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

Banking services at Basra International Airport

The Iraqi Central Bank started offering banking services to businessman and passengers at Basra International Airport following the inauguration of a branch of al-Rafideen Bank at the airport, a branch director said on Tuesday.

"On Monday, an al-Rafideen branch started offering its banking services to traders, businessmen and passengers after it had opened a branch at Basra International Airport," Zuheir Ali Akbar told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI) by phone.

The branch will offer all banking services to customers in a bid to boost trade activities in the city of Basra, he added.

The airport lacked access to banking services for over four years because of the security conditions, the director explained.

The Shiite province of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Aswat Aliraq

ISX session canceled because of Shiite pilgrimage

The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) canceled its session on Tuesday because of the Shiite Arbaeen pilgrimage scheduled for this Thursday, according to a statement released by the stock market.

"Thursday's session on February 28 will be held as scheduled," read the statement that was received by Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).

The Arbaeen is a religious occasion marking the 40th day after the death of Imam al-Hussein, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson and the third holiest figure for Shiite Muslims, in the battle of Taf in Karbala in the Hijri year 61 (680 in the Gregorian calendar).

Scores of people from all over Iraq have started the long trek on foot for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, to take place on Thursday. Tight security measures have been in force in preparation for the occasion.

Karbala, said to be housing the tombs of Imam al-Hussein and his brother Imam al-Abbas, lies 130 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The Iraqi Stock Exchange holds three sessions a week: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraq's oil exports hit 59.6 million barrels in Jan.

Iraq's exports of crude oil reached 59.6 million barrels in January 2008, the State Oil Marketing Company said.

"The Oil Marketing Company exported 59.6 million barrels last month, with an average of 2 million barrels per day (bpd), achieving total revenues of $4.813 million," read a company statement received by Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).

Basra port's portion of the exported amount was 48 million barrels, with an average of 1.6 million bpd; while Kirkuk oilfields' share was 11 million barrels, 366,000 bpd, the statement explained.

A media spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil told VOI on Saturday that Iraq's oil exports total over 1.950 million bpd, including 1.600 million via the southern Basra port and 350,000 via the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

Mostly, Iraqi oil exports from northern oilfields are interrupted as armed groups repeatedly target the pipelines carrying oil from Kirkuk to Ceyhan port in Turkey. The larger quantities of crude are usually exported through ports in the safe city of Basra in southern Iraq.

Aswat Aliraq

Slight drop in demand for dollar in daily auction

Demand for the dollar slightly dropped in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Tuesday, registering at $62.610 million compared to $70.510 million on Monday.

"The demand hit $610 thousand in cash and $62 million in money transfers outside the country, all covered by the bank at a rate of 1,210 Iraqi dinars per dollar, stable for the 15th session in a row," according to the central bank's daily bulletin and received by Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).

The nine banks that participated in the auction offered to sell $850,000, which the bank bought at an exchange rate of 1,208 Iraqi dinars per dollar.

Speaking to VOI, Ali al-Yasseri, a trader, said that foreign transfers still high for the second session running, unlike the starting session this week which witnessed a sharp decline in foreign transfers."

The Iraqi Central Bank runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

U.S.-Iraqi dialogue forum starts Wednesday

The U.S.-Iraqi dialogue forum on economic cooperation will begin tomorrow noon in Baghdad's downtown al-Rasheed hotel with the participation of the Iraqi deputy prime minister and the U.S. envoy to Iraq, an Iraqi presidential source said on Tuesday.

"Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh will head the Iraqi delegation in the two-day dialogue forum," the source, who requested anonymity, told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).

"The Iraqi delegation will also include Minister of Finance Baqer al-Zubeidi, Minister of Electricity Kareem Wahid, Minister of Trade Abdul Fallah al-Soudani, Minister of Industry and Minerals Fawzi Hariri, Minister of Reconstruction and Housing Bayan Dazei, Minister of Oil Hussein al-Shahrestani, Minister of Planning Ali Baban, Minister of Agriculture Ali al-Bahadeli, Minister of Water Resources Abdul Lateef Jamal Rasheed, Governor of the Iraqi Central Bank, and National Security Advisor Muwaffaq al-Rubaie," the source indicated.

Meanwhile, a statement released by the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said on Tuesday that Saleh and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, will give the opening speeches during the forum.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraqi issue in Cairo international conference

A three-day solidarity conference was opened in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the impact of global issues on Iraq and other conflict-ridden countries.

"The conference celebrated the 50th anniversary of Asian and African Solidarity Organization, discussing issues of globalization, militarialized globalization, and the new global powers rising to face the U.S.", Nouri Abdul Razak, the secretary general of the organization, told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).

Warning of the consequences of the Iraqi conflict, Abdul Razak, an Iraqi living in Cairo, shed light on "the crisis of the Iraqi political process and the embattled Iraqi refugees inside and outside of the country."

“The United Nations is well aware of the disasters Iraq is undergoing and the havoc it is wreaking on millions of Iraqis," he pointed out. "The disasters threaten the existence of the state, after turning into ethnic and sectarian cantons, and triggering the alarm for the entire Middle East".

The conference will run for three days and focus on studying the new political order, globalization issues, environment, and women’s affairs. A number of countries from all over the world participated, in addition to Iraqi figures such as, Fakhri Kareem, the chief of Peace and Solidarity.

The Asian and African Solidarity Organization is an international NGO based in Cairo and founded in 1958. It aims at supporting the liberation issues and promoting the culture of human rights, environment, and women’s issues.

Aswat Aliraq

Kurdistan Parliament demands regional, Federal Government close Turkish bases

Regional Kurdistan parliament in an exceptional session on Tuesday called to close all Turkish bases within Iraqi territories.

"We call on regional Kurdistan government to close all Turkish bases set up in the region and we demand that the Turkish government leave the bases they established during the exceptional circumstances the region underwent prior to the collapse of the former regime (of Saddam Hussein)," Kamal Karkukli, the deputy parliament speaker, read from a statement following a parliamentary debate that lasted over two hours.

The Kurdish parliament denounced the Turkish operations inside Iraq’s Kurdistan region to crack down on Kurdistan's Workers Party (PKK), demanding the U.S. government protect Iraqi airspace and preserve its sovereignty.

Kurdistan's parliament called on the Iraqi government to "Show a clear stance toward the Turkish invasion of the Kurdistan region and the destruction of the infrastructure and serious damage inflicted on local residents."

The parliament stressed the importance of "reviewing all Kurdistan-linked agreements signed with the Turkish government."

Accusing the Turkish Kurdistan's Workers Party (PKK) of conducting armed attacks inside Turkish territories, Turkish troops have launched a large-scale military campaign across Iraqi borders since Thursday to crack down on PKK fighters ensconced in the mountainous area.

The PKK are fighting for autonomy in the predominantly Kurdish south-eastern Turkey and have carried out attacks on Turkish targets from bases in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. The conflict started in 1984 and has claimed as many as 40,000 lives.

Aswat Aliraq

Ministerial portfolios under debate in Iraq

Despite parliamentarian blocs’ approval on the new government’s formation, the situation on the ground is different after new rows came up between Iraq political parties on ministerial portfolios mainly key ministries. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani conveyed Kurds’ willingness to cede the post of President in return of Finances or Defense portfolios. In a televised interview with Al Iraqiya, Talabani added that the executive council has appointed Al Maliki to form a new government with a less number of ministers.

When asked about the existing government and main posts held by Kurds as well as their future aspirations, Talabani affirmed that Kurds want Al Maliki’s government to succeed as they have overlooked many demands. Iraqi President confirmed his willingness to cede the post of presidency to other parties in return of Finances or Defense portfolios.

Few weeks earlier, Al Maliki’s proposal to announce a new government regardless of political apportionment including 22 ministries was subject to debate. Prime Minister’s political advisor Sadeq Al Rukabi said that Al Maliki hasn’t received any response to his proposal letter of forming a new government, affirming his intention to fill in ministerial gaps. Arab Bloc for National Dialogue MP Haydar Al Mulla noted that circumstances are not appropriate to form a government upon comp****cy and professionalism, saying that the political process will continue on the basis of apportionment and sectarianism, while adding that Al Maliki does not have the will to contain non-participating powers in the government.

Meanwhile, Al Maliki headed to London for routine medical tests, his private advisor Yassin Majid said.

Ministerial portfolios under debate in Iraq | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iraq allocates $ 14 million for investment projects

Iraqi Government decided to allocate 14 billion dollars of the existing state budget for investment projects in addition to remaining amounts of last year’s budget and of aids from donor countries to Iraq. Cabinet spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh said that different sectors are entitled to raise contracts concluded with companies from 5 million dollars to 50 million dollars in order to cancel past routines. However, if the contract is estimated at more than 50 million dollars, the economic committee is therefore entitled to cancel them.

Iraq allocates $ 14 million for investment projects | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Joint Iranian-Iraqi cooperation agreement to reconstruct infrastructure in Baghdad

Head of Baghdad Secretariat Council signed with Tehran’s mayor a joint cooperation agreement to reconstruct infrastructure in Iraqi capital and work jointly in the economic sector. Baghdad Secretary Saber Al Issawi stated during a news conference in the presence of Iranian Ambassador Kazemi Qommi and Tehran’s mayor Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf that bilateral relations have resulted today of a real understanding memorandum with Tehran. Through this memorandum, both countries can exchange expertise and execute service and infrastructure projects. He added that Iran and Iraq agreed to establish a common executive company between Baghdad and Tehran in order to implement joint projects.

Joint Iranian-Iraqi cooperation agreement to reconstruct infrastructure in Baghdad | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network