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Russian, Icelandic economic delegations to talk in Istanbul

© RIA Novosti . Sergey Subbotin / Go to the mediabankDelegations of economic ministries of Russia and Iceland are set to hold talks in Turkey's Istanbul
Delegations of economic ministries of Russia and Iceland are set to hold talks in Turkey's Istanbul - Sputnik International
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Delegations of economic ministries of Russia and Iceland are set to hold talks in Turkey's Istanbul

ISTANBUL, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - Delegations of economic ministries of Russia and Iceland are set to hold talks in Turkey's Istanbul, a source in the Russian delegation said on Saturday.

He said that the Russian delegation will be headed by Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin.

"Iceland turned to Russia for holding talks on its own initiative," the source said, but did not specify whether the delegations will be discussing Russia's possible stabilization loan to Iceland.

A delegation from Iceland was in Moscow a year ago for a series of meetings to agree the terms for a loan that would allow Iceland's government to shore up its shaky national currency, the krona, which collapsed after the country was forced to nationalize its three main banks after they amassed debts of over $60 billion.

With the sub-Arctic island's population of only 320,000, the banks' debt last year was equivalent to $187,000 per person.

With debts some 12 times larger than the national economy, which is expected to contract by 10% in 2009, Iceland's Central Bank said that Russia's possible loan of some $500 million would bolster Iceland's foreign exchange reserves, strengthening the stability of the krona in the face of the financial crisis.

 

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