Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 16/08/07 - 03/11/07

Securities Body regulates capital market brokerage companies

Abdul Razzak Al-Saadi, Chairman of the Securities Body, said on Thursday the Body approved a mechanism to control the work of approved brokerage companies in the Iraqi security market.

According to the Thursday statement, "Al-Saadi stated the controls were introduced to protect market investors given the expanding activity of negotiable securities responding to economic growth and foreign investment in Iraq," but did not specify an approval date.

The statement added that "No new brokerage company would be admitted to the market with capital under one billion dinars, and no licensed banks' brokerage offices could be turned into limited (or contribution) companies without capital of minimum one billion dinars, majority owned by that bank."

Al-Saadi said in the statement, "Current brokerage companies must ensure this year that each shareholders' stake is at least ID35,000,000, and that they must build capital over the next 5 years to the minimum specified above."

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=4444

Iraq Deliver a Protests Note to Iran

Once more the Islamic republic of Iran’s forces bombed Bradost area in Sidakan sub-district.

The damages are still unknown. Again, yesterday they shelled Haji Omaran’s area. Residents in the area left their homes in panic.

Noori Al-Maliki8 the Iraqi PM in a press conference stated that bombing Kurdistan Region is violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and we don’t permit that kind of aggression. But this has to be settled through diplomatic efforts and we shall inform our brothers in Turkey and Iran about our stance.

On the other hand the Iraqi Fedral government delivered a protest not to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad demanding further clarification for the reasons of the continuation of Revolutionary Guard’s bombardment of the border areas of Kurdistan

PUKmedia :: English - Iraq Deliver a Protests Note to Iran

The Damages of Iran’s Shelling

Today August 27, again Iran’s artillery shelled the border areas of Kurdistan region including: Swrgala, Shnaw, Baraqawsi, and Maradwrazga in Pishdar area. It caused people to evacuate their homes and go to peaceful places.

Azad Hasan, the manager of the Zharawa sub-district said that Iran artilleries continue in shelling these places claiming that they target Pijak militants. The shelling resulted to setting fire in many orchards of Bardaqawsi and caused damages to the areas.

PUKmedia :: English - The Damages of Iran’s Shelling

Tariq Al-Hashmi Condemns bombarding Kurdistan Region by Iran and Turkey Artilleries

Tariq Al-Hashmi, The deputy of Iraqi President condemned these bombardments from Iran and Turkey to Kurdistan Region and said that there is no justification for their actions.

He also said that solution for these shelling on Kurdistan Region villages should find very soon, and regarded a security agreement with the neighboring countries as solution for these problems.

PUKmedia :: English - Tariq Al-Hashmi Condemns bombarding Kurdistan Region by Iran and Turkey Artilleries

American Forces Issue a List for Wanted Terrorists

The American army has issued a list which included the names and photos of 17 wanted persons that related to terrorist groups and accused of making terrorist operations and bombings in al-Mosul city, and the most prominent one is Mohammed Yonis al-Ahmed the former commander in al-Baath party who is recently working in a schismatic group from the former Baath.

The Alliance forces allocated a reward of 10.000 US dollars for any information leads to arrest of these wanted persons.

Major Cunningham the Alliance Forces local affairs officer of the 4th brigade in Mosul mentioned that the American forces are supporting the Iraqi forces in the city to eliminate the terrorist groups that targeting the innocent civilians.

It’s worth mentioning that the Iraqi army and police are making daily operations against the terrorists in al-Mosul city and its surroundings.

PUKmedia :: English - American Forces Issue a List for Wanted Terrorists

Iranian Artillery Shells Kurdistan Villages Again

Our reporter in Pishdar area, al-Sulaimaniyah governorate mentioned that the Iranian artillery started its bombardment again this afternoon to the area villages.

A source in Pishdar district administrative said to our site that the new bombardment includes Barda Qalshew, Qirnaqa, Bish Aashan, Zharawa and Basta districts and its surrounding villages without mentioning the damages.

PUKmedia :: English - Iranian Artillery Shells Kurdistan Villages Again

4 Terrorists Killed in Southern Baghdad

A multi-national forces statement declared that 4 terrorists were killed today by an Apatchi attacking helicopter on a highway to the southern of Baghdad while they were laying a mine.

An American army team related to the 2nd division has requested from the helicopter crew to attack the terrorists after they have located their position, so the helicopter crew fired the terrorists which led to killing 4 of them and wounding another one.

PUKmedia :: English - 4 Terrorists Killed in Southern Baghdad

Iraq leaders agree on key laws

Iraq's top Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders announced they had reached consensus on some key laws that Washington views as vital to fostering national reconciliation.

The appearance of Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Iraqi television with the other leaders was a rare show of public unity amid crumbling support for the prime minister's government.

The other officials at the news conference were President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd; Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi; Shi'ite Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and Masoud Barzani, president of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

Iraqi officials said the leaders had signed an agreement on easing restrictions on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party joining the civil service and military.

"They signed a new draft on debaathification," said Yasin Majid, a media adviser to Maliki.

Other officials said consensus had been reached on holding provincial elections and releasing many detainees who have been held without charge, a key demand of Sunni Arabs since the majority are members of their sect.

Majeed said the leaders also endorsed a draft oil law, which has already been agreed by the cabinet but has not yet gone to parliament.

Package of laws

The law is seen as the most important of a package of measures that have been stalled by political infighting in Maliki's government between the political parties, who have been reluctant to compromise.

The lack of political action has frustrated US President George Bush's administration, which has been urging more political progress before a pivotal report on Iraq is presented to the US Congress next month.

The report by the US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and ambassador Ryan Crocker, is seen as a watershed moment in the unpopular four-year-old war, with Democrats likely to use the negligible political progress to press their case for troops to begin pulling out soon.
Bush is pleading for patience, pointing to the military's apparent success in reducing levels of violence between majority Shi'ite Muslims and minority Sunni Arabs.

But Democrats are not convinced, with presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton and fellow Senator Carl Levin calling for Maliki to be replaced.

The embattled prime minister hit back on Sunday, saying: "There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin."

"This is severe interference in our domestic affairs. Carl Levin and Hillary Clinton are from the Democratic Party and they must demonstrate democracy," he said. "I ask them to come to their senses and to talk in a respectful way about Iraq."

Iraq leaders agree on key laws | WORLD | NEWS | tvnz.co.nz

Sunnis cool on Iraq political deal
BAGHDAD -- Sunni Arab politicians refused to end their boycott of Iraq's Shiite-led government Monday, de****e a broadbrush deal aimed at bridging the country's bitter sectarian divide.

The accord was cautiously welcomed by the White House, which faces demands to withdraw US troops, and calls from lawmakers for Shiite Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki to resign.

Leaders of Iraq's rival Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish sects squeezed out the agreement after lengthy talks Sunday, but leading Sunni Arab politicians said it failed to meet all their demands.

The leaders agreed to ease restrictions on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party taking up government jobs, to hold provincial elections - a key demand of Washington - and to help security forces end the bloodshed, President Jalal Talabani's office said.

Maliki, a Shiite, Talabani, a Kurd, Sunni Vice-President Tareq Al Hashemi, Shiite Vice-President Adel Abdel Mehdi, and Massud Barzani, president of the autonomous northern Kurdish region, made a rare television appearance after making their reconciliation pledge.

But a leading member of the National Concord Front, the main Sunni Arab bloc, said it would continue to boycott Maliki's government until its demands are fulfilled.

"The Front will not return to the government unless all its demands are met," said Khalaf Al Alayan, a leading politician and lawmaker from the bloc that quit the government August 1.

"The government is trying to show to the world that it is working, but it is a failure, and has to go. It does not have credibility."

Alayan said Hashemi had joined the other four leaders in announcing the latest political move in his capacity as a "vice-president, and not as leader of the Front."

Even Omar Abdel Sattar, a leader of Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic Party, dismissed the agreement as stage-managed. "It was an irrelevant media production," Abdel Sattar said.

Iraqi political leaders have, in the past, announced broadbrush agreements, but have battled to implement them or hammer out specifics.

Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman said the agreement was an "important step," and hoped the decisions would be "implemented quickly, and lead to more such steps."

The statement from Talabani's office said the five leaders had agreed to support a new bill to replace the four-year-old de-Baathification law, and make it easier for former members of Saddam's Baath party to take up government or military jobs.

The return to public life of former Baathists who have no criminal records has been a strong demand of the Sunni bloc, but the so-called Reconciliation and Accountability Law has yet to be approved by parliament.

The statement said that the Iraqi leaders had also agreed to encourage the sharing of government jobs equally among all three communities.

"The leaders agreed to hold provincial elections, and to continue dialogue over other disputed issues such as constitutional reforms and the oil law," it added.

Washington has insisted that provincial elections and passage of the oil law are among the cornerstones needed to achieve progress and reconciliation in Iraq.

The White House said the pledges from the Iraqi leaders were "an important symbol" of their readiness to work on behalf of all Iraqis.

They come two weeks before leading US officials in Iraq - ambassador Ryan Crocker and coalition forces chief General David Petraeus - present a keenly-awaited report to the US Congress.

Since the boycott by the Sunni Arab bloc, a growing number of US politicians have spoken out against Maliki, with some, like presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin, democratic senator of Michigan, calling for him to be replaced.

An angry Maliki lashed out at the two politicians Sunday, just hours before the latest reconciliation moves emerged.

"They talk about Iraq as if Iraq is their property," Maliki told reporters.

They "have not experienced in their political lives the kind of differences we have in Iraq. When they give their judgment, they have no knowledge of what reconciliation means."

Maliki, meanwhile, won an apology from French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner over similar calls he made in an interview with US magazine Newsweek for a new Iraqi premier.

Sunnis cool on Iraq political deal - Region - Middle East Times

Sarkozy calls for troop exit from Iraq
PARIS -- President Nicolas Sarkozy Monday called for a clear timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq as he outlined an assertive role for France in other world hot spots.

Making his first major foreign policy speech since taking office, Sarkozy recalled that France had opposed the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but that it was now ready to help the international community bring about a political solution.

"A clear horizon must be defined concerning the withdrawal of foreign troops," Sarkozy said in the address to French ambassadors from 180 countries.

"It is the awaited decision on this issue that will force the players to weigh their responsibility and organize themselves accordingly," he said.

The address came after foreign minister Bernard Kouchner was forced to make an embarrassing apology for suggesting that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki stand down.

Kouchner took French foreign policy in a new direction, last week, when he paid a visit to Baghdad, offering to help stabilize the country and mediate between the warring communities.

Maliki had angrily demanded an apology Sunday from Kouchner after he was quoted in the US magazine Newsweek as saying: "I just had [US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice] on the phone 10 or 15 minutes ago, and I told her, 'Listen, he's got to be replaced.'

"If the prime minister wants me to excuse myself for having interfered in Iraqi affairs in such a direct way, then I do so willingly," Kouchner told French radio RTL.

Meanwhile, describing the standoff over Iran's nuclear program as "undoubtedly the most serious crisis before us, today," Sarkozy said France was determined to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb, saying a nuclear-armed Iran was "unacceptable."

The statement stood in contrast to his predecessor Jacques Chirac, who, in February, admitted in an interview that a nuclear-armed Iran may be inevitable, sparking consternation in Western capitals that had maintained a tough line with Tehran.

Sarkozy held out the prospect of rewarding Tehran if it backs down.

"France will spare no effort to convince Iran that it has much to gain by engaging in serious negotiations with the Europeans, the Americans, the Chinese, and the Russians," he said.

Turning to the Middle East, Sarkozy asserted that he was a "friend of Israel," but that he also had good relations with Arab governments.

He served notice that France would not allow a "Hamastan" to emerge in the Palestinian territories after the takeover of the Gaza Strip by the radical group in June.

"We cannot resign ourselves to this outcome," said Sarkozy.

Avoiding a clash between Islam and the West is the "first challenge" facing French diplomacy in the 21st century, and security agencies in Western governments must work in "total cooperation" to combat terrorism, he asserted.

Widely seen as more pro-American than Chirac, Sarkozy underscored the importance of the Franco-US friendship, but added that France was free to disagree with the United States. "To be allied does not mean to be aligned," he said.

His address drew criticism from opposition So******t Jean-Luc Melenchon, who accused Sarkozy of "aligning France with the world view upheld by President [George W.] Bush and American neoconservatives."

The French leader made the case for a "strong Europe," saying France would, in the coming months, take "very strong" initiatives to build European defense and renew the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

He appeared to soften his stance on Turkey, saying France would not block negotiations between the European Union and Ankara over Turkish membership, as long as the 27-nation bloc engaged in a "vital reflection" on its borders.

Sarkozy also took a swipe at President Vladimir Putin, saying Russia was staging a comeback on the world scene by using its oil and gas wealth with "brutality."

"When you're a great power, you must ignore brutality," said Sarkozy.

The 52-year-old French leader has been active on the diplomatic front since taking office in May, and is planning to address the United Nations in September, and travel to China later in the year.

Sarkozy calls for troop exit from Iraq - Region - Middle East Times