Shokhin, who is in charge of debt talks with creditors, said the government has no plans to ask creditors to forgive its $80 billion in debts, much of which was inherited from the Soviet Union.
Calling for international forgiveness would threaten international confidence in Russia and lead to a sharp drop in foreign investment, Shokhin said.
He was responding to statements last week by Oleg Davydov, minister of foreign economic relations.
Davydov's comments about debt forgiveness were "personal views on the debt problem, which do not reflect the official Russian position on this question," Shokhin emphasized in a written statement.
Russia does not seek debt forgiveness, but it does want to reschedule its debts to help it through a difficult period, or a "payments peak," expected to last through 1995.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.