Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Maliki goes to Kuwait to discuss $15 bn debt
Kuwait
(Associated Press) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki met with top officials from Kuwait and the US yesterday to discuss the $15 billion (Dh55.05 billion) Baghdad owes Kuwait and ways to stop the infiltration of foreign fighters, officials said. Al Maliki, on his second visit to this country as prime minister, met with Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah for about an hour and later held a separate meeting with David Satterfield, an adviser to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Iraq.
Satterfield, who was on a regional tour to encourage financial support for the Iraqi government, told Al Maliki that Saudi Arabia has agreed to write off most of the more than $15 billion Iraq owes the country, but Kuwait has not made a final decision, according to an aide to Al Maliki. During his visit, Al Maliki is expected to ask Kuwait to forgive the $15 billion that his country owes the nation dating back to Saddam Hussain's former regime.
The Kuwaiti government has pledged to forgive 80 per cent of the debt, but the decision is subject to parliamentary approval. Many lawmakers oppose the move, arguing that Iraq also is an oil-rich country and should pay back the money. Satterfield said on Monday that the American and the Iraqi governments are "working closely" with Gulf countries and other major creditors to write off Baghdad's debts.
The US official asked the prime minister on Tuesday about what should be done to stop the infiltration of foreign fighters and weapons into Iraq from neighbouring Iran and Syria, the aide to Al Maliki said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Satterfield, who was on a regional tour to encourage financial support for the Iraqi government, told Al Maliki that Saudi Arabia has agreed to write off most of the more than $15 billion Iraq owes the country, but Kuwait has not made a final decision, according to an aide to Al Maliki. During his visit, Al Maliki is expected to ask Kuwait to forgive the $15 billion that his country owes the nation dating back to Saddam Hussain's former regime.
The Kuwaiti government has pledged to forgive 80 per cent of the debt, but the decision is subject to parliamentary approval. Many lawmakers oppose the move, arguing that Iraq also is an oil-rich country and should pay back the money. Satterfield said on Monday that the American and the Iraqi governments are "working closely" with Gulf countries and other major creditors to write off Baghdad's debts.
The US official asked the prime minister on Tuesday about what should be done to stop the infiltration of foreign fighters and weapons into Iraq from neighbouring Iran and Syria, the aide to Al Maliki said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Labels: David Satterfield, debt, Kuwait, Nouri Al-Maliki
