These reports were prepared by Bank officials designated to serve as liaison officers to the Paris Club. The Paris Club refers to meetings held since 1956 that have arranged, when necessary, for the renegotiation of debt owed to official creditors or guaranteed to them. Neither the World Bank nor the IMF is a member of the Paris Club, but the IMF has played an important role in developing debt restructure packages with commercial Banks. Both the Paris Club and the commercial Banks require debt or countries to have agreed on a stabilization program with the IMF as part of the renegotiation process.
The reports for Paris Club meetings held from April 1990 to November 1991 were prepared by Per Ljung, Economic Adviser, Economic Advisory Staff (EAS) in the Office of the Senior Vice President, Operations (OPNSV). Reports were addressed to Moeen Quereshi, OPNSV. In a 6 February 1991 memo addressed to all Country Directors and Country Operations Department Chiefs, Ljung announced a change in distribution of theParis Club Back-to-Office Reports (BTOs). Previously, a BTO was distributed to a Country Director only when a country coming under that Director's purview had its debt rescheduled or was among the countries discussed during Tour d'Horizon sessions at the Paris Club Meeting. Future reports were to be distributed to all Country Departments, and separate copies were to be sent to the Director and to the Country Operations Chief. The report covering the 19 November - 22 November 1991 Paris Club meeting was prepared by Ljung and Ljung's successor, Michael Lav, Economic Adviser, EAS [Economic Advisory Staff, later Development Policy Group -DPG] under the Office of the Vice President, Development Economics and Chief Economist (DECVP).
Lav's (or his alternates') BTOs cover meetings attended from December 1991 to December 1993 and were addressed to DECVP. Most of the reports of Lav's successor, Ronald P. Brigish, who served as Operations Adviser, International Economics Department (IEC) were addressed to the Director, IEC. Brigish's reports cover Paris Club meetings attended from January 1994 to December 1995. The BTOs for the January-April 1996 meetings were prepared by Fred Kilby, Economic Adviser, and International Finance Division (IECIF) and were addressed to the Director; IECIF.
The BTOs identify the countries and subjects discussed at each meeting and decisions reached with regard to rescheduling countries' debts. Summaries (by country) of discussions at Tour d'Horizon sessions, copies of the Agreed Minute, copies of statements made at the meetings by representatives of countries requesting debt rescheduling and by various organizations represented at the meetings including the IMF, World Bank, and UNCTAD [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development], and copies of Club correspondence are parts of many of the reports. Some reports are marked Confidential. The Paris Club met monthly except during the month of August or when cancelled.
