The third world's biggest debtor owes $8 billion in interest on a bank debt of about $60 billion.

It would make more of their loans nondischargeable, meaning that debtors would still owe the money even after they emerge from bankruptcy.

Officials insist that debtors collectively owe hundreds of millions for water they used but never paid for.

A person to whom or business to which the debtor owes money or that claims to be owed money by the debtor.

A written statement describing the reason a debtor owes a creditor money, which typically sets forth the amount of money owed.

One debtor, Gimco, owed some £2.4m at 31 March 1982.

The debtors owe sums vast enough to wipe out the entire capital of the major institutions in New York and London.

This information is necessary to prove in court that the debtor owes the money and that the debt buyer owns the account.

Hence the debtors owe the creditors non existent money plus interest.

Today, 17 big debtors owe about $485 billion, mostly to private lenders.