Bush rebuffs European criticism over Iraq contracts

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 12, 2003

Bush rebuffs European criticism over Iraq contracts

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President George W. Bush rebuffed Thursday criticism by European countries over a controversial US decision to limit competition for 18.6 billion USdollars of Iraqi reconstruction contracts to its allies in the waragainst the oil-rich country.

"It's very simple. Our people risked their lives. Friendly coalition folks risked their lives, and therefore the contracting is going to reflect that, and that's what the US taxpayers expect," Bush told reporters after a cabinet meeting at the White House.

"The expenditure of US dollars will reflect the fact that U.S. troops and other troops risk their life," he added.

The US president said that he welcomed other countries to make contributions to the rebuilding of Iraq by restructuring the country's 120 billion dollar foreign debt.

"If these countries want to participate in helping the world become more secure, by enabling Iraq to emerge as a free and peaceful country, one way to contribute is through debt restructuring," he said.

In a decision dated Dec. 5, US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said that the United States will not allow companies from countries that did not support the US-led war in Iraq to bid on the prime reconstruction contracts.

The decision, which was disclosed on Wednesday, has drawn criticism and concerns from countries like Russia, France and Germany which have opposed the Iraqi war.

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