Reykjavik/Oslo - The president of Iceland has expressed
anger and disappointment over the slow pace in securing emergency
loans, reports said Wednesday.
Since traditional allies like the United States and Britain have
failed to aid the cash-strapped North Atlantic nation, Iceland might
have to 'look for new friends, President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson was
quoted in a Norwegian diplomatic report obtained by the Norwegian
Klassekampen newspaper.
Grimsson, who does not have formal powers, expressed his views at
a recent luncheon for diplomats.
Iceland secured a tentative deal with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) for a 2.1-billion-dollar loan, but the IMF board has yet
to approve it.
Reykjavik has indicated it needs 6 billion dollars, but Nordic
neighbours and European countries have said they want the IMF
approval in place first.
According to the account in Klassekampen, the president even
offered Russia use of the former US military base Keflavik, a key
NATO installation during the Cold War. The US pulled out of Kefalavik
in 2006.
The Russian ambassador, who also was present at the luncheon, said
Moscow had no need for the base, the report said.
Grimsson praised neighbours Norway and the Faroe Islands for
offering assistance but was critical of Britain, Sweden and Denmark.
Britain and the Netherlands have been in talks with Iceland over
how to cover deposits of British and Dutch savers holding deposits in
the collapsed Icelandic internet bank Icesave.
Last month, Britain froze Icelandic bank assets in its territory
because of a dispute over bank deposit guarantees.
Iceland in October also sent a delegation to Moscow to discuss a
possible loan, and has also approached the European Commission that
earlier this week said it was considering a 'small loan.'
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