Russia is ready to cancel debt of Afghanistan in amount of $10 milliards, informed Russian vice-minister of Finance Sergey Storchak.

"Consolidated debt of Afghanistan is estimated as $10 milliards. Russia is ready to write off the debt on condition of data purification and acknowledgement of the debt", - said Storchak after arrival of Russian delegation in London, where international conference on Afghanistan issues takes place on January 31-Februry 1.

"In case of debt acknowledgement Afghanistan can pretend for maximum cancellation", - he said. Storchak reminded that Afghan debt appeared during Soviet period and is not acknowledged or paid off nowadays. "It doesn`t mean there is no debt", - emphasized representative of Russian Ministry of Finance.

Moscow proceeds from assumption that while signing of appropriate agreement about debt cancellation Afghanistan will have no reparation claims or compensating demands for Soviet troops presence on territory of the country.

As a reminder, Russian president Vladimir Putin promised to render assistance in reconstruction of the country during meeting with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Astana. From his turn, Karzai noted that "Afghanistan wishes strengthening of relationships between 2 countries".
sections: Politics, Economics, World News