Special US presidential envoy on Iraq debt James Baker will visit Asia later this week to seek reduction of Iraq's 120 billion US dollar foreign debt, the White House announced Monday.

"Special presidential envoy James Baker will travel to Japan, South Korea and China (on) Dec. 27th through 30th to discuss reduction of Iraq's official debt," spokesman Scott McClellan said at a news briefing.

McClellan said that Baker, who is leaving on Dec. 27, will meet the leaders of the Japan and South Korea on Dec. 29th and then China on Dec. 30th.

He said President George W. Bush called leaders of the three Asian countries to discuss Baker's coming visit as well as other issues such as the Iraq reconstruction and the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula.

Baker, who was former US secretary of state, has just returned from a five-nation tour to Europe designed to seek debt relief for Iraq. 

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2003)