Sweden is prepared to freeze the7.6 million-US dollar debt over the next
two years owed by Indonesia, which was hard hit by last month's tsunami
disaster, the Swedish finance minister announced on Wednesday. "I welcome the G7
countries' decision to freeze debt payments from the Asian countries hit by the
tsunami ... Sweden supports this," Finance Minister Paer Nuder said, referring
to a decision made by the world's seven leading industrialized countries last
Friday.
According to the minister, other countries affected by the tsunami that do
not have any debt with Sweden will receive other forms of aid.
"The aim is for the countries to use their freed resources on humanitarian
efforts and rebuilding. An important requirement is that all the freed resources
be used to help the entire population in the affected regions," the minister
said.
Nuder also said Sweden would push for generous treatment of the crisis-ridden
Asian countries at a Paris Club meeting in Paris on Wednesday, where member
countries are expected to propose a freeze on debt repayments from Sri Lanka and
Indonesia.
Sweden has pledged 73 million US dollars in aid to countries directly
affected by the tsunami.
