(December 4, 2003) Iraq’s debt has become a politicised issue and a means for countries like Germany and France which opposed the war to try to influence the reconstruction and political future of Iraq.

(December 4, 2003) A senior French official said on Thursday that he does not see an easy way to quickly reduce some of Iraq’s huge $200 billion in outstanding debt because the U.S.-occupied land is not a sovereign country.

(December 4, 2003) New York Times op-ed, arguing the author was wrong to ignore the legal principle, illegitimate contracts need not be honored.

(December 3, 2003) Saudi Arabia will withhold the $1 billion (£582 million) in loans and credits that it pledged last month for Iraq’s reconstruction until the security situation is stabilised and a sovereign government takes office.

(December 2, 2003) In a discussion paper published on its Web site, debt campaigner Jubilee South called for an investigation and audit of the alleged Iraqi debt. According to Jubilee South, the people of Iraq are not demanding handouts and debt relief but, rather, sovereignty and reparations.

(November 30, 2003) Iraq’s US-installed Governing Council has appealed to the international community to speed up the rescheduling of the towering debt accumulated by Saddam Hussein’s ousted regime.

(November 27, 2003) MSU president Peter McPherson after five months’ leave as the financial coordinator of ORHA/CPA in Iraq says, "We can’t have Iraqis paying for Saddam 25 years from now. To postpone the debt would be a geopolitical mistake."

(Sydney Morning Herald November 24, 2003) We have not forgotten what helped Germany after World War II. Without the Americans’ generous repayment plan, there would not have been reconstruction and an economic miracle in Germany.

(November 23, 2003) German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Germany would endorse a reduction of Iraq’s debt to Germany, once Iraq’s security situation and political structure had improved.

(November 17, 2003) U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said he had a figure in mind for how much Iraqi debt should be forgiven.

(November 13, 2003) Ex-IM president announces a $500m credit facility with the new Trade Bank of Iraq: "In order to have physical security and political stability, we must do something to enable Iraqis to realize their wealth more quickly."

(November 9, 2003) The International Monetary Fund is still assessing how much of Iraq’s debts should be forgiven and what level of debt would be sustainable for the country scarred by years of war and isolation.