Thread: Iraq/Dinar News until 5PM CST May 10,2007

Iraq's Tyranny of the Majority


In Iraq's parliament, efforts to make legislative progress have not been successful. (AP Images/Ceerwan Aziz, Pool)

May 9, 2007
Prepared by: Lionel Beehner


Iraqi Sunnis are feeling the pinch of what political scientists call “tyranny of the majority.” Efforts at national reconciliation have stalled (RFE/RL) over a series of constitutional demands made by Sunni leader Tariq al-Hashimi, whose minority party, the Iraq Accord Front, controls forty-four seats in parliament (Sunni Arabs comprise roughly 20 percent of Iraq’s population). He has called for a breakup of Iraq’s Shiite militias; a reversal of laws preventing former Baath Party members from taking government jobs; stronger constitutional language affirming the sanctity of the Iraqi state to avoid further decentralization; and a hydrocarbons law, explained in this new Backgrounder, which redistributes revenues more equitably. After a pair of meetings with Iraq’s president and prime minister, Hashimi appears to have backed away (CNN) from earlier threats to pull his bloc out of parliament if his demands go unmet.

Yet Iraqi leaders are running into political timetables in Washington. A growing number of congressional leaders are calling on the administration to set September as the deadline for Iraq to meet certain “benchmarks” on security and national reconciliation, a process outlined in this Backgrounder. Hence, the hue and cry over earlier news reports that Iraq’s parliamentarians had planned to take two months off this summer for vacation (they will only take one week off). Even still, Iraqi politicians will be hard-pressed to meet the deadlines set to revise the constitution and reach a power-sharing agreement. “We need to make people understand our perspective,” (NYT) Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s national security adviser, told reporters on a recent visit to Washington. “What are the challenges we are facing, what are the difficulties we are facing. We are not lying and doing nothing.”

The latest snag over Sunni rights signals the growing political isolation of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The Fadilah party withdrew from his Shiite bloc in March and several members of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc pulled out of parliament in April. Some experts say if the Kurds—whose demands on Kirkuk and an oil law favorable to the regions are creating divisions within Baghdad—were to withdraw their support, that might spell the end of Maliki’s coalition. “If any further deputies were to desert him, it is hard to see how al-Maliki could win a vote of no confidence,” writes Middle East expert Juan Cole on his blog. Both inside and outside Iraq, calls for new leadership are amplifying, with the usual suspects being mentioned: Adil Abdul Mahdi, a prominent Shiite politician, and Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite who was interim prime minister in 2004.

Vice President Dick Cheney, on a weeklong visit to the Middle East, met with Maliki on May 9, reaffirmed his support for the prime minister, and discussed issues of security and domestic political matters. While the political factions try to sort out their differences, security remains the top issue on the minds of most Iraqis, according to a new ABC News poll and analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.


Iraq's Tyranny of the Majority - Council on Foreign Relations

Cheers!
DayDream

Originally Posted by DayDream

The 10 May date for the current pay of retired workers

The Service Retirement and Social Security of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, on Thursday, May 10, 2007 date for the pay of retired workers through post offices for a monthly Baghdad March and April.
An official source in the ministry told the media (eye), "The Trial tables (?)completed procedures for the allocation of the salaries of retired workers."
Adding that "retired service, which has more than 25 years received (220) thousand dinars and retired, who served less than 25 received (170) thousand dinars, (140) thousand dinars similarity deceased pensioner consisting of a single individual."

The same source said that "all retirees who receive their salaries from the Post Office (faraniyah) Audit Service for the purpose of altering their identities Pension another new and old after receiving salary This includes the resolution (14.519) retired workers in Baghdad and other governorates, including (8.943) factor in the Baghdad governorate."

ÇáÜ 10 ãä ÃíÇÑ ÇáÍÇáí ãæÚÏÇð áÕÑÝ ÑæÇÊÈ ÇáÚãÇá ÇáãÊÞÇÚÏíä

I know I have seen articles before about the checks being disbursed, but I don't think I have seen the amounts.

Cheers!
DayDream

220,000 dinars after 25 years of working for retirement? Is that what this says? 220,00 dinars isnt hardly any money at all

Originally Posted by bluedangle

220,000 dinars after 25 years of working for retirement? Is that what this says? 220,00 dinars isnt hardly any money at all

You read correctly! Equivalent of approx. $175-$180

Cheers!
DayDream

Analysts : American currency fluctuation caused losses of billions of dollars of oil revenues Gulf

تمت إضافة الخبر بتاريخ 9-5-2007, 21:35

Added news on 5-9-2007 21:35

محللون: تذبذب العملة الأميركية يلحق خسائر بمليارات الدولارات بإيرادات النفط الخليجية

Analysts : American currency fluctuation caused losses of billions of dollars of oil revenues Gulf

واع - اقتصاد - فراس حماد

WAI-economy-Hammad Firas

أدى الهبوط الدراماتيكي للدولار أمام العملات الرئيسية وخاصة اليورو والين بنحو الثلث خلال الفترة القريبة الماضية الى الحاق خسائر كبيرة بايرادات دول الخليج الاعضاء في اوبك من صادراتها النفطية المقومة بالدولار الاميركي.

The dramatic decline of the dollar against major currencies, particularly the euro and the yen by about one third in the recent past to cause great losses to income Gulf member of OPEC's oil exports denominated in the American dollar.

وذكر محللون «ان ارتباط اسعار النفط بالعملة الاميركية يلقي بظلاله السلبية حاليا على ايرادات دول من الصادرات النفطية فضلا عن انعكاساته على ارتفاع تكاليف المعيشة في دول المنطقة بتأثير التضخم».

The analysts «link that the American currency oil prices cast a shadow currently negative income countries from oil exports, as well as its implications for the high cost of living in the region influence inflation».

وقال محللون «ان خسائر دول الخليج الاعضاء في منظمة اوبك وهي السعودية والامارات والكويت وقطر قد تصل الى 90 مليار دولار بنهاية العام الحالي جراء هبوط الدولار للثلث امام سلة العملات الرئيسية التي تضم اليورو والين والجنيه الاسترليني».

And analysts said «losses in the Gulf OPEC members, namely Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar had up to 90 billion dollars by the end of this year from a decline of the dollar against the currency basket third major, which includes the euro and the yen and the pound sterling».

وتشير التقديرات الى أن العائدات المتوقعة للدول الخليجية من النفط للعام الحالي تلامس مستوى 325 مليار دولار حسب حصص الانتاج الراهنة (14.8 مليون برميل يوميا للدول الخليجية الاربع الاعضاء في اوبك) وعلى افتراض سعر ثابت طوال 2007 يبلغ 60 دولارا للبرميل.

Estimates indicate that the expected return of the Gulf oil for the current year to address the level of 325 billion dollars according to current production quotas (14.8 million barrels per day of the four members of the Gulf OPEC), and assuming a fixed price for 2007 of 60 dollars per barrel.

وتراجع سعر سلة نفوط اوبك للبرميل الى 63.11 دولار للبرميل.

The retreat Nfot OPEC basket price per barrel to 63.11 dollars per barrel.

وتعتبر السعودية اكبر منتج للنفط في المنطقة والعالم بمعدل يتراوح حول 10 ملايين برميل يوميا تليها الامارات بمعدل 2.2 مليون برميل يوميا ثم الكويت (مليونا برميل يوميا) وقطر بمعدل 600 الف برميل يوميا.

Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in the region and the world at a rate of around 10 million barrels daily, followed by the UAE at 2.2 million barrels per day and Kuwait (million barrels a day) and Qatar rate of 600 thousand barrels per day.

واعتبر مصرفي اماراتي ارتفاع اليورو امام الدولار في غير صالح اقتصادات دول الاتحاد الاوروبي التي ستتأثر صادراتها بشكل كبير وتقل قدرتها التنافسية في الاسواق الدولية.

The bank Emirati rising euro against the dollar is not in favor of the economies of EU countries that would be affected exports significantly less competitive in international markets.

وتحصل الدول الاوروبية المنضوية تحت مظلة العملة الموحدة على 36% من انتاجها القومي من الصادرات الا ان ارتفاع اليورو امام الدولار سيجعل المنتجات الاوروبية اعلى سعرا في الخارج وبالتالي انخفاض الارباح.

States receive under the umbrella of the European common currency for 36% of national production of exports but the appreciation of the euro against the dollar will make European products more expensive than those abroad and thus lower profits.

وترتبط معظم دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي بعلاقات اقتصادية قوية مع دول الاتحاد الاوروبي حيث بلغ حجم التجارة بين الطرفين نحو 58.5 مليار يورو نهاية عام 2001 منها حوالي 40.88 مليار يورو مستوردات خليجية من هذه الدول.

Associated most GCC countries strong economic relations with the EU as the volume of trade between the two sides towards the end of 58.5 billion euros in 2001, including about 40.88 billion euros and imports from the Gulf States.

وتقدر الاعباء المالية الاضافية لدول التعاون التي ستتحملها جراء الاستيراد من دول الاتحاد الاوروبي بحوالي 6.1 مليار يورو خاصة اذا لم تستطع دول التعاون تخفيض حجم مستورداتها من دول الاتحاد الاوروبي او استبدالها من اسواق خارجية اخرى.

The estimated additional financial burden to be borne by the Gulf Cooperation by imports from the EU at 6.1 billion euros, particularly if they are unable to reduce the size of Gulf Cooperation imports from the EU or replacement of other foreign markets.

ويقول اقتصاديون ان هبوطا فى سعر الدولار يعني في واقع الامر هبوطا مماثلا في القيمة الشرائية لايرادات النفط الخليجية عند تقييمها او تحويلها لعملات عالمية اخرى.

Economists say that the decline in the dollar means, in fact, a similar decline in the value of oil revenues in Gulf evaluated or converted to other global currencies.

ويرى هؤلاء ان ايرادات النفط تشكل الجزء الاكبر من الايرادات الحكومية في دول المنطقة وان القيمة الشرائية لهذه الايرادات تعتمد على حظوظ العملة الاميركية التي على اساسها يجري تسعير مبيعات النفط الخام.

They argue that oil revenues accounted for the bulk of government revenues in the region and that the purchasing value of this income depends on the chances of the American currency on the basis of which are priced crude oil sales.

ويشعر سكان الخليج من مواطنين واجانب على حد سواء بتأثير انخفاض العملة الاميركية على تكاليف المعيشة التي ارتفعت بوتائر قياسية على مدى السنوات الاربع او الخمس الماضية.

The entire population of the Gulf of citizens and aliens alike impact on the American currency lower living costs, which rose separating record over the past four or five years.

وفيما تحجم حكومات المنطقة عن كشف ارقام التضخم الحقيقية، يرى مصرفيون ان معدلات التضخم في معظم دول المنطقة تسجل مستويات غير مسبوقة متأثرة بصورة اساسية بارتفاع اسعار السكن والعقارات وارتفاع اسعار الواردات المقيمة بالدولار.

With reluctant governments of the region to discover the real inflation figures, the bankers said inflation rates in most countries of the region recorded unprecedented levels influenced mainly by rising prices of real estate and housing and the high dollar-denominated import prices.

وفيما نادى نشطاء ومسؤولون في المنطقة بفك ارتباط العملات الخليجية بالدولار وربطها بسلة عملات او اتخاذ أية آلية اخرى كالتعويم، فقد ابقى محافظو البنوك المركزية الخليجية على هذه السياسة في اجتماعهم الاخير بالمدينة المنورة في السعودية الشهر الماضي.

With club officials and activists in the region divorcing the Gulf currencies, the dollar and linked to a basket of currencies or to take any other mechanism Kaltaouim, has been retained Gulf central bank governors of this policy at their last city Medina, in Saudi Arabia last month.

ويقول خبراء ان أسباب ربط العملات الخليجية بالدولار واضحة وبسيطة، فالولايات المتحدة من أكبر الشركاء التجاريين لمنطقة الخليج، ويجري تداول النفط وهو شريان حياة المنطقة بالدولار عالميا، كما ان الحكومات الخليجية تجمع ايراداتها وتنفقها بالدولار.

And experts say that the reasons for linking the Gulf currencies, the dollar, clear and simple, the United States of the largest trading partners of the Gulf region, and circulation is the lifeblood oil region dollar globally, and the governments of the Gulf states combine their revenues and dollar spent.

كما تشمل هذه الاسباب ان الجانب الاكبر من أصول القطاع العام في منطقة الخليج وقيمتها 1.5 تريليون دولار مقومة بالدولار، اضافة الى أن طفرة سوق المشاريع يدعمها اقراض بالدولار.

It also includes these reasons that the bulk of the assets of the public sector in the Gulf region and the value of $ 1.5 trillion in dollar terms, in addition to the surge of projects supported by the lending market dollar.

وترى الدول الخليجية ان ربط عملاتها بالدولار يساعد على استقرار ايراداتها من الصادرات.

The Gulf states to link their currencies to the dollar, helping to stabilize the export earnings.

ويقول ستيف برايس رئيس الابحاث الاقليمية في بنك ستاندرد تشارترد «لكن هذا صحيح فقط في حالة استقرار أسعار النفط، وهو ما يخالف الواقع لان سوق النفط متقلبة بشكل كبير.

Steve Price says the regional head of research at Standard Chartered Bank «But this is true only in the case of the stability of oil prices, something that violates the fact that the volatile oil market significantly.

وآثار كل تحرك في سعر الدولار تنتقل مباشرة الى اقتصادات المنطقة خاصة مع غياب آلية سعر الصرف المرنة والتي تعمل كمنطقة عازلة لامتصاص الصدمات والهزات».

The effects of every move in the dollar to move directly to the region's economies especially with the absence of a flexible exchange rate mechanism, which is operated as a buffer to absorb shocks and tremors ».

وارجع تقرير رسمي حديث في الكويت ارتفاع معدل التضخم في الدولة الى ربط الدينار بالدولار ما يعزز وجهة النظر المطالبة برفع قيمة العملة بعد ضغوط على السوق استمرت أسابيع.

The official report attributed the recent rise in Kuwait inflation rate in the State linking the dinar to the dollar strengthens viewpoint calling for lifting the value of the currency after pressure on the market lasted weeks.

وقال التقرير ان هذا التطور في اسعار السلع في السوق الكويتي في الاونة الاخيرة يرجع الى عدة اسباب اهمها فروقات اسعار صرف الدينار الكويتي امام العملات الاجنبية مثل اليورو والجنيه الاسترليني والين الياباني التي شهدت ارتفاعا في قيمتها امام الدينار الكويتي الذي تم ربطه بالدولار الاميركي خلال السنوات القليلة الماضية.

The report said that this development in the prices of goods in the Kuwaiti market in recent times due to several reasons, the most important differences Kuwaiti dinar exchange rate against foreign currencies such as the euro, pound sterling and the Japanese yen, which saw a rise in value against the Kuwaiti dinar, which has been linked to the American dollar during the past few years.

وتتصاعد في المنطقة اصوات تتساءل عن جدوى هذا الربط واللجوء بدلا عن ذلك الى اعتماد سلة عملات مشتركة تشمل ايضا اليوان الصيني.

Escalate in the region voices questioning the feasibility of such a link, rather than resort to the adoption of a common basket of currencies also include the Chinese yuan.

وتوقع الرئيس التنفيذي لمركز دبي المالي العالمي أن تتحول معظم اقتصادات الخليج عن ربط عملاتها بالدولار الاميركي متجهة الى عملات أخرى بما في ذلك اليوان الصيني.

He expected the Executive Chairman of Dubai world financial center to turn most of the Gulf economies to link their currencies to the American dollar, heading to other currencies, including the Chinese yuan.

واتفقت دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي على تدشين عملة موحدة بحلول عام 2010 لكن عمان قالت اواخر العام الماضي انها لن تنضم الى العملة الموحدة بحلول ذلك الموعد.

It agreed the GCC states agreed to launch a common currency by 2010 but Amman said late last year that it would not join the single currency by that date.

كما اثارت البحرين الشكوك بانضمامها بسبب قرب الموعد المقرر.

Bahrain also raised doubts joining because of their proximity to the scheduled date.

واتجهت الامارات الى تحويل جزء من احتياطياتها الدولارية الى اليورو منذ العام الماضي عندما قال البنك المركزي انه يعتزم تحويل 10% من هذه الاحتياطيات لليورو.

Rather Emirates to convert part of their dollar reserves into euros since last year when he said that the central bank intends to convert 10% of these reserves to euros.

وفي الامارات بدأت تكاليف المعيشة بالارتفاع بصورة لافتة منذ العام 2003 مع بدء مسيرة تراجع سعر صرف الدولار امام اليورو ما انعكس على تكلفة الواردات لدولة الإمارات.

In the United started living costs rise more remarkable since the year 2003 with the start of the march retreat dollar exchange rate against the euro was reflected on the cost of imports to the United Arab Emirates.

ومع ارتفاع سعر صرف اليورو مقابل الدولار بصورة ملموسة، ساءت الأحوال، نظرا لاعتماد الإمارات بصورة كثيفة في استيرادها على أوروبا.

With the rising euro exchange rate against the dollar significantly, conditions worsened due to the adoption of more intensive in the UAE imported to Europe.

وقد ارتفعت أسعار بعض السلع الاستهلاكية المستوردة تحديدا بصورة كبيرة.

The prices of some imported consumer goods specifically to a great extent.

كذلك تشير حركة المكونات المختلفة داخل مؤشر أسعار المستهلكين إلى التأثير الخارجي على الأسعار داخل الإمارات.

Also, the movement of the various components within the consumer price index to external influence on prices in the UAE.

وأدى ارتفاع أسعار النفط الى توافر السيولة، والتي أدت بدورها إلى نمو الاستثمار وارتفاع أسعار الأصول في قطاع العقارات في الوقت الذي ارتفعت فيه أسعار الوقود والمتطلبات المنزلية والخدمات الاساسية كالرعاية الصحية والتعليم والترفيه بصورة ملموسة، مما دفع بتكاليف المعيشة إلى مستويات أعلى.

The rise in oil prices to the availability of liquidity, which in turn led to investment growth and rising asset prices in the real estate sector at a time when fuel prices rose and domestic requirements and basic services such as health care, education and recreation in concrete, causing the cost of living to higher levels.

Translated version of http://www.iraq-na.com/index.php?sec=news&act=view_cat&cid=1

Originally Posted by DayDream

You read correctly! Equivalent of approx. $175-$180

Cheers!
DayDream

Sheesh gimme a break, I spend that much a day sometimes, stuff like this just makes me more confident that the RV is on top of us just waiting to spring!

WELL THEY FINALLY UPDATED AUCTION RESULTS FOR WEDS. MAY 9TH!!

Announcement No.(920)

D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control

The 920 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Wednesday 2007/5/9 so the results were as follows :

Details NotesNumber of banks15-----Auction price selling dinar / US $1263-----Auction price buying dinar / US $-----------Amount sold at auction price (US $)59.655.000-----Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) ------ Total offers for buying (US $)59.655.000-----Total offers for selling (US $)-----------

Cheers!
DayDream

Originally Posted by DinarDarling

Just guessing here is that they mean Craps (it's a table game, no stupid comments please).

Uh, I think he means roulette DD. There is no 36 in craps as the highest number that can be acheived on a pair of dice is 12....

Interview: Iraq Kurd leader on oil law
By BEN LANDO
WASHINGTON, 10 May 2007 (UPI)

To Iraq's Kurdish leadership, the issue of how to apportion the third-largest pools of oil in the world is "a make-or-break deal" for the country as a whole, a top official told United Press International.
"The oil issue for us is a red line. It will signify our participation in Iraq or not," Qubad Talabani, son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative to the United States, said in an interview from his Washington office.

The KRG and the central Iraqi government reached a deal in February on the hydrocarbons framework -- though not on other key companion bills -- and a self-imposed deadline of late May seemed possible to meet.
But the Iraqi Oil Ministry, at a meeting it set up last month in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, with other Iraqi oil experts and politicians, unveiled the annexes to the hydrocarbons law -- its list distributing control of oil fields between central and KRG control -- and a law re-establishing the Iraq National Oil Co., which Kurdish leadership automatically rejected.

"This sets us back to square one, a point that's unacceptable to us. We're trying to modernize Iraq, build a new Iraq, built on new foundations, new policies. The symbol of this new Iraq will be how it manages its oil infrastructure," Talabani said. "And if people want to revert back to Saddam-era policies of a state-controlled oil sector with no accountability, with no accountability to the Parliament or the people of the country, with no oversight except from by one or two, then I'm sorry, that is not the Iraq that the Kurds bought into. That is not the Iraq that the Kurds would want to be part of."

"If a centralized oil regime is imposed on us, we will not participate in the state of Iraq," Talabani said. "And we have to make it absolutely clear to our friends in Washington, to our brothers in Baghdad, this is a make-or-break deal for Iraq."

He said Iraq needs to embrace the free market and break free from the nationalized mindset. Numerous oil and Iraqi experts as well as key Iraq oil union leaders have told UPI that Iraqis see nationalized oil with pride. And opponents of the oil law also say it gives too much to foreign companies.
The Kurds, however, have little to show from the Saddam Hussein era, aside from persecution, death and little investment in its economy or oil sector. They gained autonomy in 1991 and, governing an autonomous three-province region now, are prospering. Airplanes fly internationally from the airport in Irbil, Iraqi Kurdistan's capital. Violence in the region is relatively nil compared with the rest of the country, though the first major attack in more than four years killed 14 people in Irbil Wednesday. Despite lacking the law, the KRG has signed multiple deals with foreign companies to develop its oil and natural-gas sector.

Iraq only produces about 2 million barrels per day. With investment -- domestic or foreign -- Iraq's 115 billion barrels in reserves could handle much higher output.
Many of the arguments over the law are related to the 2005 constitution. It was written vaguely to garner support. Now there is a dispute as to which oil fields are to be governed by the central government and which by the regions.

Tariq Shafiq, an Iraq oil expert now living in Amman, Jordan, and drafter of the original law last summer, said the Iraq National Oil Co. should be independent of the Oil Ministry, and regions could choose the company's board of directors. (Shafiq has since come out against the law, saying it has been altered too much in negotiations.) He said Iraq needs a central strategy for the best management of the country's oil.
Talabani said the KRG favors an INOC limited in scope and open to foreign investment, and says the current law gives INOC control over 93 percent of Iraq's oil. "This will hamper needed investment," he said.

"It's only by bringing in the biggest and the best from the international community, to partner with, not to steal, but to partner with the Iraqi government, can we develop Iraq's oil accordingly," Talabani said. "And there's a worrying unwillingness to act under a free-market-style concept here. It won't go through. It won't go through the Parliament this way. There will be too many people opposed to it."

Other bills needing to be passed include a reorganization of the Oil Ministry and the revenue-sharing law. Talabani said there were lingering fears Kurds will again be deprived of funds and investment.
"We want to create an automatic payment mechanism where it doesn't rely on the goodwill of the finance minister or the oil minister for the regions to get their fair share," he said.

"Trust is lacking in Iraq, and unfortunately it's been Iraq's miserable history that has created this system, this society that mistrusts each other, which is why something as critical as oil can be a trust-building measure," Talabani said. "By putting in place mechanisms and institutions that can ensure that I will not get robbed again, that my resources will not be used against me again, will eventually over time build my trust."

Interview: Iraq Kurd leader on oil law | Iraq Updates

Kirkuk referendum needed soon, says Iraqi Kurdish leader
10 May 2007 (European Parliament)

"Kurdistan has never been part of the problem, but we are trying to be part of the solution," said Masoud Barzani, President of the Autonomous Kurdish Government in Iraq to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Members of the European Parliament questioned him on minority rights, relations with Turkey and the referendum plans for the contested city of Kirkuk.
"There are two battles going on in Iraq: one against terrorism and one between violent sectarian forces," said President Barzani in his introduction. He underlined that his government was adamant to adhere to the unity of Iraq as long as every party respected the Iraqi Constitution, and argued that "separation of religion and state is necessary" for a functioning Iraqi state.
Kirkuk
On the issue of Kirkuk, a hotly contested multiethnic city in the southern part of the Kurdish region, Jan Wiersma (So******t, Netherlands) asked what guarantees the Kurdish government could give for a free and fair atmosphere for a referendum. Joost Lagendijk (Greens/European Free Alliance, Netherlands) also cited a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG), which argued for a postponement of the referendum citing the danger of bloodshed if a vote were to happen.
Mr Barzani responded that all groups living in Kurdistan will get to vote freely and according to their own conscience in the referendum. He also pointed out that 80% of Iraqis have agreed to the Constitution, and that its Article 140 is the legal basis for dealing with the Kirkuk question. "We need to go ahead with a referendum, as further delays can only destabilise the situation," he said, while warning that "foreign intervention in this issue is unacceptable."

American forces and PKK issues
José Ignacio Salafranca (European People's Party-European Democrats, Spain) asked what the President thought of the recent votes in the United States Congress, which called for troops to be withdrawn from Iraq. Mr Barzani responded that a US withdrawal would lead to "a full-fledged civil war in Iraq," and that this would lead "the terrorists to win and transfer their war to Europe and the US."
Finally, Cem Özdemir (Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany) asked what the government's contribution had been to talking to Turkey on the question of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), a terrorist organisation. The President responded that "the PKK is a political question that cannot be solved by military means." He said he was ready to cooperate with Turkey and take part in a political solution to the issue.
7 May 2007
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Chair: Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (European People's Party-European Democrats, Poland)

Kirkuk referendum needed soon, says Iraqi Kurdish leader | Iraq Updates

Originally Posted by jsfletcher

Just thinking out side the box here, but didn't Buffet recently "donate" a ton of cash to Bill Gates? Is there any Microsoft connections in Iraq or Vietnam? I know it's thin...probably nothing. Just tossing ideas

Here you go jsfletcher.

17-10-2006, 09:53 PM
chouchou
Investor Join Date: Apr 2006
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Vietcombank signs deal with Microsof

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Vietcombank signs deal with Microsoft
11:52' 17/10/2006 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Microsoft yesterday signed an agreement with Vietcombank to supply 4,000 licensing rights to Microsoft's Office 2003 software.

Updates of new Microsoft Office versions will also be included in the agreement that is slated to run for three years.

The deal, signed by FPT Information System (FIS), Microsoft's authorised dealer in Vietnam, is similar to an earlier agreement reached between the Ministry of Finance and Microsoft during Bill Gate's visit to Vietnam in April of this year.

"IT application is critical for all businesses that provides banking services, especially for their preparations in relation to the upcoming WTO membership," said Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank)'s CEO Vu Viet Ngoan.

Ngoan said the agreement also contributes to the government's ongoing efforts to build a healthy investment environment by fighting back at software piracy.

"I applaud Vietcombank's efforts in taking the lead in the business community in Vietnam to sign the agreement" which will ensure the use of genuine and licensed software," said President of Microsoft Southeast Asia Christ Atkinson.

Local authorities earlier this month had found the Hanoi-based Daewoo-Hanel company were using unlicensed softwares valued at VND1bil (US$62,500).

According to the Ministry of Culture and Information, inspectors had checked all computers at the South Korean invested electronic parts maker and found that most of them were illegally installed with pirated softwares.

Pirated softwares found at the plant included Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Visual Studio, Autodesk AutoCAD, Corel Draw, ACD See, Lac Viet Dictionary, Symatec Antivirus, Vietkey, WinZip, WinRar and Adobe.

More raids are expected as authorities aim to increase the government's role in protecting intellectual property rights as the country moves toward integration into the global economy.

(Source: Viet Nam News)