MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti)-Russia will settle all its debts with other countries by the end of this year, the finance minister said Tuesday.
"There is the hope that we will settle debts with all foreign states, including member countries of the Paris Club, this year," Alexei Kudrin said. "Russia has had a good banking history in the past few years and will settle debts with all its creditors."
Kudrin said Russia had assumed full responsibility for the former Soviet Union's debts, which was a heavy burden.
Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said Russia was planning to settle its Soviet-era debts this year with Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Malta, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Greece.
Slovenian Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk said Friday that the country was ready to receive repayment from Russia of the $130 million Soviet-era debt in any form.
