Tag: trade agreements

Martin Khor The issue of foreign debt has made a major comeback.  This is due to the crisis in Europe, in which many countries had to seek big bailouts to keep them from defaulting on their loan payments. Before this, debt crises have been associated with African and Latin American countries.  In 1997-99, three East Asian countries also joined the indebted countries’ club. This year, European countries, notably Germany, insisted that private creditors share the burden of resolving the Greek crisis.  They had to take a “haircut” of about half, meaning that they would be repaid only half the amount they were…