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

Talabani confirms the activation performance of the government and Crocker says that there is success in Iraq despite the conditions
Political Affairs 17 / 05 / 2007 8:18:00 m

Baghdad-5-17 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said today that consultations between the political blocs will have an important role in activating the performance of the government while the American ambassador in Baghdad, Ryan Krkor that there are indications of success in Iraq, despite reaching the brink of Amateurism.

This came during a meeting between Syrian President collection in his office was the American Ambassador in Baghdad during a review of the latest developments in Iraq at the security and political.

A statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the steps taken, meetings and consultations held over the past few days between Iraqi political blocs will have an important role in activating and developing the performance of existing institutions in the country so as to achieve security and stability.

According to the presidential statement, the American ambassador price Talabani role in bringing viewpoints among all political forces and promoting cooperation between them, thus contributing to the interest of the Iraqi people.

Crocker said in a statement to reporters after the meeting that Iraq "despite the proximity of brinkmanship but it shows signs of its ability to fulfill the political criteria which have been identified key steps towards reconciliation."
He added that Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi and Tariq Al-Hashmi met for further work on drafting a new law abolishing the Baath stressing the importance of this project for Iraq to the past, saying "it is important for the United States to see the evidence that the Iraqis are capable of agreement and completion of projects revenue sharing oil wealth The root out Baath reconsider and allow former members of this party hold public office and the completion of the constitutional amendments. "

Crocker was optimistic about the future situation in Iraq, saying that "I am optimistic because Iraq has not fallen again in the sectarian violence and widespread despite continuing incidents of car bombs horrific."

He continued, saying, "The security situation is not caused by the horrific suicide attacks by car bombs, which lies behind the failure of the State Qaeda or Iraqi society."

He pointed out the importance of national reconciliation in bridging the gap and the reform of the situation in Iraq, revealing that officials from the Kurdistan region will come to Baghdad in the next few days to discuss other disputed points in the deadline expires at the end of this month.
(End) m h g / m u p KUNA 172018 GMT Mai 07

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl...6Language%3Dar

Originally Posted by darock0116

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/

umm, removin currency from the market ya say???
oh mr. knowles, yoo hoo!!

Originally Posted by shotgunsusie

umm, removin currency from the market ya say???
oh mr. knowles, yoo hoo!!

What exactly does this mean susie?Could you elaborate foe us please!!!Should we be excited!!!!
Sarah!!

Originally Posted by MOM2TWO

I found this someplace else. Over there they seem to think that this could be the end of our reval theory????? Too many "bad guys" with a whole lot of money. Thoughts???

Diala-Robbery :: Aswat al Iraq :: Aswat al Iraq

Diala-Robbery
Gunmen steal $ 860,000 from government accountants in Diala
By Aasem Taha
Baaquba, May 17, (VOI) - Unknown gunmen on Thursday stole one billion Iraqi dinars ($ 860,000) from government accountants as they left a Diala bank with bags of cash, a security source said.
"Gunmen in four vehicles laid an ambush in central Baaquba for government accountants with one billion Iraqi dinars as a monthly social security program fund for poor families in Diala," the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
He added, "the gunmen escaped with the equivalent of $ 860,000."
Baaquba, capital city of Diala province, is 57 km northeast of Baghdad.

its not the first time nor will be the last. no worries on affect of the revaluation.

Originally Posted by Hkp

: the announcement during the negotiations with the World Trade Organization, Trade Minister : Iraqi economy on the verge of dramatic evolution

Dr. Abdel farmer Hassan, the Sudanese Minister of Trade optimistic successful future negotiations with the World Trade Organization to be held in Geneva later this month. Sudanese announcement during the Iraqi negotiating team that Iraq had completed all the mechanisms and questions addressed to him by the International Organization

In addition to the complete set of laws, legislation and sent to the State Consultative Council and the Council of Ministers to be studied in order to keep abreast of Iraq's participation in the World Trade Organization, adding that the negotiating team for three years and succeeded in completing all'll requirements of the World Trade Organization and develop appropriate responses for each organization offers Therefore, we are optimistic that the outcome of future talks held in Geneva with a team represented by the exit of the recommendations of the task could accept Iraq in the light of the implications of the results.

The Sudanese to the importance of education and public awareness through media releases and in the importance of Iraq's accession to the WTO that this economy will gain (strength and evolution), and inform the experiences of the developed countries of the Organization for the freedom to control the operations of the global economy and trade, pointing out that the government had issued several laws that serve the economy and facilitate coordination with the global economy, where the form of the investment major turning point future results will be significant movement of the market economy and to develop the country and most of the provinces that suffered greatly as a result of their negligence and reliance on central control of the State on the economic movement and the minister stressed that Iraq's accession to the WTO does not necessarily mean acceptance of new restrictions imposed on the Iraqi economy, laws and regulations of the organization and that some Yatekadha Thus Thus but some team work places this side the best interest of the country and the interests of the Iraqi rights before taking any action addition, we find that the Iraqi economy has great potential able to overcome all the problems of the present and to come back to the top of the economics of the world.

Stressing the importance of Iraq's presence in international organizations being shunned for many years and it was unacceptable that this move away from what is happening in the world of enormous economic developments will seek to make use of it to serve the Iraqi economy, and thus determine the feasibility of presence in these international organizations.

The meeting was considered a range of topics and mechanisms put forward by the negotiating team representing the Iraqi government before the World Trade Organization in Geneva and already the government sent many of the questions asked and answers to consider Iraqi request seriously.

كل العراق - حيدر الرماحي

All parts of Iraq - Haider Alermahi

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

sounds like the meeting in geneva is merely a formality as this seems overwhelmingly convincing they are going to proceed with accession.

has there been any new estimated time frame for r/v ?
some confusion on did this law pass or was it changed etc is
hard to keep straight.

thanks

Originally Posted by snottynose

What exactly does this mean susie?Could you elaborate foe us please!!!Should we be excited!!!!
Sarah!!

further proof to substantiate mr. knowles, et. al. currency removal theories.

Iraqi lawmakers argue for caution in shaping oil law
May 18 2007

They say that draft law has many holes, and that foreign pressure only draws ire.
By Howard LaFranchi | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Page 1 of 3

BAGHDAD - Iraqi lawmakers offer varying predictions for when the long-awaited oil law might pass parliament: in a month, by August, perhaps by fall.

The White House envisions passage this month of the law to share revenue among Iraq's sectarian populations and regulate foreign investment in oil. Congress wants quick approval as a sign of Iraq's seriousness about national reconciliation.

Iraqi legislators, however, have expressed strong concerns about holes in the legislation that, they say, could adversely affect the country in the long run. Most acknowledge the need for a law that will modernize an all-important industry. But, they say, they are creating a structure that will go to the heart of Iraq's future identity – and thus cannot rush the process. "It will pass, but it still takes much time and much negotiation," says Bayazid Hassan, a Kurdish member of parliament who warily predicts a late July passage. "We, too, want a law to settle this very important matter for Iraq, but it is too important for us to do this according to the schedule of others."

Still, the legislature appears to be making progress on other key benchmarks.

•The parliament's constitutional reform committee voted Tuesday to submit a set of revisions to lawmakers next week – technically meeting a constitution-imposed deadline of mid-May for presenting the draft changes. But the controversial issues still to be debated include the right of provinces to form powerful regions similar to the one the Kurds have in the north, and references to Iraq's Arab identity. The Sunnis reject the former, while the Kurds oppose the latter.

•Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi announced that proposals for revising the de-Baathification Law would be submitted to parliament next week. Approval could allow thousands of former Baathists to return to state jobs and quiet Sunni threats to pull their ministers out of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government.

Ryan Crocker, the new US ambassador to Iraq, says he sees "an awareness and a focus on the part of the Iraqi leadership" over the last week that he had not detected earlier. Citing a succession of meetings involving Iraq's top political leadership "that I'm not sure we've seen in the past," Mr. Crocker says he sees "steps in the direction" of national reconciliation.

Those include negotiations on the oil law, expected to pick up pace next week when representatives of the Kurdish Regional Government arrive in Baghdad to iron out differences with central-government authorities.

But, he adds, "the Washington clock runs a lot faster than the Baghdad clock."

And the oil law, already a repository of Iraqi sensitivities to sectarian divisions and decades of foreign exploitation, is increasingly mired in a Washington-Baghdad tug of war over Iraq's political progress.

As Congress continues its search for a way to fund the Iraq war that is not simply a blank check, the idea of setting "benchmarks" for Iraqi political action is gaining support. President Bush has spoken approvingly of war-funding legislation that calls on Iraq to move on issues the US believes would address its sectarian divisions and boost reconciliation.

Those benchmarks include revision of the de-Baathification law that has barred members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party from employment, constitutional reforms promised to the minority Sunni population, provincial elections, and the oil law.

Republicans and Democrats are piling on Iraq's lawmakers for not moving faster. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky, in a recent CNN interview, called the Baghdad government "a huge disappointment" and added, "I don't know what their problem is."

But when it comes to the oil law, their "problems" are many, Iraqi lawmakers say.

In its current form the law is ambiguous, many say, leaves too many gaping holes to fill at some later date, and fails to clearly delineate the rights and responsibilities of the central government and those of regional governments.

Then there are the ideological and sectarian misgivings. Many Sunnis – who feel vulnerable as a minority and come from a tradition of strong central government – oppose the legislation as a doorway to Iraq's dismemberment. Sunnis generally want a new Iraq National Oil Co. to be a strong federal power.

Many Kurds, meanwhile, are furious that annexes to the law would, in their view, give jurisdiction over a vast majority of oil fields to a centralized authority, with only a pittance left to regional governments like that in the Kurdish north. Some nationalists and the oil workers' union in particular tar the law as a privatization of the Iraqi people's common wealth.

Ambassador Crocker, speaking with a group of Western journalists Thursday, said sorting out such defining issues among "all of Iraq's communities ... is in its own way as important as some of these national issues we've been focused on."

The draft law could probably pass if put to a vote now, some analysts say, but its gaps and vague wording on key issues like contract-signing authority could mean big problems later and discourage essential foreign investment.

"This is an issue of great importance for every Iraqi, not just 51 percent of Iraqis, so it is important that this law be written to have the support of a wide majority," says Tariq Shafiq, a prominent Iraqi oil expert who served on a committee that wrote the oil law draft last year. "Given the present wounds in Iraq, it would not be wise to rush to something with potential to cause more difficulties later."

Mr. Shafiq says the committee he served on tried to "make the best" of often-conflicting political demands, but adds that subsequent revisions to their draft have weakened the law and made it more confusing.

The changes, he says, have added layers to the contract process and regional involvement that invite trouble. "The longer the chain of decisionmaking, particularly in areas that don't have the institutions equipped to do this, corruption becomes a bigger problem," he says.

Other issues include the division of oilfields between the Iraq National Oil Co. and regional governments, and the makeup of a national oil and gas council that would include foreign participation.

The Kurdish regional government was shocked when the central government divulged a list of operating oilfields last month that assigned more than 90 percent of them to national jurisdiction. The region's governor, Mustafa Barzani, is to visit Baghdad next week, giving Kurdish lawmakers hope that disputes can be resolved.

"Two issues remain of the highest importance to the Kurdish side: how the oil revenues will be shared and how new investment agreements will be signed with foreign companies," says Fryad Rwandzi, a Kurdish member of parliament. "The Kurdish delegation will address that ... and if the results are satisfactory, we could have passage ... soon," perhaps by mid-June.

But other lawmakers insist it will take more time – in part because the months of debate and media attention have exposed the law's shortcomings and provided fodder for opposition from all sides.

Abdel Hadi al-Hassani, a Shiite member of parliament from a branch of Mr. Maliki's Dawa Party, says that proposed "production-sharing agreements" with foreign oil firms are so tarnished that they will have to be changed.

"Like the US Congress, we wish this could all be done yesterday, but given what remains to be done it will take at least four months," says Mr. Hassani. "We appreciate any congressman trying to help, but they have to understand that we are thinking about the interests of Iraq for the long period of time."

Iraqi lawmakers argue for caution in shaping oil law | csmonitor.com

Originally Posted by Lunar

Iraqi lawmakers argue for caution in shaping oil law
May 18 2007

They say that draft law has many holes, and that foreign pressure only draws ire.
By Howard LaFranchi | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Page 1 of 3

BAGHDAD - Iraqi lawmakers offer varying predictions for when the long-awaited oil law might pass parliament: in a month, by August, perhaps by fall.

The White House envisions passage this month of the law to share revenue among Iraq's sectarian populations and regulate foreign investment in oil. Congress wants quick approval as a sign of Iraq's seriousness about national reconciliation.

Iraqi legislators, however, have expressed strong concerns about holes in the legislation that, they say, could adversely affect the country in the long run. Most acknowledge the need for a law that will modernize an all-important industry. But, they say, they are creating a structure that will go to the heart of Iraq's future identity – and thus cannot rush the process. "It will pass, but it still takes much time and much negotiation," says Bayazid Hassan, a Kurdish member of parliament who warily predicts a late July passage. "We, too, want a law to settle this very important matter for Iraq, but it is too important for us to do this according to the schedule of others."

Still, the legislature appears to be making progress on other key benchmarks.

•The parliament's constitutional reform committee voted Tuesday to submit a set of revisions to lawmakers next week – technically meeting a constitution-imposed deadline of mid-May for presenting the draft changes. But the controversial issues still to be debated include the right of provinces to form powerful regions similar to the one the Kurds have in the north, and references to Iraq's Arab identity. The Sunnis reject the former, while the Kurds oppose the latter.

•Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi announced that proposals for revising the de-Baathification Law would be submitted to parliament next week. Approval could allow thousands of former Baathists to return to state jobs and quiet Sunni threats to pull their ministers out of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government.

Ryan Crocker, the new US ambassador to Iraq, says he sees "an awareness and a focus on the part of the Iraqi leadership" over the last week that he had not detected earlier. Citing a succession of meetings involving Iraq's top political leadership "that I'm not sure we've seen in the past," Mr. Crocker says he sees "steps in the direction" of national reconciliation.

Those include negotiations on the oil law, expected to pick up pace next week when representatives of the Kurdish Regional Government arrive in Baghdad to iron out differences with central-government authorities.

But, he adds, "the Washington clock runs a lot faster than the Baghdad clock."

con't
Iraqi lawmakers argue for caution in shaping oil law | csmonitor.com

Iraq Industrial Revitalization Continues
May 17, 2007 08:05 PM EST


By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2007 – A Defense Department task force is in Baghdad again this month working with the Iraqi government to revitalize Iraq's industry and restore normalcy to the economy.


Paul Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, briefed reporters in Baghdad today, highlighting the group's latest efforts, including bringing international business leaders to Iraq and giving loans to Iraqi businesses.

"Our process is to engage these industrial operations, to get them restarted, to help restore intra-Iraqi demand and the ties of commerce that existed before," Brinkley said. "We are working in partnership with the government of Iraq to reestablish between different areas of the country, but also to provide access for the global community, the global economic community, to these industrial operations."

The team, which has been visiting Iraq since May 2006, has spent four and a half weeks in Iraq on this visit, Brinkley said. During that time, the Defense Department brought a group of 15 business executives from the Western and international communities to Iraq to engage with Iraqi business leaders and develop economic partnerships.

Brinkley also announced that the Defense Department, in partnership with the Iraqi Ministry of Industry, is offering low-interest loans to Iraqi businesses. These fixed-term loans, totaling $20 million, will go to boost revitalization at about 24 businesses, he said.

"This is part of our effort to partner with the government of Iraq, to restore industrial operations, to reemploy sizeable numbers of people in Iraq, and to restore normalcy to areas of the country where stability exists," Brinkley said.

Yesterday, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, visited a large textile factory in Najaf where 1,800 Iraqis have returned to work, Brinkley said. The clothing made in that factory is being reviewed by Western retail outlets and probably will appear in Western retail outlets by this fall, he said.

"We continue to work on contract negotiations with Western retailers as well as heavier industrial operations in the West who are negotiating with the minister of industry and directly with plant managers here in Iraq to move work here to acquire goods made in Iraq, and we continue to see progress on this front, and that's a very exciting development," Brinkley said.

Fawzi Hariri, the Iraqi minister of industry and minerals, also spoke at the news conference, highlighting the importance of the task force's work to the Iraqi people. The ministry of industry is working to open Iraqi business to investments from the Arab world, Hariri said, and is working with the U.S. to bridge the gap in technology that has developed in recent years.

"The team from the Department of Defense and the job they're doing by supplying us and providing us with support, this is the thing that we welcome, and it is so tangible by us, and it's one of the basic things that we've witnessed," Hariri said through a translator.

Biographies:
Paul Brinkley

Related Sites:
Defense Business Transformation

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To view this product today on your mobile device: www.dod.mil/mobile
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.

Iraq Industrial Revitalization Continues