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

New 5-star hotel set for Iraq

Malia, the prominent Lebanese holding group and Rotana Hotels the leading hotel management company in the Middle East, have signed a partnership agreement for the management of a 5 star 205-roomed hotel in the city of Erbil, located in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The $55m plus hotel The 5 star Erbil Rotana Hotel will be strategically located in front of the large Sami Rahman park and between the convention center and Erbil Exhibition Fair.

New 5-star hotel set for Iraq | Travel and Aviation

Bush vows not to abandon Iraq - Barazani

Arbil, Sept 4, (VOI)- President of Iraq's Kurdistan region Massoud Barazani said on Tuesday that the U.S. President George W. Bush has pledged not to abandon Iraq till achieving "complete victory", denouncing the Iranian shelling of the Kurdish villages in the region.

Addressing the first session of the second legislative term of the Kurdish parliament, the Kurdistan president said "the U.S. president pledged to realize complete victory and this is the U.S. administration's strategy."

"Bush asserted during his meeting with Iraqi leaders that he will not accept to lose or to leave the country in a way that could be described as a U.S. surrender," Barazani explained.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan region president strongly denounced the Iranian-Turkish shelling of the border regions, urging the two countries to immediately stop these acts.

He emphasized that the shelling of the border regions does not serve Iraq's neighboring countries' interests.

"I strongly criticized the shelling, mainly the Iranian because its artillery shelling surpassed the border regions and we did not expect that from Iran," the president noted.

U.S. President George W. Bush arrived Monday in Iraq on a surprise one-day visit to the country.

Bush was accompanied by a number of U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Aswat Aliraq

Parliament back from recess, demands hosting Iraqi PM

Baghdad, Sept 4, (VOI)- The Iraqi parliament on Tuesday held its first session after a one-month-recess, demanding to host Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the upcoming sessions to acquaint the legislators with the major political developments occurred in the war-torn country while the House was in a recess.

"The parliament members demanded hosting the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to acquaint the lawmakers with the latest political and security developments in the country particularly the results of his visits to Iran, Syria and Turkey and with the security operations that took place in Karbala, Sinjar and elsewhere," the House Speaker Dr. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said at today's session.

Tuesday's session also witnessed a request by a parliamentarian from the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front demanding the House chairmanship to issue a statement in response to a recent speech by the Iranian President Ahmadinajad in which he referred to a security vacuum in Iraq and Iran's readiness to fill that vacuum in cooperation with the regional states including Saudi Arabia.

The IAF member Omar Abdul Sattar also touched upon an address by the Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki in which he accused the head of the anti-corruption body Justice Radi al-Radi of escaping from Iraq.

"The Premier should have distanced himself from making such statements as the charges should be dependant on the legal principle innocent until proved guilty," Abdul Sattar told today's session.

Parliamentarian Abdul Khaliq Zangana, from the Kurdistan alliance, stressed during Tuesday's session on taking active moves by the government as to help the Iraqi displaced and refugees in and outside the country as they exceeded four million.

"The cabinet decided in July to support the displaced inside Iraq with an amount of 150,000 dinars ($120) but now that two months have passed and the government has not implemented its decision," Zangana told the session.

As for the Iraqi refugees abroad, the Kurdish legislator said "we have now 200,000 Iraqi pupils in Syria and 50,000 more in Jordan unable to join schools though the parliamentary committee on the displaced and refugees demanded allocating 3-5 percent from the national oil revenues to cover the needs of this large portion of the Iraqi people."

Meanwhile, the independent lawmaker Mahdi al-Hafez demanded the House to issue a statement demanding the government to clarify the latest political and security developments particularly the security operations in Karbala and Sinjar.

Two weeks ago, clashes erupted between gunmen and security forces in the Shiite sacred city of Karbala during an observance of a Shiite occasion. The followers of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr accused the forces of being infiltrated by a rival faction that planned the incidents to attack the Sadr movement key leaders and followers while the Iraqi government ordered a committee to investigate the incidents and to bring the perpetuators to justice.

Legislator Ahmed al-Saadawi, from the Sadrist bloc, demanded, in Tuesday's session, a no-confidence vote against Maliki for what al-Saadawi described as "being unable to protect the political process and the people of Iraq."

Al-Saadawi also accused the forces in charge of protecting the Shiite pilgrims near the Shiite sacred shrines in Karbala of firing at the pilgrims who were observing the birth anniversary of the 12th Shiite Imam two weeks ago.

Legislator Maison al-Damalouji, from the secular Iraqi National List, demanded a transparent investigation into Karbala incidents accusing the government of "lacking the true security apparatus that are able to establish security in the country."

Earlier on Tuesday, a media source from the House of Representatives told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) "154 legislators attended the first session in the second legislative term on Tuesday. They were expected to discuss draft laws of oil and gas, amendments to a ban on Bathists to assume public jobs and provinces' councils."

Aswat Aliraq

Dollar demand exceeds 100 m ceiling, exchange rate down in daily auction

Baghdad, Sept 4, (VOI)- Demand for the dollar was higher in the Iraqi Central Bank’s auction on Tuesday, reaching $108.075 million compared with $52.380 million on Monday.

In its daily statement the bank said it had covered all bids, including $15.235 million in cash and $92.840 in foreign transfers, at an exchange rate of 1,237 dinars per dollar, a tick lower than yesterday.

The 17 banks that participated in Tuesday's session offered to sell $18 million, which the bank bought at an exchange rate of 1,235 dinars per dollar.

In statements to the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI), Ali al-Yasseri, a trader, said the lower exchange rate encouraged traders to make higher bids in foreign transfers bringing up the overall demand for the dollar in today's auction.
The Iraqi Central Bank runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

Sulaimani International Exhibition to be Opened Tomorrow

Sulaimani second international exhibition will be opened tomorrow Wednesday, September the 5th on 10 am local time.276 local and international companies, including 60 foreign companies from several countries such as US, UK, Austria, Turkey and the Arab countries.

“This exhibition will be run by sponsorship of his Excellency Mr. Jalal Talabani ,the Iraqi president ,and 420 prominent figures from neighboring countries figures and 22 countries will participate in the exhibition.” engineer Baban Ahmed the exhibition supervising member told PUKmedia on Tuesday ,September the 4th.

“Regarding the security aspect, firm security measures have been taken by the forces of KRG ministry of interior and all the preparations have been made. We had some problems on the Syrian border regarding the transportation f gods brought by products of the participating companies. The Iraqi federal government managed to deal with these problems”, Yassin Rahim, administrative committee member of Sulaimani Chamber of Commerce told PUKmedia on Tuesday.

PUKmedia :: English - Sulaimani International Exhibition to be Opened Tomorrow

Kurdistan Region Parliament Opens its Second Round of the Third Year

Kurdistan Region Parliament headed by Mr. Adnan Mufti, speaker of Kurdistan Region Parliament, held its opening session of its second round of the third year on Tuesday, September the 4th in attendance of Mr. Massud Barzani, president of Kurdistan region and his deputy Mr. Kosrat Rasul Ali and several party and governmental officials.

Mr. Massud Barzani during a speech confirmed that President Bush said that the coming report by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will not affect the US strategy in Iraq and that the US target is success.

Concerning the quadruple agreement between the Iraqi political parties, Mr. Massud Barzani said that President Bush supported it .He also said that there are some efforts for amending the Iraqi permanent constitution and that if those efforts would be at the expense of Kurdistan region’s interests they never be accepted. Concerning the article 140 of the Iraqi permanent constitution president of Kurdistan region said that there is good progress and positive decisions have been made.

PUKmedia :: English - Kurdistan Region Parliament Opens its Second Round of the Third Year

Iraqi factions join in Northern Ireland-inspired peace talks

London - Leading figures involved in peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and South Africa have held talks with representatives from Iraq's warring Sunni and Shiite Arab factions aimed at promoting peace and stability in the country, reports in Britain said Tuesday.

The four-day talks took place at a secret location in Finland and resulted in an agreement of the participants to consider a series of principles on non-violence.

They were chaired by the deputy leader of Northern Ireland's regional government, Martin McGuinness of the Irish Republican party Sinn Fein, and former South African government minister Roelf Meyer, the BBC reported.

The seminar was attended by about 30 representatives of Iraq's warring Shiite and Sunni Arab factions, according to the reports.

The faction leaders had agreed to consult further on a series of recommendations, labelled the Helsinki agreement.

The 12 points contained clear echoes of the principles of non-violence and democracy proposed by former US Senator George Mitchell, which paved the way for the 1998 Good Friday Agreement peace agreement in Northern Ireland.

In addition to pledging to resolve political differences peacefully, the agreement commits the Iraqi parties to consider the creation of a disarmament commission, and the formation of a group to deal with the legacy of Iraq's past.

They also seek an end to international and regional interference in Iraq's affairs.

The seminar, chaired by McGuinness, was organized by the Crisis Management Initiative, an organisation headed by the former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who served as an independent inspector of arms dumps of the now inactive Irish Republican Army (IRA) in Northern Ireland.

Iraqi factions join in Northern Ireland-inspired peace talks - Middle East

Sweden to consider stationing diplomats in Iraq

Stockholm - A weekend visit to Iraq has convinced Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt of the need to upgrade Sweden's diplomatic presence in the conflict-ridden country.

Bildt met with Iraqi officials in Baghdad over the weekend along with Migration and Asylum Policy Minister Tobias Billstrom, and discussed the stream of refugees from Iraq.

'Iraq is close. More than half of the Iraqis that flee to Europe come to Sweden,' Bildt said in an article in Tuesday's edition of Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter.

This year, Sweden expects some 20,000 Iraqi asylum seekers, more than double the number compared to last year and has called for more joint European Union action on the matter.

Bildt said his message during his meetings with Iraqi officials including Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was 'clear: It is high time for a genuine national dialogue that results in a genuine national compromise about the country's future.'

Bildt said this also needed support from 'a regional dialogue' to ensure stability in Iraq, and that both the United Nations and the European Union 'can play a bigger role.'

He and Billstrom had received many questions about Swedish refugee policy and 'raised means to aid people who want to return - not the least to rebuild the Kurdish regions in the north - to the need of an agreement to assist those who cannot be accepted within the framework of our basically generous refugee policy.'

'In that connection, it was natural to discuss the possibility of strengthening the Swedish diplomatic presence in Iraq,' Bildt said.
For security reasons, the Swedish ambassador to Baghdad is based in neighbouring Jordan.

Sweden to consider stationing diplomats in Iraq - Middle East

Groups report progress in "secret" Iraq peace talks (Roundup)

London - Participants in secret peace talks between warring Sunni and Shiite Arab factions in Iraq Tuesday reported that major progress had been made towards setting out a 'roadmap for peace' for the war-torn country.

Martin McGuinness, the Sinn Fein politician and deputy leader of the regional government of Northern Ireland, said Tuesday that 'huge strides' towards peace had been made during four days of talks at a secret location in Finland.

Participants had committed themselves to a 12-point plan outlining principles of non-violence and democracy, and dubbed the Helsinki Agreement.

The Guardian newspaper described the plan as a 'roadmap for peace.'
McGuinness, who co-chaired the seminar together with reformist former South African government minister Roelf Meyer, described the talks Tuesday as a 'major stepping stone towards a resolution of conflict in the troubled region.'

'There is no doubt whatsoever that the message from these talks is that we need to do things differently, we need to come together, we need to recognize that, whatever our differences, the only way forward is to unite,' said McGuinness.

He described the participants from Iraq as 'power-brokers and people with enormous influence in that country.'

'We await with interest what will happen from here on in,' added McGuinness during a briefing of reporters in Belfast.

The seminar was organized by reconciliation group Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), which is headed by former President Martti Ahtisaari.
It was attended by about 30 representatives of Iraq's warring Shiite and Sunni Arab factions, according to the reports.

The 12 points contained clear echoes of the principles of non- violence and democracy proposed by former US Senator George Mitchell, which paved the way for the 1998 Good Friday Agreement peace agreement in Northern Ireland.

In addition to pledging to resolve political differences peacefully, the agreement commits the Iraqi parties to consider the creation of a disarmament commission, and the formation of a group to deal with the legacy of Iraq's past.

They also seek an end to international and regional interference in Iraq's affairs.

Among the groups reportedly represented at the talks were representatives of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the largest Sunni Arab political group, Adnan al-Dulaimi, and Human Hammoudi, the Shia chairman of the Iraqi parliament's foreign affairs committee, the Guardian reported.

Other participants from Northern Ireland included Protestant politician Jeffrey Donaldson and former Protestant extremist leader Billy Hutchinson.

South Africa was represented by Meyer and Mac Maharaj, a member of the first unity government of Nelson Mandela and former African National Congress (ANC) activist.

Participants agreed to 'deal with militias' by arming and training security forces to become an 'effective national force,' while also fostering economic development.

Members of armed groups that 'are classified as terrorists' would be encouraged to adopt 'peaceful political means' and given jobs within the state administration.

McGuinness said that while the political situations in South Africa, Ireland and Iraq were 'quite different,' there were key lessons to be learnt.

'The important lesson to learn is that if people are serious about bringing about peace in their country, that can only be done through an inclusive negotiating process,' he said.

Groups report progress in "secret" Iraq peace talks (Roundup) - Middle East_

Commentary: Why Bush went to Baghdad
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR


-- Taking advantage of the Labor Day lull in presidential appointments, President George W. Bush flew to Iraq for the third time since US and British forces invaded and occupied the country in March 2003.

As with past visits, this one, too, was arranged in the utmost secrecy. News of the president's arrival in Iraq was made public only after Bush was already in the country.

It had been obvious from the tone of the American president's first visit to Iraq, when, clad in a fighter pilot's suit, he landed triumphantly aboard an aircraft carrier, declaring the "end of major combat operations," that he never imagined there would be a need for follow-up visits to the country his army had just invaded.

Nontheless, four years later, the situation in Iraq has yet to improve. Political stagnation on the part of the Iraqi government, and their failure to meet benchmarks laid out by the Bush administration amid ever-escalating violence, created the need for another visit to the country by the US president, so as to personally relay the sense of urgency to Baghdad's leadership.

The message to them was simple: time was not on their side.

With pressure mounting in the United States for US troops to begin pulling back from Iraq, a visit by George W. Bush to Iraq, and his subsequent meeting with Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki, would carry more weight.

Preempting criticism, the White House was quick to defend the presidential visit, saying it was not another photo opportunity, as some people might try to describe the trip. "We wholeheartedly disagree," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino.

But as with his first visit to the aircraft carrier in 2003, Monday's Labor Day visit also carried an important symbolic message. Indeed, it was no coincidence Bush chose to visit Anbar Province, once a bastion of Saddam Hussein's power, a province composed of close to 95 percent of Sunni Muslims and, until recently, one of the most dangerous places in Iraq. In electing to visit Anbar Province, and picking that particular location as the site for his meeting with the Iraqi prime minister, President Bush sent a double message to the Iraqis.

The first message was to the prime minister, himself. By making Maliki, a Shiite Muslim, travel to a heavily-Sunni-populated area, Bush wanted to impress the point that Sunnis and Shiites are destined to live together, and should, therefore, work together.

The second message was addressed to both the Sunni tribes of Anbar Province and to the fighters of Al Qaeda.

To the Sunni tribesmen who have, in recent months, turned on Al Qaeda fighters in their area, choosing to side with the government and with the US forces, President Bush's visit to the region was intended to be seen as a sign of support and a morale booster. To the Islamists of Al Qaeda, the US leader's visit to an area they had, just a few months ago, almost fully controlled, was a way of reminding them that there would be no safe haven in Iraq for them. Here, it is worth noting that, in the weeks and months after the invasion of Iraq, Anbar Province had become the most unfriendly place for US forces serving in that country.

But while Monday's visit may not have been planned as a photo opportunity by the White House, nevertheless, the mere fact that the American president was seen walking around a US military compound in the once-turbulent province is bound to help raise morale among US forces in Iraq, as well as to show the public back home that there has been some improvement on the security front.

It is also worth pointing out that the president's visit comes just a couple of weeks before Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding general of US forces in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the American ambassador to Baghdad are to deliver a report before Congress on the state of Iraq affairs.

Another reason for the president choosing Anbar Province for his visit can be traced to the findings of the most recent National Intelligence Estimate - a combined report from all 16 US intelligence services - which found that, unless the Iraqi prime minister did more to support the country's Sunnis and include tribal leaders in his coalition, a growing Sunni influence could pose a serious threat to an already-shaky government. An administration, which, according to the National Intelligence Estimate, could find itself on even thinner ice within the next 12 months.

But if the violence has lessened in Baghdad and in Anbar, it has escalated in other parts of the country. What this indicates is that instead of standing and fighting US forces, the rebels - be they Al Qaeda fighters or Iraqi insurgents - are choosing to displace the battleground to a location of their choice, and one with fewer US troops on the ground.

Ultimately, what this means is that while the surge may be working, it is working only so long as a large number of US forces remain on the ground. And how long can this last?

Claude Salhani is Editor of the Middle East Times.

Commentary: Why Bush went to Baghdad - Commentary - Middle East Times