(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.

(November 7, 2003) The group aims to reach an agreement with Baghdad by the end of 2004, the deadline of its official moratorium on Iraq’s payments, a person close to the Paris Club told Friday’s Wall Street Journal.

(November 6, 2003) But Bulgaria is not ready to cancel Iraq’s debt. "Every government represents the same country, no matter when or how it accumulated its debts, and this is a principle which must be complied with." – Foreign Minister Solomon Passi.

(November 6, 2003) Bremer also intends to devote more attention to reducing Iraq’s debt . . . Bremer is considering several options to address the issue, including asking Bush to appoint a senior official to engage in negotiations with foreign governments.

(October 31, 2003) Clearly, some form of major relief for Iraq should be granted. Saddling the country with a burdensome debt is no way to get the first genuine Arab democracy off the ground.

(October 31, 2003) The Russians are represented in Madrid, but they are there only to insist that any new, democratic Iraq repay the $3.4 billion they lent Saddam to buy MiGs and other Soviet-era weaponry. No wonder they are called Odious Debts.

(October 30, 2003) The US-led provisional authority in Iraq may be breaking international law by selling state assets, experts have warned, raising the prospect that contracts signed now by foreign investors could be scrapped by a future Iraqi government.

(October 27, 2003) As a child living in Kuwait during the first month of the Iraqi invasion . . . the most predominant memories are that of adolescents and senior citizens dressed in camouflage and toting AK-47’s, none of whom wanted to be there.