Russia’s ext debt down 10% in 2011

The Russian government’s external debt declined by 10.4 percent in dollar terms in 2011 to $35.8 billion, the Finance Ministry reported on its website on Thursday. In euro terms, Russia’s sovereign debt declined by 8.4 percent to 27.66 billion euros last year, the ministry said. The Russian government’s debts on outstanding Eurobonds, the largest debt item, amounted to $29.183 billion as of January 1, 2012. Liabilities to international financial institutions stood at $2.553 billion and debts to the Paris Club of Creditor Nations amounted to $549 million. The Russian government’s liabilities to other official creditors equaled $1.448 billion, debts to the former Communist bloc countries stood at $1.001 billion and unsettled debts of the former Soviet Union amounted to $55.8 million. The Russian government’s debts on domestic foreign currency-denominated bonds (OVGVZ) stood at $24.4 million and on Russia's foreign currency denominated government guarantees at $1.009 billion.