Expert opinion

	03.12.06 Victoria Panova G8 research group, University of Toronto, Director for Russia
	03.12.06 Mona Bricke German NGO Forum Environment and Development
	03.12.06 Nigel Martin Montreal International Rorum (FIM)
	02.12.06 John Kirton Head of G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
	02.12.06 Regina Gunter Head of the WWF Germany

News

Russia to exchange Soviet debt tranche by G8 summit — bank

RIA Novosti, Mar 14
MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti) — Russia will exchange a tranche of its outstanding Soviet-era debt for eurobonds before the G8 summit in July, a senior official said Tuesday.
“At issue is the ... commercial debt, worth some $500 million,” said Vladimir Dmitriyev, president of Vnesheconombank, the government agency that services national foreign debt.
Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said earlier the ministry was completing preparations to swap a second tranche of Soviet debt, worth $500 million.
“I do not think this will be the last tranche,” Storchak said.
“The Finance Ministry is working with those creditors who have not made applications,” he said. “We have to take into account the long [three-year] gap between the first tranche of the exchange of the former USSR’s debt and the second.”
The commercial debt is the result of exports of foreign goods and services to the former Soviet Union. The Finance Ministry estimates the debt at more than $1.7 billion.
The ministry exchanged the first tranche for eurobonds worth $1.4 billion in December 2002.

Expert opinion

	02.12.06 Halter Marek Le College de France
	02.12.06 Olivier Giscard d’Estaing COPAM, France
	02.12.06 Mika Ohbayashi Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliсy
	02.12.06 Bill Pace World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
	01.12.06 Peter I. Hajnal Toronto University, G8 Research Group