Probe International

(June 23, 2003) On the question of forgiving debts to free up funds for Iraq’s battered infrastructure, World Bank president James Wolfensohn said the common attitude is, "You bombed it. You fix it."

(June 23, 2003) Russia has signalled its willingness to join global efforts to write off or reschedule Iraq’s staggering debt burden. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told the Wall Street Journal that Russia would "do its part" to help Iraq.

(June 23, 2003) Chris Gilbert, of the San Francisco Bay Area Jubilee Coalition, responds to a recent Financial Times editorial on Iraq’s debt, that asserts using the notion of "odious debt" as a basis for cancelling debt is unworkable.

(June 22, 2003) An international Iraqi debt commission of financial "wise men" should be established to examine all claims and to disallow debt used for state security or military aggression, write David Mulford and Michael Monderer.

(June 20, 2003) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not formulated its position concerning the settlement of the Iraqi foreign debt, said IMF deputy managing director Ann Krueger at a press conference.

(June 19, 2003) Iraq’s "debt issue as such" will not be covered at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Amman later this month, says U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs, Alan Larson.

(June 18, 2003) "There is a powerful moral case for relieving the Iraqi people of the debts incurred by Saddam’s murderous regime." says Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

(June 17, 2003) Two U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require the United States to persuade Iraq’s creditors, including the World Bank, IMF, France and Russia, to cancel or reduce the Iraqi debt.