Cablegate: Czech Republic: Unlikely to Forgive Beyond 80% Of
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHPG #1401 3131235
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091235Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8227
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0068
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS PRAGUE 001401
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, EB/IFD/OMA, NEA/I
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN EZ IZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: UNLIKELY TO FORGIVE BEYOND 80% OF
IRAQI DEBT
REF: A. STATE 184738
B. STATE 181094
C. PRAGUE 1373
D. PRAGUE 1369
The Ambassador delivered reftel A demarche to the Minister of
Finance on November 1 and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
on November 3, and both Ministers replied they would consider
it, as reported in reftels C & D. The Ministry of Finance
office handling this issue explained that while the GOCR had
already agreed to forgive 80% of Iraq's sovereign external
debt to the Czech Republic, it was not/not inclined to
forgive the remaining 20% because the debt is military in
nature and the GOCR does not wish to set a precedent in
forgiving military debt.
GRABER