Bush calls Chirac, Putin and Schroeder

WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (AFP) – US President George W. Bush Wednesday called French President Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to talk about Iraqi debt, White House officials said.

The US decision to exclude corporations from countries that opposed the US-led war on Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq from bidding on any of the reconstruction projects was also discussed, a White House spokesman said. France, Russia and Germany led the opposition to the war.

The calls were aimed at asking the leaders to welcome James Baker, the special US envoy on Iraq’s debt, the spokesman said.

In Paris, a spokesman for Chirac said that the French president will meet Baker next week.

Bush last week named Baker, a former secretary of Treasury and State and a presidential confidant, to try to get countries to forgive debts owed by Saddam’s regime of up to
USD 120 billion.

The decision to call the foreign leaders was taken ahead of the announcement on who could bid for the reconstruction contracts, the White House said.

Bush spokesman Sean McCormack said the president “has indicated that he would keep the channels opened” with Chirac, Putin and Schroeder.

 © AFP

                                                                Subject: France news