Thread: Iraq/Dinar News until 5/23/07 Midnight CST

Iraq progress seen after stepping close to "abyss"
May 17, 2007 - 1:14 PM

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq stepped close to "the edge of the abyss" but is showing signs it can meet political benchmarks set as vital steps towards reconciliation, Washington's top official in Iraq said on Thursday.

Progress was being made on a revenue-sharing oil law, legislation to allow former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to take up public posts and on constitutional reform, the three key milestones Washington has set Baghdad's leaders.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker said he was encouraged Iraq had not slipped back into the widespread sectarian violence of a year ago, despite the continued provocation of horrific car bombings, but conceded patience was not "limitless".

"If I had to evaluate today, and looking purely at the security situation, as devastating as the al Qaeda-led chain of suicide vehicle attacks is, that does not in my mind suggest the failing of the state or of society," Crocker told reporters.

Crocker's relatively upbeat assessment was in stark contrast to a report by British think-tank Chatham House which said Iraq was on the verge of collapse, with the government unable to exert its authority across huge swathes of the country.

Washington is pouring tens of thousands of extra troops into Iraq in a last-ditch bid to avert all-out sectarian civil war between majority Shi'ites and Sunni Arabs dominant under Saddam.

The tactic was adopted to buy time for Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government to reach political benchmarks seen by Washington as crucial to national reconciliation. Washington's top general in Iraq will deliver a progress report in September.

"If this were September I think it would be a terrible mistake to conclude that, because they've been able to mount these attacks, that therefore it isn't working, it isn't going to work and we just all need to pull stakes," Crocker said.

"Sometimes it can be the case that you've got to look over the edge to see how deep the abyss really is," he said.

U.S. President George W. Bush is under pressure to show tangible progress in the four-year war. The three key laws are particularly aimed at keeping Sunni Arabs in the political process and out of the insurgency.

Some progress has been made on the hydrocarbon law but the central government and autonomous, oil-rich Kurdistan in Iraq's north are at loggerheads over annexes to draft legislation that will decide control of the world's third largest oil reserves.

Crocker said officials from Kurdistan will travel to Baghdad in the next few days to thrash out last-minute disputes, with a deadline set for the end of May.

A committee this week agreed to send to parliament a plan to reform the constitution but significant difficulties lay ahead.

Sunni Arabs want changes to a constitution they say cedes too much power to Shi'ites and ethnic Kurds. Non-Arab Kurds also oppose wording on the Arab identity of Iraq.

Some Shi'ites also oppose the "deBaathification law" but Crocker said Iraq's two vice presidents -- Shi'ite Adel Abdul-Mahdi and Sunni Tareq al-Hashemi -- had met to further work on a draft wording.

"It's important for Iraq but also ... it's important in the U.S. and the West that we see evidence that they can come together and do these things," Crocker said of the three laws.

Reuters (IDS)

swissinfo - Iraq progress seen after stepping close to "abyss"

Promoting the value of the Iraqi dinar one hand, and to achieve a higher value of the real income of the Iraqi citizen on the other hand
D. Peace come : There is no economic programs and clear-cut

(Voice of Iraq) - 17-05-2007

دD. Peace come : There is no economic programs straightforward But there are economic signals and reactions
Chechnya : Mohammad Sharif Abu letterhead
...Dr. peace come on the economic expert in the industry, economic programs, Haorenaha theme in the (industry economic programs) and tried with knowing committed features picture of the economic program, which is moving forward on the basis of the new landscape of economic reality ... .She said starting us : we suffer major flaw reflected in the essential point is the absence of economic programs of the parties involved in the life of Iraq.
* Q: What implications of this?
- Consequence, the loss of economic policies, which go reins life in the Iraqi least the economic side, and if Mawalimuna indications that the policies in concepts, are intended to (methods and procedures) followed by hand in the file, imagine the danger to remain aloof from such policies .......

.......On the other hand, we need to cash programs are absorbing quantities of excess liquidity in the market and promote advanced banking habits, so as to ensure the transition to the ranks of using cash evolving (instruments, credit cards .. etc.) which is tantamount to society higher degrees of sophistication cash at the same time withdraw cash surplus before in circulation, which makes it influential in bringing about a balance between demand and supply on the currency, promoting the value of the Iraqi dinar one hand, and to achieve a higher value of the real income of the Iraqi citizen on the other hand ..
Where is the reality?
- ..- From the outset, the issue lacks the focus to look to standardize and clarify the economic picture of the Iraqi scene, since the problem of determining the relevant objectives, policies and ways of achievement of the Iraqi economy, in the sense .. Still Bramgnatwicker to the economic program and clear, where there is no specification of the goal, Is it required to determine rate of economic growth? How is that? Is the required fee tight monetary policy? ..Will define strict tax policy? ....All these, which received wide example, was not specific when the government recognizes their tasks, because they (the government) did not have a vision of the economic program and clear .. .And therefore when you deal with the economic variables, for example conditions of the World Bank and the circumstances of the Paris Club, you will your software-based economic visions these parties and not to see economic decisionmakers.

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

MP : Law oil needs further study

(صوت العراق) - 17-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 17-05-2007

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MP : Law oil needs further study before presentation to the House

Adel luxurious
Baghdad - (Voices of Iraq)

His Abbas Bayati member of the House from the United Iraqi Alliance bloc, today, Thursday,, expressed hope the oil introduced to the House of Representatives within the next two weeks for discussion and approval by the Board of its importance to the Iraqi citizens.

Bayati said in an interview with the News Agency (Voices of Iraq) Independent today that some of the political blocs have indications about this law, including the distribution of oil imports equally to all areas in Iraq .. As well as questions with some lumps if the distribution of imports within the law, or the law will be in a separate supplement, to be debated in the House in full and thorough and serious after agreement on the points of disagreement.
He added that he hoped to reach Baghdad high-level delegation from the Kurdistan region to discuss some aspects of the law with the Iraqi government and with spe******ts in the Ministry of Oil.
Bayati did not specify the date of arrival of the Kurdish delegation to Baghdad.
He explained that the parliamentary blocs want to be reassured that their observations on the law, and given the sensitivity of the oil ..He needs enough time to study it before it is put to Parliament.
He pointed out that the House was determined to be discussed and endorsed by the House of Representatives that the coming summer holiday.
The law of oil and gas between the two laws, which are still under discussion in the Iraqi parliament and are concerned with investing the oil and gas Iraqis.
As if made law oil and gas, it gives investors Iraqis and foreigners
Freedom in the establishment of oil installations and refineries and investing for a period of up to 50 years reverted then to the Iraqi government.
There are differences between the Iraqi political blocs on the laws concerning wealth first in the country, the Sunni parties have reservations on these laws, with the Kurds objections centered on the background of the relationship between the territorial government and the government center.

م ع

RB

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

The president of the republic confirms that the consultations between the political blocs

(صوت العراق) - 17-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 17-05-2007

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Republic of Iraq
Presidential Office
Press Office

The president of the republic confirms that the consultations between the political blocs will have an important role in activating the government's performance

May 17, 2007

May 17, 2007

President of the Republic, Jalal Talabani, at his office in Baghdad on Thursday, 5-17-2007, the American ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker.
And during the meeting, to review the latest developments in Iraq at the security and political.
President Talabani stressed that the steps taken and meetings and consultations held over the past few days, between the Iraqi political blocs, will have an important role in activating and developing the performance of existing institutions in the country, and in order to achieve security and stability.
Meanwhile, the price of the American ambassador, the leadership of His Excellency President Talabani, in bringing viewpoints among all political forces and promoting cooperation between them, thus contributing to the interest of the Iraqi people.

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

Arab Consultative Council rejected the application of Article 140

(صوت العراق) - 17-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 17-05-2007

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Arab Consultative Council rejected the application of Article 140 of the Constitution

Baghdad / voices /

A source at the Arab Consultative Council, which comprises heads of Arab tribes in Kirkuk "that the tribe Schmarwallehauralarab in Tameem district of Kirkuk governorate had refused the application of Article 140 and all decisions by the Special Committee."

The source explained, "The rejection came during a clan gathering Kabbireniza yesterday, Wednesday, in the village Amrben discourse juvenile Tameem south of Kirkuk and was attended by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Asi Minstrel Adoheeh Arab Consultative Council presidency."

The states (Article 140) of Aldstorali "normalize the situation and conduct a census and referendum in Kirkuk and other disputed territories to determine what residents want before December 31, 2007."

With calls for the Kurds to annex the oil-rich city in the province of Kurdistan, while Turkmen and Arabs opposed that approach and insist on keeping the current situation in the city, which includes a mix of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen.

/النهاية/

/ End /

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

Deputy Chairman of Parliament of Kurdistan denies postponement of the implementation of Article 140

(صوت العراق) - 17-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 17-05-2007

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Deputy Chairman of Parliament of Kurdistan denies postponement of the implementation of Article 140 to next year

Arbil : Deputy Speaker of Parliament denied Kurdish reports that the postponement of the implementation of article 140 of the normalization of conditions in Kirkuk, stressing that "we have adequate time for implementation and termination during the remainder of this year."

The Iraqi constitution has set the end of 2007 the date of the expiration of three stages of the normalization process, which would end with a popular referendum to decide the fate of the city, But some media circles quoted government sources as saying that Baghdad had requested the offices of the article 140 to prepare lists of names coming from Arab countries for the purpose of allocating the necessary payments to compensate them in next year's budget 2008 and this is what he deems Kurds inconsistent with the dates established by the Constitution to eliminate the problem of Kirkuk.

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Kamal Kerkuki, during his meeting with a delegation from the Association today (Beiraq) cultural Turkmen in Kirkuk, said that "there are attempts by some parties hostile view to achieving self-interests at the expense of Arabs and Turkmen in Kirkuk, they merely dissenting voice does not reflect the interest of the population of Kirkuk. There are more than 12 thousand family of Arab cinema has shown willingness to return to their previous order to facilitate the process of normalization. "

Kerkuki and stressed that "there are no obstacles or impediments to the implementation of Article 140, there are four resolutions issued by the Higher Committee for normalizing that define the initial stages of the normalization process, and disputes over ownership could be resolved through the legal process continuing need only to the decision of the Supreme Committee for the start of its implementation." It "does not matter if the resolution of such disputes over property before or after the referendum on the fate of the city because they will in accordance with the law, we live in a federation and would not impede the issue normalization process and could be addressed quickly, it is important first to determine who is eligible to vote in the referendum, and then complete the process."

And on the correction of the geographical situation of the province and the restoration of Kurdish areas stripped them by the former regime, said Kerkuki that "the process of restoring those areas is not as complicated as some people imagined do not need a long time, We have the original maps for those areas as well as decisions made in that period of the presidency of the Republic, which shows how out of the administrative border of the province, and possible restoration of conditions of those areas to what they were before. "

The new Vice President of the Parliament of Kurdistan, the Kurdish leadership position in rejecting foreign intervention in the problem of Kirkuk, and said, "the issue is an internal matter between the federal government and the Iraqi Kurdistan region and we will address in accordance with the Constitution and do not need foreign intervention to resolve."

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

EU holds International Compact for IraqMENAFN - 17/05/2007</B> (MENAFN) An official at the European Union (EU) said that the union has recently begun the International Compact for Iraq which aims to help improve the current the circumstances in Iraq, Iraq Directory reported.

He further went on to say that the EU vowed assistance in the execution of a global plan which will help strengthen Iraq's economy by the offering substantial aid in return for a guaranteed unity in Iraq within the next five years.

The International Compact for Iraq is promoting debt reduction for Iraq and aid packages though it also urges Iraq to make greater efforts to put an end to the countries sectarian violence and aim for a stable region

MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network News: EU holds International Compact for Iraq

I got this off of ali website dinartrade
hope this has not been posted already


Quantum leap to shares after adopting the electronic trading on the Stock Exchange

Investors on the Stock Exchange expect that the "Iraqi market for securities» will say good-bye to the manual circulation, which has been adopted since its establishment for nearly 15 years, during the coming period after the arrival of equipments, hardware and electronic systems, which was contracted on with the Swedish specialized company "O.M.X" that had already undertaken similar projects in more than thirty Arab and international bourse.
Head of the Trustees Board of the Stock Exchange, Talib Al-Tabatabai, said that the transition from manual trading system to electronic trading is a quantum leap in the distinct performance of the "Iraq market for securities", and he expected that the next stage will witness the activation of investment activity as consistent with the desire and aspiration of more than one million citizens who are active in the shares' sector.
He added that the introduction of electronic circulation coincides with the decision of the "Securities Body"that allows non-Iraqis to circulate in the Iraqi Stock Exchange, starting on the first of next June, and according to the Investment Law No. 13 of 2006 which everyone looks forward to activate it, which helps to overcome all obstacles that prevent expansion of the Arab and foreign investment in Iraq. He pointed out that the circulation of non-Iraqis in equities and bonds in the Iraqi bourse is, "a step in the right direction to achieve a rise in stock prices, after the significant slump in their value last year".
He explained that increasing the number of circulation sessions from two in the week, to ten in the morning and afternoon, in addition to doubling the volume of circulation, will have a large return for the investment sector in Iraq. Al-Tabatabai expected that the outcome of this qualitative leap of shares in the bourse, will have a big economic value differs from the previous phases, as in other countries.
The American Company "IBM" for Computer under the supervision of the Swedish company "O.M.X", has trained Iraqi engineers and all staff of Iraqi stockbrokers in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on electronic trading and the central depository, in addition to the completion of the internal linkage with the offices of those intermediaries, and also equipped the special hall of electronic circulation in the bourse according to the latest global designs.
Source: Iraq Directory
Links of Interest:

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• US Treasury - Financial Management Services
  
  
• 2006 INVESTMENT CLIMATE STATEMENT - IRAQ
• New Iraqi Dinar

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Kirkuk: A constitutional issue
17 May 2007 (Bitterlemons International)

Many people, with or without a connection to Iraq, to Kurdistan or to Kirkuk, seem to have a ready-made opinion regarding the way to solve the Kirkuk issue. Some say let past injustice be past injustice and live with the new reality. Some compare the situation in Kirkuk with states absorbing immigrants, arguing that to demand any change in Kirkuk is immoral, unjust and against basic human rights. Others label the demands of the Kurds on Kirkuk as irredentism or an obvious process of annexation.

In the case of Kurdistan, we confront the Arabization of Kurdish areas. Arabization was a deliberate political strategy to change the identity of target areas and cities, not a consequence of movements of people. De-Arabization requires a counter political settlement agreed upon by Iraq's major political forces.

Kirkuk, together with other disputed territories, has become a constitutional issue in post-Saddam Iraq. Article 140 (2) of Iraq's constitution, endorsed by 82 percent of the country's voters in a referendum in October 2005, provides a clear roadmap for resolving this issue. It lays out a three-phase process, beginning with normalization, census and referendum. Normalization refers to changing the administrative boundaries of Arabized areas back to the pre-1968 borders, that is to say the date before Arabization became an official policy of the Baath party, and enabling people to return to their areas of origin. Census is the next step. It will determine who will be entitled to vote in the final phase--a referendum to be carried out no later than December 31, 2007 with the objective of determining the boundaries of each administrative unit. In the case of Kirkuk and other Arabized areas, the vote will focus on belonging to the Kurdistan region or not.

Many argue that the issue of Kirkuk could determine the fate of Iraq as a newly recreated state. Some would say that if this roadmap, as laid out in the constitution, is implemented, the Kurdistan region will face unprecedented difficulties both internationally and regionally. Kurdish leaders argue that postponing this process, especially the referendum, will by no means lead to an easier solution. Rather, honoring the constitutional timetable is the federal government's obligation as well as a condition for its survival as a coalition government. Thus one reason for the Kurdish leadership's unwillingness to delay the process is to avoid a constitutional crisis. Once you open up the constitution for such a dramatic change, several issues, including federalism and the powers of the regions, will be subject to change.

Another argument is that the issue of Kirkuk is not about oil revenues. The Kurdistan Regional Government has agreed to share all oil revenues. Control and management of currently-producing oil fields is already settled in Article 112 of the constitution: the federal government will take responsibility together with producing regions and governorates, and not the KRG alone. For oil revenues from future fields, the KRG has proposed a revenue-sharing mechanism throughout Iraq, including potential fields in Kirkuk. If adopted by Iraq's Council of Representatives, the oil revenue issue is not behind Kurdish insistence on the implementation of the constitutional mechanism for Kirkuk.

What has become obvious in the last three years is that the focus of Kurdish leaders and opinion-makers in Kurdistan is on the issue of justice and rights. Until now several thousands returnees have been patiently waiting, in awful camps, for a peaceful settlement of the issue. Returnees have not attacked people who still occupy their properties and belongings. People seem to have accepted the idea that what has been taken way from them by force must be returned to them in a legal, peaceful and constitutional way. Among the returnees there is no obvious desire for revenge. On the contrary, many have shown a remarkable understanding that people who were part of the Arabization program should be compensated and provided with safety, protection and security as well as jobs and re-housing programs.

Politically, the Kurdish leadership and ordinary citizens seem to have accepted the idea that a peaceful settlement in Kirkuk and other Arabized areas is the only way forward, as provided by the constitution. There is also a great degree of awareness that the constitutional mechanisms also mean political uncertainties, since no one can predict with absolute certainty the outcome of any referendum.

The most important message from Kurdistan is to avoid any violent clash over Kirkuk and other Arabized areas. Many in Kurdistan argue that patience and a peaceful resolution are needed to convince all inhabitants of these areas that joining the KRG administration is a viable alternative. Discussion is well underway to ensure that once Kirkukis decide to join the KRG, an inclusive power-sharing arrangement will help to ease any potential tension. The KRG has already absorbed many Christian and other displaced persons. The KRG also has a similar internal power-sharing formula according to which diverse political actors have meaningful representation in the parliament and government.- Published 10/5/2007 © bitterlemons-international.org

Khaled Salih is the Kurdistan Regional Government's spokesman. He is also a senior lecturer in Middle East politics at the University of Southern Denmark. He is coeditor (with Brendan O'Leary and John McGarry) of The Future of Kurdistan in Iraq (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005). The views expressed here are personal.

Kirkuk: A constitutional issue | Iraq Updates

Iraq asks Iran firms to bid for oil refinery work
By Mariam Karouny
BAGHDAD, 17 May 2007 (Reuters)



Iraq has invited Iranian firms to bid for contracts to build at least four oil refineries across the country, Iraq's oil ministry said on Wednesday in a sign of growing ties with the United States' regional foe.

"Today, the Iranian firms have been invited to bid in building refineries which the ministry has already announced it was planning to build," spokesman Asim Jihad told Reuters.

Iran and Iraq, which fought a bitter war in the 1980s, have been strengthening ties since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, arousing concern among Iraq's once dominant Sunni minority and other Arab states as well as in the United States.

Washington, which considers Iran part of an "axis of evil", accuses Tehran of meddling in Iraq. But the two countries, which broke ties in 1979 after Iran's Islamic Revolution, have said they will hold talks within weeks in Baghdad to discuss helping Iraqi people.

Mustafa Alani, senior consultant and director of the security department at the Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre said the invitation for Iran to bid was probably politically motivated. Iran was unlikely to be able to meet Iraq's refining needs.

"It doesn't make sense," he said. "First of all Iran doesn't have the know-how and the technology. Secondly, they are suffering from their own problems. They are short of supplies themselves and are looking at rationing oil products."

Iraq wants to build at least four refineries to help it solve chronic fuel shortages. The ministry said last year that it wants to build Nahrain, just south of Baghdad, with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day. A second refinery at Kuya in the north, is projected at 70,000 bpd.

Iraq also plans to build a refinery in Nassiriya, south of Iraq, for export purposes with a capacity of 300,000 bpd and another in southern Amara.

Iraq has eight oil refineries, none of which were damaged during the invasion. Oil officials say that the plants are operating at only 50 percent-75 percent of capacity, forcing Baghdad to import most of its fuel.

PIPELINE TALKS

Jihad said that Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani agreed with the Iranian ambassador on Wednesday to activate an agreement to build a pipeline to carry about 200,000 bpd of Iraqi crude to Iran's southern refineries.

"They have agreed that the technical committees should begin within days mutual visits to discuss costs and the time they need to build the pipeline," Jihad said.

"The Iranians will buy the crude based on market price."
Iraq needs to attract investment from international oil companies to develop its oilfields and increase production.

Oil multinationals are waiting until a new hydrocarbon law, which sets the rules of investment in Iraq to be passed by the parliament before pumping cash into Iraq. International oil firms are eyeing its giant and largely underdeveloped oilfields.

Oil is the country's main source of the hard currency needed to rebuild its economy, and the energy sector is struggling to recover from years of mismanagement and sanctions.

(Additional reporting by Simon Webb in Dubai)

Iraq asks Iran firms to bid for oil refinery work | Iraq Updates