." The article reflects that in 2004 Kuwait "pledged to considerably cut its estimated $16 billion debt" during a visit by James Baker who "also won similar pledges from other Gulf states which have accumulated debts of close to $50 billion." It continues "But Kuwait also told Baker that any decision on forgiving Iraqi debts rested with a decision from the National Assembly which according to the constitution holds the final say on granting or forgiving loans to foreign countries. A majority of MPs do not favour any reduction of debt or compensation, let alone forgiving them. Islamist MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai said in a statement that a large majority of MPs and among the Kuwaiti people reject the idea of forgiving Iraqi debts for "national, security and economic reasons"... He also said that the Iraqi government has no legitimacy to negotiate the issue of debts because it is accused of being sectarian in nature."
February 01, 2007
100 Iraqi MPs sign note to Kuwait ^top^
Following the recent discussion in Kuwait, 100 Iraqi Parliament members have signed a note urging the Kuwaiti authorities to cancel Iraq's debt to Kuwait in order to help the government to reconstruct the country and restructure the economy, Iraq Directory reported. A senior Iraqi deputy said that canceling Iraq's debts will help the war-torn country to abide with the requirements of the International Monetary Fund to reconstruct Iraq's economy and improve the citizens' income and living conditions.
http://www.jubileeiraq.org/blog/2007_02.html#000942