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

Thamer Alheims
The American vision on the Iraqi economy is today before tomorrow integration in the international economy, which is more precisely turnover in the orbit of the G8 and free trade as well as believe Office of Economic Affairs at the American embassy that the reason for the structural defects due to the long separation from the international economy, due to the political circumstances experienced by Iraq .




The Bureau also stresses the commercial aspect of the Iraqi economy to create First Movement addition to the active exchange of experiences to turn actors of the Iraqi economy through American support for small-scale projects which amounts to five million dollars depending on the nature of the project in addition to the awareness of the tax base template supportive and so on the International Covenant Act No. 13 of Recently in 2006 and during this month heard from the media that will be exported Iraqi carpets and leather products, and this process may call for pleasure and healthy phenomenon in the world of industry and trade if they were in their proper context without being a matter of encouraging export-oriented industries to serve foreign markets, This policy, which were traveling strategic guidance and instructions to the IMF and World Bank.
This economic policy advocated by those two institutions are open economies that serve adults policies shareholders therein.
Since there is the inevitability of integration into the international market, but even dying scrambling this trend must stop and take into consideration these inevitable periods within Text and national economic conditions. Fsnaatna leather and woolen example afraid to be relevant Kambraduri and should not turn into export industry not only after satisfy Iraqi market and their promising in terms of raw materials, production and the Iraqi market is dependent on the import raw materials and semi-manufactured products based on the re-licensing of labor. Therefore, the identification of this trend and walk rates according to the rhythm of his Iraqi industrial economy, in order to ensure the economic cycle, and because export production
The local raw materials, which was to withdraw the agriculture sector wings animal and vegetable market and create elements of Iraqi internal actors. In order to operate an American-funded projects with five million dollars a template for these export industries, and others, as long as the Iraqi people are still most of whom under the poverty line, and therefore must be commensurate speed integration with the international market with low poverty line and unemployment seem to integrate into the international economy that the President is the tool of privatization as stated in the International Covenant items and the investment law. Privatization in any case not interested in the level of poverty and the nature of these things where private capital can be turned into hand backed networks deal with security, but that it is serious advantage of low wages advantage of the economic repercussions of unemployment and fruit to them. Thus, international investment, and the experiments of Arab states rich with examples of this paradox amazing States, make an effort and make sacrifices and concessions to encourage foreign private investment to come to it, in time by losing these States themselves large amounts of capital flight abroad. a rate of speed in mergers international economy, as mandated by the International Covenant must be commensurate with the overall sustainable development in industry and agriculture, with the economic court seminars to be equals and equals in the business and not simply export industries and responsive to the needs of non-real-time and unstable.
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Baghdad-Sabah.
Said Abdul Razzak Al-Saadi Chairman of the Securities Commission approved the mechanism that controls the work of the approved brokerage companies in the Iraqi market for securities.


A statement issued by the body, "Al-Saadi noted that the controls were introduced to protect investors dealing in the market and the potential expansion of activity negotiable securities during the coming period due to economic growth and foreign investment in Iraq," but the statement did not refer to the date of approval of this mechanism.
The statement added that "the acceptance of any company introducing a new mediation to the market for capital must Alaigal billion dinars as well as the conversion of offices mediation of the banks licensed to a limited company (or contribution) with capital of less than one billion dinars owns most of the bank shares, which currently owns office mediation."
He Saadi, according to the statement, that "the brokerage companies to amend existing capital constantly that starting from this year, so at least any of the human capital or shareholders of (35) million dinars by the end of 2007 and continue existing brokerage companies increase capital annually to reach the same level and above during the specified period not exceeding 5 years from date
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Karbala : a meeting between Maliki and Rabie Al-Araji, the agreement on security changes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karbala : a meeting between Maliki and Rabie Al-Araji, the agreement on security changes
أخبار و تقارير - 30/08/2007 News and reports-30/08/2007


كربلاء/ الملف برس Karbala / file Press

بحماية المرقدين الشريفين. The lengthy meeting lasted for several hours today, headed by Mr. Nouri Al-Maliki, in the presence of Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Muwaffaq al-Rubaie, Bahaa Al-Araji, officials in the police and intelligence service in the province, and agreed to strengthen the role of the security forces in Karbala, which will be under the command of the Ministry of Defense and some changes in the security and separation The dismissal of some of the officers who had been charged with negligence over the events visit Aluchaabanih and reorganizing the fourth batch tasked with the protection Almerkdin Mosques.

. Another reported by the media wing in Sadr's office in Karbala day closure of the office for three days to mourn the lives of those who were killed during the clashes, said media source in the office of the Agency for file Press in a telephone call that the office was closed for three days in response to a statement by Muqtada al-Sadr and his directives to freeze the activities of Al-Mahdi Army for six months in addition to book criminals who belonged to the Sadri trend and neglecters of them.

وقضاء الهندية. The source confirmed the commitment of the Bureau of these directives, saying that these events which took place in Karbala is the attempt to implement the scheme to undermine American spokesman tongue right, as he put it, pointing out that the security forces are currently conducting raids and arresting members of the Sadri trend, specifically in the areas of the Khan door and Pacific inspired Bourne neighborhood Indian military and juvenile.

. It is noteworthy that the general situation in the province remained calm and began life is gradually returning to normal, and especially the city center except for the Holy where people started to come out into the streets as are campaign Cleanups in the place where the Holy Shrine of Imam Mahdi, where the cars belonging to civil defense help some citizens and some members of the municipal to clean the streets.


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Making economic plans for Furat Making economic plans for Furat --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Corps Multinational Forces-Iraq
بيان صحفي Press statement

مكتب الشؤون العامة - كامب فيكتوري Office of Public Affairs-Camp Victory



رقم البيان الصحفي 20070830-05 : No. press statement 20070830-05 :

التاريخ : 30 اب 2007 Date : August 30, 2007



Making economic plans for Furat Making economic plans for Furat

اعداد الفرات Preparing plans for economic cities of the Euphrates



25 أب. Baghdad-met with a group of American soldiers and some Iraqi contractors in Baghdad International Airport to discuss the economic future of the cities of the Euphrates and the area south of the Iraqi capital, and so on August 25.

قال جديدة. By Patrick Frank said, one of the leaders of the American army : that the region is possible to witness a bright future through their leaders who are eager to renounce all past differences and also because of the evolving security services can provide some vital services to the population in those areas such as economic, employment of unemployed persons in addition to providing projects new work. ومنجامعة الرشيد). Among the projects discussed are the two projects to build (Baghdad Trade Center), (University of good).

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Iraq issues tender to sell 5 mln bbls Kirkuk crude --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iraq issues tender to sell 5 mln bbls Kirkuk crude
(Reuters)

30 August 2007



LONDON - Iraq on Thursday issued a tender to sell 5 million barrels of Kirkuk crude from its northern fields, the biggest such sale this year, an Iraqi oil official said.More than 3 million barrels of oil have been shipped along the country’s northern pipeline to the Turkish terminal of Ceyhan since the flow resumed last week.

The export route has been mostly idle due to sabotage attacks since the US-led invasion in March 2003.

“We hope to accumulate the full 5 million by the time the tender closes next Friday,” the official told Reuters.

“It won’t be a problem.”

Oil continued to flow through the pipeline on Thursday, a shipping source said. Tanks at Ceyhan held between 3 million and 4 million barrels of Iraqi crude, he added. The flow rate was around 260,000 to 290,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has issued two Kirkuk tenders, for 3 million barrels each, in June and January of this year.

The latest tender, which closes at 1700 GMT on Sept. 7, calls for the crude to be loaded in cargo lots of 1 million-2 million barrels between Sept. 10-24.

SOMO’s last Kirkuk tender helped boost July exports to 1.78 million barrels per day -- the highest rate in nearly three years.

When the Iraq-Turkey pipeline is down, Iraq relies solely on its main terminal in the south at Basra for exports.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayA...=business&col=

Iraq boosts oil imports

Private Iraqi companies will import as much as 500,000 tonnes of fuel this year after the government introduced incentives for importers, Reuters reported.

Iraq offered a two-year tax exemption on imported oil products earlier this year as it looked to relieve fuel shortages, which have resulted from a decade of sanctions and four years of the US-led war.

Iraq boosts oil imports | Iraq Updates

Iraq VP opens business conference in Dubai

The vice-president of Iraq Dr Adel Abdul Mehdi opened the first Iraq Business and Investment Conference in Dubai as the head of a delegation of over 100 businessmen from southern Iraq.

The conference attracted over 300 UAE and international businessmen interested in exploring business and investment opportunities with their Iraqi counterparts.

Panel sessions covered the legal environment for conducting business in Iraq, financing private sector business, trade and commerce and private sector banking. This was followed by parallel meetings covering specific business opportunities in the seven southern governates of Iraq chaired by their respective governors.

Dr Mehdi said 'Iraq's new investment law will facilitate investment for both Iraqi and non-Iraqi businesses by providing a secure investment environment. Business people know the capacities and resources of Iraq. These delegates are the experts brought together at this conference to present opportunities for investments across a wide range of industries. Iraq is not only oil and gas but also agriculture, infrastructure and tourism, both historic and religious.'

Five Iraqi government ministers are also attending the conference.
Sessions will include presentations concerning joint ventures with state owned enterprises, investment in agriculture, free zones, construction and contracting and opportunities in reconstruction and management associated with the port of Basra.

Iraq VP opens business conference in Dubai | Iraq Updates

IAF leading figure welcomes Sadr's order to freeze Mahdi army

A leading figure from the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) welcomed on Wednesday the order by the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to suspend the activities of the Mahdi army, describing the recent incidents in Karbala as "disastrous".

"We welcome this decision which should have been taken by the government in a move to disband all kinds of militias," Omar Abdul Sattar told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

The IAF leading figure also described the clashes that took place in Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad, as "disastrous", noting that "we have warned from the very beginning against the disasters that might take place because of presence of these militias."

"The government has started more seriously considering the issue of militias following the recent meeting of the political blocs' leaders and Karbala incidents," the Accordance member said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr decided to freeze al-Mahdi army militia and to restructure its fighters, calling for "an impartial and just investigation" into Karbala incidents where 42 Iraqis were killed and 282 more wounded in clashes near two shrines sacred to Shiite Muslims.

IAF leading figure welcomes Sadr's order to freeze Mahdi army | Iraq Updates

Sadr militiamen heed Iraq truce order

BAGHDAD (AFP) - The armed men of anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's militia vanished from the streets of Baghdad on Thursday, saying they were obeying their leader's order for a six-month truce.

The black-clad Mahdi Army militiamen, normally dominant in their bastion of Sadr City, a teeming Shiite neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, were absent from the streets, an AFP photographer reported.

"In Baghdad we will now lie low and obey the order until there are new orders to restart our activities," fighter Abu Moqtada said.

Another, who asked not to be named, said "we cannot break his word. His word is an order for us."

On Wednesday Sadr ordered his militia to suspend for six months all activities, including attacks on US troops, after his fighters were suspected of involvement in gunbattles during a Shiite religious festival in the city of Karbala.

The fighting between police and gunmen left 52 people dead and 300 wounded as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were gathered to celebrate the birthday of the eighth century Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi.

Sadr denied any role in the violence but ordered a freeze on the thousands-strong militia, once described by the Pentagon as the biggest threat to stability in the war-ravaged country.

His aides said the move was aimed at rooting out "rogue elements".
The government welcomed the freeze, saying it could rein in violence in Baghdad and other regions.

National security advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie told the BBC it was "very good news" that would "contribute to peace and stability."

The US military also gave a cautious welcome, but said it would wait to see whether the order was followed by Sadr's fighters.

"Any time someone in Iraq, especially a leader, wants to use non-violent methods to solve problems and to participate in a meaningful way in the future of Iraq, we encourage this," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Chris Garver.

"As always, the proof will be what we see on the street. But we encourage any leader to work to end criminality, to work to end violence and to seek non-violent methods to move Iraq forward," he said in a statement.

The Mahdi Army, which gained a nationalist and anti-American image after the 2004 rebellions, has been accused by Sunni Arab leaders of slaughtering members of their community since the outbreak of communal strife in Iraq last year.

The US military has also accused Sadr's fighters of killing Sunnis and specifically charged some of the militia's "rogue" elements of killing American troops.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said a much-awaited progress report by top US officials in Baghdad would not contain any "magical solution or an instant answer" to end the problems besetting the war-ravaged country.

US General David Petraeus, the head of US-led forces in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, will deliver their testimony on the war's progress to Congress on September 10 and 12, the White House said Thursday.

The two officials will brief both chambers ahead of the report that will be delivered to the legislature by September 15, spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Their report is expected to guide Washington's future strategy amid rising pressure to withdraw troops.

Zebari said the report would focus on the "dangers" if foreign troops pull out and indicate how "things should go forward."

He said there was progress on the security and economic fronts in Iraq but it was "not matched on the political front."

Iraq's fractious political leaders agreed on Monday to end the sectarian divide by easing restrictions on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party in taking up government jobs and by holding provincial elections.

Washington has insisted that solving these and some other issues such as passing an oil law are essential to achieve national unity.

According to the Washington Post on Thursday, a draft US government report says Iraq has fallen short in all but three of 18 benchmarks set by the Congress.

"Key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend 10 billion in reconstruction funds" as promised, the newspaper said, quoting the report by the Government Accountability Office.

The US military's losses in Iraq since the March 2003 war rose to 3,729 after insurgents killed two American soldiers on Wednesday, the military said.

Meanwhile, Iraq announced a positive economic development on Thursday.

Finance Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh said Baghdad had signed 15-year contracts with telephone companies Al-Atheer Telecom, Asiacell and Korek to provide mobile telephone service in the northern, central and southern regions.

Sadr militiamen heed Iraq truce order - Yahoo! News UK

Bush aides hit back at bleak Iraq report

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Bush administration Thursday rejected a bleak draft survey by a government auditor on political and military advances in Iraq, saying it set criteria for judging progress far too high.

The White House and State Department hit back after leaks emerged of a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), saying Iraq had failed to meet all but three of 18 benchmarks laid down by Congress.

The report emerged at a vital moment of the Iraq war debate, as the White House and anti-war Democrats crank up political heat ahead of a showdown over President George W. Bush's troop surge strategy in Congress next month.

White House deputy spokeswoman Dana Perino took pains to differentiate the GAO survey from the president's own report on the 30,000-strong troop hike in Iraq, which he must provide to Congress by September 15.
"The president must report on whether or not the Iraqis are making significant progress towards achieving the benchmarks in Iraq," Perino told reporters.

"The GAO ... is asked by Congress to say whether or not they have met them," she said, adding that the "bar was set so high" it was all but impossible for the Iraqis to meet the standards.

But the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi accused Bush of "stubbornly" refusing to accept things were going badly in Iraq.

"He insists that our soldiers sacrifice even more, and taxpayers spend billions more dollars for an Iraqi government incapable or unwilling to institute reforms required by the president himself," Pelosi said.

A law passed by Congress earlier this year requiring a report on the surge strategy gives Bush wide latitude.

It says the president must state what revisions are necessary in US strategy, if he assesses progress towards any benchmarks is "unsatisfactory."

The GAO is required by the law assess Iraq's progress in meeting benchmarks on political reconciliation, constitutional reform, building of security forces, challenging sectarian militia and sharing oil revenues.

"I would expect that if you apply different standards to the benchmarks, you might come out with some different conclusions," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Thursday.

The GAO report concludes that efforts by the Iraqi government to meet key legislation and reconstruction efforts are stalled, the Washington Post said.

Attacks on civilians have not ebbed and the Iraqi security forces have grown no more competent, the draft said, adding that US agencies were divided on whether violence had been reduced by the surge.

The Government Accountability Office, formerly known as the General Accounting Office, is the non-partisan auditing branch of the US Congress that oversees the performance and accountability of the US government.

Its findings are in stark contrast to an upbeat interim assessment issued by the White House in July, which found positive developments in eight of 18 categories.

The White House and Republican allies in Congress have been making a case that the surge strategy has been successful in dampening violence in Iraq, and making strides in the fight against extremists.

They have been pushing back against the idea that Iraqis must meet benchmarks, saying the grades do not reflect progress in the country, where 3,729 US soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians have now died.

But Democratic critics have countered that the surge was designed specifically to give the Iraqi government space to achieve political reconciliation, and as that has not happened, it has ultimately failed.

Attention is now focusing on testimony to Congress next month by Iraq war commander General David Petraeus and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker.

The White House said the two men would testify to both chambers of Congress on September 10 and 12, avoiding the emotionally charged date of September 11, the sixth anniversary of terror strikes targeting New York and Washington.

Bush aides hit back at bleak Iraq report - Yahoo! News UK