Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 01/01/08 - 14/04/08

General Directorate for Industrial development grants 275 founding licenses

General Directorate for Industrial development granted, last month, 275 founding licenses for a number of industrial projects in the country enjoying an investment value of 24.5 billion dinars.

A source in Industry and Minerals Ministry said that these projects were distributed on the different industrial sectors. He also added that the majority of the licenses were given to constructive industries sector while mineral industries came in the second rank.

General Directorate for Industrial development grants 275 founding licenses | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iraq forms committee for shared oilfields issues

The Iraqi Cabinet announced that it will form a government committee to negotiate with neighboring countries over shared oil fields, a move that comes after Iraq accused Iran of stealing its oil from areas along their border, AP reported.

The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office issued a statement saying that the Cabinet had agreed to form a committee to be headed by a foreign affairs deputy, with representation from the Oil and Interior ministries.

Earlier this month, the Oil Ministry accused Iran of stealing oil from a shared field under their common border and of illegally seizing and capping off wells in a second field that Iraq claims lies entirely within its territory.

After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, Iran seized six wells in Abu Gharb, claiming they were on disputed territory and should be sealed until the border dispute was settled.

MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network News: Iraq forms committee for shared oilfields issues

Good news!

Trade Minister: announces completion of the files accession to the WTO !!
Trade Minister: announces completion of the files accession to the WTO

. The Ministry of Commerce announced the completion of the National Committee for Iraq's accession to the World Trade Organization all files relating to the requirements of the International Organization for the participation of Iraq. 8 . The Trade Minister Dr. Abdullah Hassan Sudanese farmers that the Commission had prepared files agriculture, intellectual property, sanitary and phytosanitary and technical barriers to trade, and prepare answers to the questions of Iraq and sent by the Member States in the organization, pointing to the establishment of all files and sent to the organization and within the fifth session held by the National Commission on the accession of Iraq to the World Trade Organization in January January 2008.
. The minister said the success of the National Committee to speed responses, which became the subject of the organization's gratitude for the completion of these files in a standard, and they are now circulated to the Member States, asserting that the administration began symposia tariff on Iraq and the importance of the accession of Mathakgah positive returns serve the Iraqi economy and make it more accessions on the economies of the world and unite with Maithakk activity in the world of progress and development is enormous, where started the first seminars in Dhi Qar collaboration with the Federation of Chambers of Commerce.
. He added to the importance of the international organization in multilateral conventions and regional economic blocs, as well as the customs tariff ceilings and individual property rights, health, environment and the concepts of support and anti-dumping, as the importance of reconsideration of all legislation currently in force through legislation plan submitted by all ministries, while maintaining the Higher interest of Iraq.

بغداد Baghdad
25-2-2008
http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl...eadmore%3D4962

Iraqi oil stored in Turkey up to 2.8 million barrels

A navigational source said on Tuesday that Iraqi oil from Kirkuk crude stored in tanks in Turkey reached 2.8 million barrels and pumping still continues in the northern pipeline at 480 thousand barrels per day.

Iraq resumed pumping oil through the northern pipeline two weeks ago and pumped steadily since then to the Turkish port of Ceyhan at the rate of about 480 thousand barrels per day. Pumping through this pipeline suffered from stoppages most of the time since the US-led invasion on Iraq in 2003 because of the acts of sabotage and technical problems but the flow of oil in the pipeline has improved since August.

The source said that Iraq is pumping 600 thousand barrels to the Turkish company Toyrash for oil refinery in the beginning of the week via a pipeline from Ceyhan to Karikali refinery which has a capacity amounting to 113 thousand barrels per day.

Iraq mostly depends on oil exports of the southern port of Basrah where the country exports more than 1.5 million barrels daily.

Iraqi oil stored in Turkey up to 2.8 million barrels | Iraq Updates

Iraq 'set for oil price windfall'
Increasing oil production and higher oil prices mean more Iraq reconstruction.

Increasing oil production and higher oil prices mean Iraq could be set for an influx of extra money towards reconstruction, a report has said.
Iraq could get an extra $15bn (£7.5bn) from its oil in 2008, special inspector general Stuart W Bowen Jnr said.

But the report said greater efforts were needed to establish how the money would be used, and to fight the corruption which eats into oil revenue.

Oil revenue makes up about 84% of Iraq's national revenue.
Iraq's oil production averaged 2.38 million barrels a day in the last three months of 2007, the report said, the highest level since the US-led invasion in 2003, but below pre-war levels.

Along with record oil prices, which hit $100 a barrel earlier this month, this had created "the opportunity for significant economic investment", Mr Bowen said.

"The possible rise in Iraq's revenue emphasises the need for the government of Iraq to pursue its fight against corruption with renewed vigour," the report added.

Violence continues

Mr Bowen has previously labelled offences such as theft, bribery, oil smuggling and fraud as a "second insurgency", threatening Iraq's development.

Violence also remained a "deadly threat" to the reconstruction the report said, with attacks on infrastructure in many industries - including oil - a regular problem.

"Despite the palpably improved security climate, violence continues to impede the efforts of agencies working on Iraq's relief and reconstruction," it said.

Of the $113.95bn spent on Iraq's reconstruction to the end of December, $47.5bn came from the US, $50.6bn came from Iraq itself and the remainder was from the international community.

Iraq 'set for oil price windfall' | Iraq Updates

The Dynamics Behind the Ground Operation

There is no doubt that Ankara has Washington's full support for its current ground operations in northern Iraq. The reason is simple: The US has decided to contain Iran and this requires not "losing" Turkey.

In that sense, it is important to note that Washington's Turkey policy has started to change since Robert Gates assumed his position as the head of the Pentagon. Unlike Donald Rumsfeld, who had an ideological view of the dynamics in the Middle East, Gates is a realist oriented toward a "balance of power." His priority immediately became to contain Iran. This required re-launching the semblance of an Arab-Israeli peace process and beefing up the Sunni moderate coalition with substantial arms sales. It also required getting Turkey right.

Although Ankara has full American support, this will certainly not be enough to "solve" the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) problem. The internal dynamics in Turkey are very complicated.

The PKK always wanted a Turkish intervention in northern Iraq that would go beyond just air strikes. The objectives of the PKK are twofold. The first and foremost goal of the PKK is to gain international legitimacy as "freedom fighters." Since most of the international press refers to them as "rebels" or "guerillas," this is a propaganda campaign they seem to be getting better at. Gaining legitimacy is crucial for the PKK. Once it achieves such global status, the PKK believes it will have much stronger bargaining power with Iraqi Kurds. But perhaps more importantly, the PKK desperately wants to become the representative voice of the Kurdish question in Turkey and the main interlocutor of the Turkish government. In short, it wants respect and recognition.

The second goal of the PKK in trying to secure a large-scale Turkish military intervention is to create Turkish-Kurdish polarization in the Turkish urban centers that are home to significant Kurdish populations. This is an extremely dangerous plan with the potential of fatally destabilizing Turkish politics and society for years to come. And there are already alarming signs that the process is under way. The sad reality is that Turkish nationalism fuels Kurdish nationalism. The Turkish press is already playing into the hands of such sinister plans with its inflammatory headlines against Massoud Barzani, the leader of the regional Kurdish administration in northern Iraq. Given Barzani's own reckless declarations, there is no shortage of people in Turkey who want to go beyond the PKK in their definition of the enemy in northern Iraq. This is something that greatly benefits the PKK, because a real war between Barzani and the Turkish army in northern Iraq would secure further international sympathy for the Kurdish cause. Such a war would also significantly increase Turkish-Kurdish polarization and confrontations in urban Turkey.

In short, we are going through depressingly dangerous times and a very limited operation against the PKK appears to be best option to avert further damage in the region. One can only hope that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has a plan to start the democratization process on the Kurdish front after these military steps. Ankara should co-opt rather than confront the Kurdish challenge and simultaneously pursue a constructive engagement with the broader region. With visionary leadership in Ankara and Irbil, Turkish-Kurdish economic, political and military cooperation could lead to genuine friendship. A Turkish-Kurdish confrontation is not fated. After all, Turkey is the most democratic, secular and pro-Western of Iraq's neighbors, attributes that the administration in northern Iraq also shares. Ultimately, whether Turkey can properly balance its policy will depend on democratic reforms at home. Much hinges on Turkey's chances of becoming a liberal and multicultural state that makes progress toward the EU.

PUKmedia :: English - The Dynamics Behind the Ground Operation

Turkey to Send Delegation to Baghdad

The Turkish government is expected to send a delegation to Baghdad to meet the Iraqi officials.

According to the news agencies, during the expected meeting the Turkish military offensive into Kurdistan region of Iraq is to be discussed. The expected Turkish officials’ visit to Baghdad coincides with the Iraqi government’s announcement appealing Turkey to respect the sovereignty of Iraq through withdrawing their troops in Iraqi territories.

PUKmedia :: English - Turkey to Send Delegation to Baghdad

KRG Council of Ministers to Convene Tomorrow

Tomorrow the Council of Ministers of Kurdistan region is expected to hold its regular session in which the budget of Kurdistan region is to be discussed.

After being approved by the federal government, the budget of Kurdistan region has not yet referred from the Council of Ministers to the Kurdistan National Assembly.

“Referral of Kurdistan region’s budget to the Assembly is not necessarily to be approved in tomorrow’s session,” the Secretary of Council of Ministers Muhammad Qaradakhi told PUKmedia.

The approval on the Budget is expected to be delayed as it is to be reviewed by the special committees as the Secretary added.

PUKmedia :: English - KRG Council of Ministers to Convene Tomorrow

U.S. Delegation Visits Kurdistan Region

Today in Erbil the Deputy Speaker of Kurdistan National Assembly (KNA) Kamal Kirkuki met a delegation from a U.S. institute in Washington.

During the meeting, which was attended by some of the Kurdish officials, the delegation illustrated their goal to visit Kurdistan region which is preparing a report concerning the routine conditions of the region.

Kamal Kirkuki outlined the components and duties of the Assembly to the delegation, saying that the Assembly exerts efforts to democratically address their concerns. With respect to the Baker-Hamilton report, he rejected it as the report calls for a power-centralized system to achieve democracy in Iraq. Kirkuki called on strengthening the federal regions and forming a normal central system in Baghdad as he considered it being a best solution not to let the sufferings occurred on the Kurdish people re-emerge in the future.

PUKmedia :: English - U.S. Delegation Visits Kurdistan Region

U.S. hopes Turkey to shorten incursion in Iraq

The United States reiterated on Monday its call for Turkey to shorten its military operation against PKK elements in northern Iraq.

"We hope that this is just a short-term incursion," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

The White House urged Turkey last week to limit its operations in northern Iraq to precisely target Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"We urged them to work directly also with the Iraqis, including Kurdish government officials, in determining how best to address the threat of the PKK," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

PUKmedia :: English - U.S. hopes Turkey to shorten incursion in Iraq