Thread: Iraq/Dinar News. before Febuary 2nd 2006

The first political : Sadr's office in Najaf, confirming the security plan in Baghdad

Najaf-AFP
An official source in the office of martyr al-Sadr yesterday, Saturday, to support the new plan to impose security in Baghdad as long as they are seeking to eliminate terrorism and death squads. The source said : Sadri supports that the line is clearly whether the security plan consistent with what it wants the Iraqi people

The identical to the views of national politicians. He stressed that the current support comes within the framework of the eradication of terrorism and death squads and kidnappings and security throughout Iraq. The source continued, as long as these goals are seeking to apply this plan, we are the sustainers Subsidizers and if we are requested to do so.

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اEconomic : Development challenges in Iraq
*D. Falah behind spring *

Put the national development strategy for the period (2005-2007) has undertaken a number of ambitious goals, which was the diversification of the productive structure, expanding the role of the private sector, encourage


:Foreign investment, raising the level of human development, get rid of the public sector monopoly of the production process, reducing the support and guidance for vulnerable groups, increase tax revenues, the reform of state enterprises through mergers or privatization, liberalization of foreign trade. After the end of the year 2006 the Ministry of Planning pointed to the weakness of the outcome of the developmental achievement of this year, with the execution rate did not exceed 10%, which indicates the depth of the gap between the percentages of planned and actual delivery rates, and associated reduction in the rate of implementation of the following challenges :

First-security challenge :-linked to the challenge of continuing sabotage and vandalism particularly oil pipelines, which exceeded the losses incurred by (10) billion dollars according to statistics from the Ministry of Oil, in addition to the sabotaging power transmission lines, power stations, which left a profound negative effect on the lives of citizens, as well as the direct targeting of the life of unarmed citizens, as a martyr or get injured dozens of innocent people every day. Associated failure to resolve the security problem for nearly four years of failing to protect Iraq's borders period approximately kilometers (3650) with both Iran and Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan and the continuing infiltration of terrorists or the arrival of military and financial assistance to them. In addition to the failure to put an end to the presence of armed militias and confidentiality pledges that are actively involved in the continuation of the state of chaos and death deployed in Iraq these days. As well as the failure to address the situation of sectarianism, which has dominated the political life and contributed to the complexity of the political and sectarian polarization tightened and the practice of discrimination and conflicts for power.

The challenge of unemployment :-whatever the views on the unemployment data, it is one of the factors of political tensions and economic and social development because of the negative impact of a negative impact on large segments of society are represented in the high dependency rates and the inability of the family of Iraq to meet the needs necessary, and is the challenge of unemployment to halt most productive activities and services except public administration activities of the state and the security the army and police in addition to the trade activities of building and construction.

III. The challenge of poverty :-the consequent high rates of unemployment the continuation of the poverty situation of the vast majority of the population, and the lack of a clear improvement in the level of middle-class incomes, is the phenomenon of poverty today from the dilemmas CHAIRPERSON facing the process of development after it has got attribute to more than (60%), and return the proportion rising to, the high rate of population growth, which hit about (3%) annually, which led to increased rates of dependency and increase labor supply and the high rate of unemployment and the widening scope of the phenomenon of marginalization, also contributed the rise in the inflation rates after raise the prices of derivatives in the reduction of real wages in spite of the the ongoing increases in the monetary incomes were net result is the persistence of high rates of poverty, and provided this situation ample scope to implicate many of the slum dwellers in terrorist acts or pushed them to accede to the armed militias, also led to a high rate of crimes theft, kidnapping and distort the image of the political and social situation in Iraq.

The challenge of corruption :-leading financial and administrative corruption to disrupt the march of development, in addition to the economic and social impact. The inability of the government to fight against corruption a major challenge facing development in Iraq, but evidence points to the intensification of the phenomenon after the year 2003, when the estimated amounts in different ways looted of tens of billions of dollars.

Based on the foregoing it can be said that the Iraqi economy faces in the coming years a number of targets of the strategic nature of some of the short term and the other long-term nature Among the most prominent of those goals :
1- One-the need to combat terrorism in accordance with the political, social, cultural, security and military interrelated, and without it is difficult to imagine any scenario rational for the development of Iraq.
2- - There is a need to expedite the solution of the armed militias involved in the spread of chaos and lawlessness and sabotage, murder and disrupt the economic, social and political.
3- the need to fight financial and administrative corruption stimulant for terrorism
4- There is a need to activate the role of political parties and organizations and figures of democracy and the activation of human rights practices and the rights of minority nationalities and after that dominated armed militias and terrorist organizations on the political scene.
5- -the need to be taken to ensure social justice between groups in society and the fight against unemployment.
6- -need to improve the ability of the national economy to the production of consumer goods necessary.
7- There is a need to increase Iraq's commodity exports agricultural and non-agricultural products and reduce the imported.
8- need to work to transform the Iraqi economy from a yield to the productive economy by taking action to change the productive structure in favor of the manufacturing sector and the agricultural sector.

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Announcement No.(851)

D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control

The 851 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Sunday 2007/ 1/28 so the results were as follows :

Details Notes
Number of banks 16 -----
Auction price selling dinar / US $ 1292 -----
Auction price buying dinar / US $ 1290 -----
Amount sold at auction price (US $) 99.235.000 -----
Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) 1.000.000
Total offers for buying (US $) 99.235.000 -----
Total offers for selling (US $) 1.000.000 -----

Economic : Academy of Imam Ali in Sadr City : the largest sources of the ration card in Baghdad

The efforts of workers and made him a constant follow-store Stratijia

Baghdad Haider spring

Dawoud said Hassan al-Shamri Warehouse Manager of Imam Ali (p) in Sadr City, affiliated to the General Company for Food Trade (Ministry of Trade). On the short-term future will witness a remarkable development in the context of the work of stores and associated distribution mechanism between the components of the ration card agents

This will greatly facilitate the process of obtaining such materials in a timely manner after it was significantly delayed in the past because of delays associated with the work.

The Shamari said that the follow-up daily and continuing each working conditions in the stores are (strategic), where we cover many parts of the Basilica of Sadr City, and Secretary of Errachidia. He said that the follow-up led to the advancement of our service and the shipment of materials and unloading and smooth work and ongoing contact the company to explain the details of the work day, and asked if any requirements ... Since all these things plus the fruitful cooperation of all workers, leading to the advancement of these stores and make it one of the most important stores in Baghdad, if not the first.

Shamari said in his speech told (morning). That the security situation stable in Sadr City helped us on the advancement of work in the warehouses, not to mention that all workers here (warehouses) are one family, and as one hand in the performance of duties and the implementation of the tasks incumbent on them, but nor efforts they are making on a daily basis and the constant follow-before me of what and come to the Manhan him now, and what the words of high commendation and the books of thanking the continuing recreate from all directions whether from the ministry or from the office of Mr. martyred child in Sadr City only little evidence on the quality of fruitful work played by all players in the stores of Imam Ali (p).

He explains that the compound contains five large stores, including three refrigerated and with high specifications, and was formerly a warehouse location quote provides several governorates various components of the ration card. And now, after strenuous efforts we equip many areas of Rusafa.

Regarding the implementation of contracts for the processing of food stores Shamari said. Our approach towards contracts specifications and high quality, with the preference of the contracts submitted to the appropriate committees for evaluation, as all of these materials, therefore, is for the citizens therefore must be of excellent specifications and the origins of good.

He adds : Shamari, thanks to the efforts of all the workers we can rehabilitate all the stores that have been harmed by the military operations which took place in Sadr city, we were able to close all the gaps in the roof and stores, which had long been the cause of the damage to many of the stored material due to infiltration of rainwater, as well as the installation of broken glass in the windows and the renovation of all existing mechanisms, electrical appliances and fencing Chairperson. It also confirms that all those campaigns and others related to the distribution of materials and unloading and delivery to the people was with the help of Mr. Shahid in Sadr City, in addition to that, we had been many books thanks and appreciation of the municipal council and the Office of the Martyr al-Sadr on the role that we have done through Toziena assistance between displaced families, and that is we are very proud.

For his part, Qassem spring storekeeper (No. 3), which contains lentils, sugar, powdered cleaning on the quality of material available in the store, which came as a result of the follow-up to management and workers, and the souvenir deliver all that is a good citizen of foodstuffs and cleaning powders, and said spring ... We and the efforts of all employees and the Director of whom were able to promote the work of the stores in general and provide high-specification material and high so that the origins of delivery to consignees and foodstuffs to be distributed within the items of the ration card.

The spring major difference between the quality of materials that are being distributed and were distributed in the past, was now the adoption of the articles that come from the decades-quality and subject to the supervision and evaluation of the company's officials for the food business ...

Meanwhile, both Akram and Eraiby Iyad Jabbar (Trustees warehouse) that stores now witnessing the work of unprecedented after it has been the reform of all places imbalances that have plagued, in addition to streamlining the bureaucracy followed in the loading and unloading of materials arriving and leaving from the stores, saying : also able to deliver the items ration to citizens appointment schedule without any delay, will continue this approach with the insistence of workers to continue to work hard.

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اEconomic : : Shahrastani oil imports distributed among all Iraqis

Baghdad-Sabah
Dr. Hussein Shahrastani Oil Minister completion of the final draft of the oil and put it on the Energy Commission and the Council of Ministers, which received the unanimous approval of the draft by the Committee with certain modifications that have taken place and this draft will be presented to the Cabinet for approval to be sent to the House of Representatives for the passage of legislation after debate it

The minister said : that the law affirms that the resources derived from oil sales will go to fund one centralized and distributed to all Iraqis in the provinces, prefectures and the proportion of the population. The law will restore activity to the National Oil Company, which will be responsible for the development of the fields to increase production and exports and will be the oil industry, however, the basic competencies Iraqi keen to provide expertise for the people. He added : Since enjoyed by Iraq of the potential oil and gas major will be allowed law by offering contracts to oil companies large global after it had been verified Rassantha and accept competition for the development of some fields to the highest payoff for the Iraqis and competition will be open for all and will not consider the nationality of the company and must be companies qualified technology to develop our fields, as soon as possible and have the financial capabilities to invest and verify Iraq's highest economic benefit and we do not have standards for the States involved in the war or existed in Iraq at the time. As for the fields will be produced from the share of the National Oil Company.

He explained Dr. Shahrastani, foundations proved that the law and the development of policies and plans to develop the oil-balanced in all parts of Iraq and now all parties agree, everyone believes that this law a major achievement and a national project that do not now exist differences on the law and not from our brothers in Kurdistan or the other.

The minister pointed out that the law laying down precise and clear of any contract does not achieve the highest benefit of Iraq will not take place and that all contracts entered whether in time of the former regime or in the Kurdistan region will be reviewed in the light of this law and if there was grounds to make adjustments in order to ensure higher returns will be audited and to amend the contracts and there is no contracts are not subject to revision.

And between Shahrastani that extensive discussions of the law settled on the composition of the federal oil and gas under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister or on behalf of the membership of the Ministers of oil, finance and planning, and others who will exercise the powers of contracts is the authority that decides policies, plans and oil contracts assessed and the nature of the fields that will be offered to compete and to consider the contract and approval.

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I sent an email to warkaand asked about their opinion of the exchange rate

this is the response

Dear xxxxx,



It is always a pleasure to be of assistance and support. To make things short and simple in my opinion the exchange rate will settle at approximately USD $1=1100 by the end of the year.



Best regards,



Mohammad K. Issa

Manager

International Foreign Relations Dept.

Originally Posted by shotgunsusie

The report pointed out that the budget lacks clarity and transparency in the presentation of some of the figures and not offered a detailed explanation of the investment projects, the Committee recommended to reconsider the calculation of the poverty line on a realistic basis and the development of a project network of social protection and the provision of free health services.

Hmm, wonder what figures are confusing or unclear? Wonder what a realistic basis is??? Guess it all depends on what your baseline is.....

Psst, 1:1 sounds good, hint, hint....

The Kurds withdraw from the parliamentary session in protest against the reduction

(صوت العراق) - 28-01-2007(Voice of Iraq) - 28-01-2007
ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديقThis issue was sent to a friend

الأكراد ينسحبون من جلسة البرلمان احتجاجا على خفض مخصصات رئاسة الجمهوريةThe Kurds withdraw from the parliamentary session in protest against the reduction of allocations presidency
بغداد - جودت كاظم الحياة - 28/01/07//Baghdad-Kazim sounded life-28 / 01 / 07 / /

انسحبت كتلة التحالف الكردستاني، «ثاني اكبر كتلة برلمانية»، من جلسة مجلس النواب امس التي كانت مخصصة للتصويت على اقرار الموازنة العامة للعام 2007، وشهدت الجلسة مشادات كلامية بين النواب الذين اعترضوا على بعض البنود.Withdrew the Kurdistan Alliance bloc, <the second largest parliamentary bloc>, of a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies yesterday, which was devoted to the vote on approving the budget for 2007, and witnessed the verbal altercations between the deputies who objected to some of the items.

وقال النائب فرياد الرواندزي (التحالف الكردستاني) ان «انسحاب الكتلة جاء على خلفية الاعتراض على مخصصات مجلس الرئاسة التي اقرها مجلس النواب»، مشيرا الى ان «اقرار خفض موازنة مجلس الرئاسة المكون من الرئيس ونائبيه بنسبة 77 في المئة يعد باطلاً اذا ما قورن بخفض موازنة رئاسة الوزراء»، موضحاً ان «قرار الانسحاب كان ايضا بسبب عدم شمول قوات حرس اقليم كردستان، التابع لوزارة الدفاع العراقية، بمخصصات الوزارة».The deputy said Fread Alroandzi (Kurdistan Alliance) that <withdrawal bloc came in the backdrop of the objection to the allocation of the Presidency approved by the House of Representatives>, noting that <Adoption reduce the budget of the Presidency, consisting of the President, VP by 77% is null when compared to reduce the budget, the prime minister>, explaining that <withdrawal decision was also due to the lack of inclusion of Guard Forces of Kurdistan, affiliated to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, allocations ministry>.

واشار الى ان «تحركات لواءين من حرس الاقليم التابعين للوزارة لا تتم الا بأمر من الوزارة في بغداد». وتابع الراوندزي ان «خفض مخصصات المنافع الاجتماعية لمجلس الرئاسة خلاف ما اتفق عليه مسبقاً يعد انتهاكاً لحقوقنا». وزاد: «كانت غالبية اعضاء البرلمان اتفقوا على خفض مخصصات الرئاسات الثلاث بنسب معقولة لكن فوجئنا بقرار خفض تعسفي لمجلس الرئاسة من دون باقي الرئاسات».He pointed out that <movements of the two brigades of Guard personnel of the Ministry of Territory not only be ordered by the ministry in Baghdad>. He continued that Alraundzi <reduce allocations for the social benefits of the Presidency otherwise agreed upon befo*****d is a violation of our rights>. He added :> The majority of the members of Parliament agreed to reduce allocations three presidencies in reasonable proportions But we were surprised to reduce arbitrary decision of the Presidency without rest presidencies>.

في المقابل قال النائب حسين الفلوجي (جبهة التوافق) ان «تخصيص 70 بليون دينار عراقي (55 مليون دولار) لمجلس رئاسة الجمهورية و94 بليون دينار (72 مليون دولار) لرئاسة الوزراء مبالغ خيالية ومبالغ فيها».In return, the deputy said Hussein Alvluji (Accord Front) to <70 billion Iraqi dinars (55 million dollars) to the presidency of the republic and 94 billion dinars (72 million dollars) to the Prime Minister huge sums of money and exaggerated>.

واعاد النائب حسن السنيد، (الائتلاف العراقي الموحد) ارجاء جلسة البرلمان وانسحاب الكتلة الكردية الى وجود بنود مبهمة في الموازنة العامة».He MP Hassan Al-Sunaid (United Iraqi Alliance) to postpone the parliamentary session and the withdrawal of the Kurdish bloc to a vague items in the budget>.

وكان الرئيس جلال طالباني قال خلال استقباله رئيسة مجلس النواب الاميركي نانسي بيلوسي والوفد المرافق لها ان الجهود «تتركز على بسط الامن والاستقرار في البلاد». وشدد على ضرورة الانتقال من حالة التخندق الطائفي الى اجماع وطني يعزز الوحدة بين مكونات الشعب العراقي. من جانبها اكدت بيلوسي دعمها للعملية السياسية وانجاح التجربة الديموقراطية في العراق معربة عن املها في ان تتمكن الحكومة العراقية من تحمل مسؤولياتها في فرض الأمن والاستقرار وتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية .The President Jalal Talabani said during his reception of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Bilosi American and the accompanying delegation to the efforts <focused on the extension of security and stability in the country>. He stressed the need to move from a state of sectarian bunker to the national consensus that promotes unity among the components of the Iraqi people. For her part, the Bilosi support for the political process and the success of the democratic experiment in Iraq, expressing hope that the Iraqi government to assume its responsibilities in imposing security and stability and to achieve national reconciliation.



In return, the deputy said Hussein Alvluji (Accord Front) to <70 billion Iraqi dinars (55 million dollars( THAT = 1273 TO ONE) to the presidency of the republic and 94 billion dinars (72 million dollars THAT = 1306 TO ONE. Same Budget, two different rates; Who is the math wizard here

This cant be true, the Kurds would never be the cause of a hold up. Must be smoke and mirrors or smokin something.

Originally Posted by adm

The Kurds withdraw from the parliamentary session in protest against the reduction

(صوت العراق) - 28-01-2007(Voice of Iraq) - 28-01-2007
ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديقThis issue was sent to a friend

الأكراد ينسحبون من جلسة البرلمان احتجاجا على خفض مخصصات رئاسة الجمهوريةThe Kurds withdraw from the parliamentary session in protest against the reduction of allocations presidency
بغداد - جودت كاظم الحياة - 28/01/07//Baghdad-Kazim sounded life-28 / 01 / 07 / /

انسحبت كتلة التحالف الكردستاني، «ثاني اكبر كتلة برلمانية»، من جلسة مجلس النواب امس التي كانت مخصصة للتصويت على اقرار الموازنة العامة للعام 2007، وشهدت الجلسة مشادات كلامية بين النواب الذين اعترضوا على بعض البنود.Withdrew the Kurdistan Alliance bloc, <the second largest parliamentary bloc>, of a meeting of the Chamber of Deputies yesterday, which was devoted to the vote on approving the budget for 2007, and witnessed the verbal altercations between the deputies who objected to some of the items.

وقال النائب فرياد الرواندزي (التحالف الكردستاني) ان «انسحاب الكتلة جاء على خلفية الاعتراض على مخصصات مجلس الرئاسة التي اقرها مجلس النواب»، مشيرا الى ان «اقرار خفض موازنة مجلس الرئاسة المكون من الرئيس ونائبيه بنسبة 77 في المئة يعد باطلاً اذا ما قورن بخفض موازنة رئاسة الوزراء»، موضحاً ان «قرار الانسحاب كان ايضا بسبب عدم شمول قوات حرس اقليم كردستان، التابع لوزارة الدفاع العراقية، بمخصصات الوزارة».The deputy said Fread Alroandzi (Kurdistan Alliance) that <withdrawal bloc came in the backdrop of the objection to the allocation of the Presidency approved by the House of Representatives>, noting that <Adoption reduce the budget of the Presidency, consisting of the President, VP by 77% is null when compared to reduce the budget, the prime minister>, explaining that <withdrawal decision was also due to the lack of inclusion of Guard Forces of Kurdistan, affiliated to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, allocations ministry>.

واشار الى ان «تحركات لواءين من حرس الاقليم التابعين للوزارة لا تتم الا بأمر من الوزارة في بغداد». وتابع الراوندزي ان «خفض مخصصات المنافع الاجتماعية لمجلس الرئاسة خلاف ما اتفق عليه مسبقاً يعد انتهاكاً لحقوقنا». وزاد: «كانت غالبية اعضاء البرلمان اتفقوا على خفض مخصصات الرئاسات الثلاث بنسب معقولة لكن فوجئنا بقرار خفض تعسفي لمجلس الرئاسة من دون باقي الرئاسات».He pointed out that <movements of the two brigades of Guard personnel of the Ministry of Territory not only be ordered by the ministry in Baghdad>. He continued that Alraundzi <reduce allocations for the social benefits of the Presidency otherwise agreed upon befo*****d is a violation of our rights>. He added :> The majority of the members of Parliament agreed to reduce allocations three presidencies in reasonable proportions But we were surprised to reduce arbitrary decision of the Presidency without rest presidencies>.

في المقابل قال النائب حسين الفلوجي (جبهة التوافق) ان «تخصيص 70 بليون دينار عراقي (55 مليون دولار) لمجلس رئاسة الجمهورية و94 بليون دينار (72 مليون دولار) لرئاسة الوزراء مبالغ خيالية ومبالغ فيها».In return, the deputy said Hussein Alvluji (Accord Front) to <70 billion Iraqi dinars (55 million dollars) to the presidency of the republic and 94 billion dinars (72 million dollars) to the Prime Minister huge sums of money and exaggerated>.

واعاد النائب حسن السنيد، (الائتلاف العراقي الموحد) ارجاء جلسة البرلمان وانسحاب الكتلة الكردية الى وجود بنود مبهمة في الموازنة العامة».He MP Hassan Al-Sunaid (United Iraqi Alliance) to postpone the parliamentary session and the withdrawal of the Kurdish bloc to a vague items in the budget>.

وكان الرئيس جلال طالباني قال خلال استقباله رئيسة مجلس النواب الاميركي نانسي بيلوسي والوفد المرافق لها ان الجهود «تتركز على بسط الامن والاستقرار في البلاد». وشدد على ضرورة الانتقال من حالة التخندق الطائفي الى اجماع وطني يعزز الوحدة بين مكونات الشعب العراقي. من جانبها اكدت بيلوسي دعمها للعملية السياسية وانجاح التجربة الديموقراطية في العراق معربة عن املها في ان تتمكن الحكومة العراقية من تحمل مسؤولياتها في فرض الأمن والاستقرار وتحقيق المصالحة الوطنية .The President Jalal Talabani said during his reception of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Bilosi American and the accompanying delegation to the efforts <focused on the extension of security and stability in the country>. He stressed the need to move from a state of sectarian bunker to the national consensus that promotes unity among the components of the Iraqi people. For her part, the Bilosi support for the political process and the success of the democratic experiment in Iraq, expressing hope that the Iraqi government to assume its responsibilities in imposing security and stability and to achieve national reconciliation.



In return, the deputy said Hussein Alvluji (Accord Front) to <70 billion Iraqi dinars (55 million dollars( THAT = 1273 TO ONE) to the presidency of the republic and 94 billion dinars (72 million dollars THAT = 1306 TO ONE. Same Budget, two different rates; Who is the math wizard here

Iraq Struggles to Finish Oil Law
Forging an Agreement Requires Balancing Sharply Divided Interests, Ethnic Groups
The Washington Post - [28/01/2007]


Four months ago, about 80 oil company executives and consultants packed an office on St. James's Square in London for a briefing on exploration prospects in Iraq's Kurdish region and a Kurdish draft of an Iraqi national petroleum law.

Despite the immense risks of working in Iraq -- pipeline explosions, kidnappings, insurgency, political infighting -- the oil company executives were lured by the potential rewards, which are immense, too. Outside Saudi Arabia, no country has proven oil reserves as big as Iraq's. And the oil there is high quality, easy and cheap to produce, and bottled up in reservoirs that many major oil companies were familiar with three decades ago before wars and sanctions drove them out.

"Exxon Mobil has more seismic data on Iraq than on Houston real estate," says Fadel Gheit, an oil analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. who used to work for Mobil. "If Exxon had security on the ground, the following day it would have crews there," Gheit said. "And money would be no object."

Gheit estimated that Iraq could easily produce 6 million barrels a day, more than three times its current output and enough to help keep a lid on world prices.

Four months after the London meeting, however, security remains elusive and so does the national petroleum law. Barham Saleh, Iraq's deputy prime minister, said in a recent telephone interview that a compromise was "very, very close."

The proposed law has taken on significance beyond oil. While Iraq and foreign oil companies are eager to tap new revenue, the Bush administration and many Iraqis also hope that the law can be a model for resolving disputes and can bind Iraq's warring factions together.

Agreement has been reached on sharing oil revenue on a per-capita basis, a benefit for Sunnis who live mostly in areas with less production. A deal also has been struck that recognizes the power of regional authorities, such as the Kurdish Regional Government, to award oil contracts, but establishes a national petroleum commission with the power to review contracts within 60 days. A "revamped" national oil company would continue to manage existing production while new regional affiliates would participate in new exploration and production.

"We need to close the deal on one or two small issues," Saleh said. "A number of the major issues have been resolved."

But an adviser to the Kurdish authorities said those "small issues" included some significant details. On Friday, the Kurdistan Regional Government posted an item on its Web site denying news reports that a deal was complete. The "important annexes to the law are still pending," it said.

Outstanding issues include how much oil revenue will go to the central government; a charter for the new national oil company; the role of the oil ministry; and the principles upon which the new commission could reject regionally negotiated contracts. Also unsettled is whether the commission will require a simple majority vote or a two-thirds vote to reject a contract's terms. Those provisions must all be part of one package with the petroleum law, Kurdish leaders said.

If the Shia-dominated Iraqi central government spends heavily on its own projects, it could deny the Kurds and other regional authorities significant shares of oil revenue.

Even if negotiators agree on a draft, it must win approval from Iraq's cabinet and fractious parliament, which hasn't met in weeks.
The United States has been pressing Iraq to complete the law. "As awful as the Saddam Hussein government was, it did have a record of dealing with foreign investors that wasn't that bad," said James A. Placke, an expert at Cambridge Energy Research Associates. "That's gone and hasn't been replaced."

Now, forging a petroleum law requires a balancing of sharply divided interest and ethnic groups, not just the word of a dictator.

"This is not a regular piece of Iraqi legislation being signed off on," said Jonathan Morrow, an adviser to the Kurdistan Regional Government. If successful, he said, "it . . . might show the way forward in Iraq."

Saleh suggested that a deal might discourage attacks on oil installations and reduce corruption. "Since we all agree on revenue sharing, all elements of Iraqi society will have an interest in maximizing revenues and best business practices," he said.

For now, however, the oil sector is a mess. Since the first attack on a pipeline on June 1, 2003, it has been a struggle to keep oil flowing. Basic production equipment has been looted or destroyed. Many wells still are not working properly. And last year, the U.S. special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction complained that Iraq's oil ministry was not reporting on its budget and had spent "only a fraction" of money set aside for capital costs.

While the Bush administration once thought that Iraqi oil revenue would cover occupation and reconstruction costs, the Iraq government still relies heavily on U.S. technical and financial aid. Placke estimated that Iraq produced 1.85 million barrels a day last year, less than the year before, less than the prewar output and well below the U.S. target of 3 million barrels a day.

Placke, who was part of the Iraq Study Group, estimated that 200,000 barrels a day is siphoned from the main export line through southern Iraq, put on barges, and loaded onto tankers waiting in the Persian Gulf. What's left after discounts and bribes goes to militias or insurgent groups, he said.

In the south, some local Shia militia, clan or clerical groups are trying to claim the rights to some Iraqi fields and a voice in negotiating access for foreign companies. A stake in a billion-barrel field could be more important than a stake in the parliament or cabinet. Some experts worry that, as in Sudan, oil could contribute more to tearing the country apart than to uniting it.

A senior Iraqi government official involved in the petroleum-law talks said that if militias and clans were to cut separate deals with foreign companies, it would be a "recipe for disaster and civil war." He warned foreign companies against signing such deals. "We are very interested in credible investment in the oil sector," he said. "We cannot afford to have these cowboys running around trying to manipulate the situation in Iraq."

The national petroleum law remains a touchy subject in part because of widespread suspicion that the U.S. invasion in 2003 was motivated by designs on Iraq's oil riches.

The Iraq Study Group report contained three pages of recommendations for the sector, including suggestions that international oil companies invest in the country and the government fight corruption on contracts.

"Before embarking on controversial measures such as this law favoring foreign oil firms, the Iraqi parliament and government must prove that they are capable of protecting the country's sovereignty," Kamil Mahdi, a senior lecturer in Middle East economics at the University of Exeter in England, wrote in the Guardian newspaper. "A government that is failing to protect the lives of its citizens must not embark on controversial legislation that ties the hands of future Iraqi leaders, and which threatens to squander the Iraqis' precious, exhaustible resource in an orgy of waste, corruption and theft."

In a telephone interview, Mahdi said, "My main worry is that if I were an official in the ministry of oil negotiating a contract and living under the kind of threats that people in Iraq are daily experiencing, I would probably be in a very weak negotiating position."

While the debate continues, the Kurdistan Regional Government is pushing ahead. In 2002, at the suggestion of Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish leader who is now Iraq's president, the Turkish conglomerate Cukurova Group set up an oil unit called Genel Enerji to look for oil in Kurdistan. Genel signed a production-sharing agreement in July 2002 and took over the Taq Taq oil field in February 2003 on the eve of the U.S-led invasion. It signed another exploration contract in July 2005. A Norwegian firm, DNO, and a Canadian firm, Heritage Oil, also struck exploration and production deals in the Kurdish region.

Tariq Shafiq, a former executive of Iraq National Oil and director of the consulting firm Petrolog & Associates, has drawn up three contracts -- service, buyback and production-sharing -- that the government will use in its new petroleum law. He said the Kurdish production-sharing contracts give away too much to the foreign companies; he said that after paying for capital and operations costs, as much as 55 percent of the oil goes to the foreign firms. "These, in the eye of many, are illegal and would have to undergo review to bring them in line with this law," he said.

But Kurdish authorities said they have no intention of submitting existing contracts for review. Duran said Genel's contract was renegotiated last November and falls within the 20 percent share production that would be the ceiling under the new law. "The commercial terms of the PSA are in conformity with internationally acceptable PSA terms," Duran said in an e-mail response to questions. "Therefore, our PSA is not generous at all."

Major U.S. oil companies haven't signed any contracts in Kurdistan yet. Some of them have tried to build goodwill with the central government. Chevron, for example, helped clear mines from the coastline. Others have collected seismic data or trained Iraqi oil company technicians in Dubai.

Some major companies from other nations -- Russia's Lukoil, a Chinese state company, France's Total -- are hoping to get their big Hussein-era concessions back. Their prospects remain uncertain.