December 17, 2003Back

U.S. Welcomes Italian Support for Iraqi Debt Reduction

The United States welcomes the statement by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi "supporting substantial debt reduction for Iraq in the Paris Club in 2004."

Special presidential envoy James Baker met with Berlusconi in Rome December 17 and had "a very productive meeting," the White House said.

Following is a White House statement:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
December 17, 2003

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

Special Presidential Envoy James A. Baker III had a very productive meeting today with Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi. We welcome the Prime Minister's statement supporting substantial debt reduction for Iraq in the Paris Club in 2004. We appreciate his leadership and look forward to working with him and the Italian government in this effort.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)