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WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States will
cancel all the debt owed to it by Afghanistan, State Department spokesman Sean
McCormack said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The United States intends to cancel all of the debt owed to it by Afghanistan, which amounts to approximately 108 million dollars. The U.S.
action will be done through normal Paris Club procedures," McCormack said.
In addition, Russia and Germany, Afghanistan's other Paris
Club creditors, also intend to provide 100 percent cancellation, McCormack
said.
"The solution of the debt problem through the Paris Club
process will strongly contribute to the development of Afghanistan's trade,
investment and other economic ties with its major creditors -- and with the rest
of the world," McCormack said, adding that the United States also calls on other
bilateral creditors of Afghanistan to provide the same 100 percent debt
relief.
The U.S. announcement came after an international donors'
conference for Afghanistan that ended last week in London with pledges totaling
10.5 billion dollars to rebuild Afghanistan over the next five years.
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