Baker scores debt relief hit in Paris

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. presidential envoy James Baker III left Paris for Berlin Tuesday after gaining French agreement to help reduce Iraq's foreign debt, the White House said.

Baker, former secretary of state and President George W. Bush's personal envoy, got the agreement in talks with President Jacques Chirac.

Spokesman Scott McClellan said Baker "believes they reached an agreement on the need of the Paris Club (of creditor nations) to reduce the debt burden and do so in 2004 if possible."

"Obviously we all share the same goal ... of helping the Iraqi people build a free, peaceful and prosperous future, and restructuring and reducing the debt burden is important to achieving that shared goal."

Iraq owes about $120 billion to other nations, a sum the administration believes could hamper reconstruction efforts.

Baker was traveling to Germany, Italy and Russia for similar talks before returning to Houston Friday.