Also, Turkey was able to borrow on the international market, whereas in the late 1970s it could only seek assistance from the IMF and other official creditors.

A Finance Ministry spokesman said the move had been taken to "defend the country's international reserves and does not represent an aggressive attitude toward our official creditors."

We stress that official creditors should not substitute for private lenders. . . . Environment 33.

The central bank said these so-called official creditors were owed $2.5 billion at the end of 1987, compared with $2.1 billion at the end of 1986.

But analysts said that it was already clear among investors that other official creditors and private lenders would not have to accept delayed payments.

Russia's official creditors issued a stern warning today, telling the government that it had no economic basis for putting off payments on $48 billion in debt.

By the end of 1989 official creditors are expected to account for 48 percent of the total.

Mr. Baker said that the United States and other official creditors were providing significant debt relief through reschedulings that support appropriate economic programs.

The Paris Club of official creditors in July 1989 agreed a rescheduling of debt service payments totalling $432,000,000 due in the following 15 months.

Iraq decided to deal with its debt more pragmatically and approached the Paris Club of official creditors.