Thread: Iraq/Dinar News Until 5/31/2007 7:15 PM CST..

The security firms active in Iraq


David Pallister
Tuesday May 29, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


At least half a dozen British security companies work in Iraq for the coalition forces, the Iraqi government and private security companies. The figures fluctuate but there may be more than 2,000 contractors, often drawn from special forces or from the armed forces of countries such as Fiji and South Africa.
The lead UK company is Aegis Defence Services (ADS), run by the controversial former mercenary Lt Col Tim Spicer, the central figure in the arms-to-Africa scandal of the late 1970s.

Three years ago Lt Col Spicer controversially won the $293m contract from the US Army's corps of engineers to coordinate the work of all security companies involved in reconstruction projects.

ADS's turnover of £554,000 in 2003 rose to £62m in 2005, three-quarters of which came from Iraq.

The Iraqi contract is up for renewal with ArmorGroup, chaired by the former Conservative foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind, as a chief contender. ArmorGroup earned 50% of its £129m revenues from Iraq last year.

It is one of the largest security firms in Iraq, with more than 1,200 employees. It says it is the largest convoy escort contractor in Iraq and was involved in about 1,200 missions last year - about 30% of the total number of convoys.

ArmorGroup also provides security for the foreign office and the department of international development, and helps with the Iraqi police mentoring programme in Basra.

Other UK private security companies are Olive Group, Erinys International, Oriel Solutions, and Control Risks. Control Risks has also provided armed guards for UK staff in Baghdad and Basra.

The UK companies are dwarfed by the big American outfits such as Blackwater and DynCorp. DynCorp has been training the Iraq police.

The number of US contractors has recently been put at more than 120,000. Since the overthrow of Saddam more than 900 have been killed. The number of UK civilian casualties is unknown.

In Iraq
Iraq aims for WTO membership as trade body discusses bid for first time




By Bradley S. Klapper
ASSOCIATED PRESS

6:08 a.m. May 25, 2007

GENEVA – Iraqi membership in the World Trade Organization would send a powerful message that the country has emerged from decades of international exclusion under Saddam Hussein and is on the path to economic development, its trade minister said Friday.
Abed Falah al-Sudani told ambassadors meeting in Geneva for first discussions on Iraq's bid to enter the 150-member commerce body that “joining the WTO is an important step toward integration into the global trading system and restores its position with the international community after decades of isolation from the world,” according to a copy of the statement obtained by The Associated. Iraq applied for membership almost three years ago, and a WTO negotiating group was established in December 2004. Membership is not expected for years to come.
“We were very pleased with this meeting,” U.S. Ambassador Peter Allgeier told the AP. “We look forward to working with the (Iraqi) delegation to make this a successful process.”
WTO ambassadors from the European Union, Japan and other countries also asked questions of Iraqi officials presenting a report of its progress in harmonizing its trading rules with international standards.
Trade officials stressed that the current security situation and political instability in Iraq means it is premature to talk about any timetable for accession. The first meeting focussed on political support for the Iraqi government, rather than the tough reforms it needs to make, officials said.
“As you know, there is much to be done,” al-Sudani conceded.
But he noted that the Iraqi government was still able to generate economic growth over the last two years “despite the current circumstances Iraq is going through.” Since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam's regime in 2003, Iraq has taken “rapid steps” to develop a market economy from a state-planned economy, boosting private enterprise, economic freedom, employment and free trade, al-Sudani said. He said Iraq was hoping to gain the WTO's assistance in the transition. “Iraq's membership in the WTO sends a positive signal to the people of Iraq that they are welcomed back and that the world really cares about their welfare,” al-Sudani said

The allocation of 168 billion dinars of government projects in Basra

Basra / Nina / A technical adviser in the Basra governorate Engineer Maher Abbas investment budget allocation of the funds allocated by the central government for this year, amounting to 168

Media report to the Ministry of Finance (Voice of Iraq) - 29-05-2007 | Sotaliraq.com - ÕæÊ ÇáÚÑÇÞ

The name of God the Merciful
The Ministry of Finance
Media Bureau
Media report to the Ministry of Finance
Baghdad
29/5/2007
The insurance company has Aloutnehaksata for various types of insurance (11470) eleven million, four hundred and seventy thousand dinars during the fourth week of the current month, and this company will continue marketing private insurance against terrorist acts against persons and vehicles 0

Continue training program held by the training center of financial and accounting at the Finance Ministry until the 31st of this month, private bank's work on savings and current accounts, It is noted that the training center of financial and accounting has several courses for the staff of the State during the current month of the Special Program Basel Committee, as well as specialized program for the rehabilitation of the Public Authority for Customs 0

The Bank of rational plan for the integration of its branches and banking work for the advancement of the Special Committee before the merger process will continue to control the bank in a sudden inspection tours to all its branches in Baghdad and the provinces to address the negative situations that might arise in the banking business firsthand

Originally Posted by rvalreadydang

that's very scary, is that something that is indigenous to Iraq, or could that be bioligical warfare???

Sounds like Ebola.

Hi,

One thing is for sure they will not gain membership to the WTO without a revaluation.

Originally Posted by abbey56

Hi,

One thing is for sure they will not gain membership to the WTO without a revaluation.

They could grant them entry...kind of like they did with Vietnam, just a thought.

Baghdad, May 29, (VOI)- Iraqi Trade Minister Abdul Falah Hassan al-Sudani described on Tuesday as a success the Iraqi delegation's negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) that could end with Iraq’s joining to the international organization.




“The minister met in Geneva with the WTO experts and explained procedures and laws passed by Iraqi authorities to organize the economic and commercial process in the country,” the minister said in a statement released by the ministry and received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
“The negotiations ended with complete understanding by the WTO team to the recent economic procedures taken by the government to organize the economic and commercial work which could lead Iraq to be a member of the international organization,” the minister explained.
“The Iraqi delegation answered every question and inquiry regarding investment issues in Iraq, oil projects, taxes and explained the procedures taken nowadays to facilitate the trade exchange with all countries,” al-Sudani noted.
“The delegation also explained the mechanism to register companies in Iraq. A total of 200,000 companies have been registered since 2003 till last year,” he also said, noting that this shows great flexibility in registering companies.
“There are other procedures that could be taken regarding protecting copyright or trademarks,” the trade minister highlighted.
“The government has a draft law for copyright and patent on an invention but it is not suit the WTO regulations nowadays,” he stated.

Aswat Aliraq

Originally Posted by One Oar

Aswat Aliraq

It's weird how these different sources produce positive and negative results about the same meetings... i.e. , article from the AP seemed rather negative and that we had a long way to go, but this one seems much more positive.
Thanks

Maliki on file recognizes Kurdistan security forces

(صوت العراق) - 29-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 29-05-2007

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Iraq : Al-Maliki on file recognizes Kurdistan security of foreign troops

Irbil (May 29) and the agency (Lucky) Italian News - The senior military official noted that preparations are in the Kurdistan region in preparation for the receipt of the security file from the command of multinational forces during this week, and that Massoud Barzani, head of the province had met for this purpose senior regional military commanders to discuss the necessary preparations. The spokesman Kurdistan Guard forces command, Major-General Jabbar aide-de-camp, in a press statement after the meeting of President territory, "that it is expected that al-Maliki to Kurdistan, in the coming days, accompanied by a large delegation from the leadership of the multinational forces to sign extradition of the security dossier to the President Massoud Barzani." The spokesman added : "The Kurdish delegation discussed this issue with American and British officials in Baghdad has been agreed to speed up the transfer of this file." He emphasized that "the Kurdish side prepared a memorandum of understanding to that effect will be signed within this week the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister and the leaders of the multinational forces and representatives of the embassies of America and Britain." Regarding the budget Troops Territory s, which is one of the fundamental differences between the central and regional governments. His aide-de-camp "during talks Kurdish delegation in Baghdad in recent days had been agreed with the three security ministries in the government (of Interior, Defense and National Security) to send a high-level delegation to the Kurdistan early next month to discuss a joint project on the proposed budget for Bischmaraka, Hence raising project middle of the month to head the province and Iraqi Prime Minister for approval. "

(Shs/Aki)

(Shs / Aki)

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