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

Turkish President: Turkish Forces’ Pullout “ Scheduled”

The Turkish President Abdulla Gul said that the Turkish forces withdrew from the Kurdistan region of Iraq according to a scheduled timetable.
While he denied the allegations claiming that the Turkish forces ceased attacks against PKK under the US pressure.

On Friday the Turkish forces decided to end the seven-day-long offensive against PKK. The decision came after the US Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ visit to Turkey, calling for a swift end to the offensive.

As Gul told the reporters yesterday before flying to Romania for a visit that he is aware of the military plans to end the offensive.

PUKmedia :: English - Turkish President: Turkish Forces’ Pullout “ Scheduled”

Oil minister heads for Vienna Tuesday to attend OPEC meeting

Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani is leaving for the Austrian capital Vienna on Tuesday to attend Wednesday's meetings of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to set production policies, a ministry spokesman said.

"Dr. Shahrestani will be accompanied by Dr. Falah al-Aamiri, the chairman of Iraq's State Oil Market Organization (SOMO). The minister will hold meetings on the sidelines of OPEC meetings with his counterparts to probe means to help Iraq re-build its oil infrastructure," Aasem Jihad told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

"Iraq seeks to have OPEC retain the stability of its oil production because there is nothing justifying more oil pumping for a market that has sufficient supplies," Jihad said.

Iraq's crude oil exports via SOMO hit 1.634.125 barrels per day (bpd), he added.

A press release by the Iraqi oil ministry noted that the South Oil Company's export quota hit 556.605.655 bpd while Kirkuk's quota hit 39.849.791 bpd.

Aswat Aliraq

Shiite leader says Iran could play positive role in new Iraq

Iran could play a "positive" role in new Iraq, said the leader of the Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, hoping Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit would help remove "the woes of the past."

"The Iranian Islamic Republic could certainly play a great role in an Iraq of institutions and law," Hakim said during a joint press conference held in Baghdad with visiting Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

"All the woes of the past that acted as a stumbling block between two Muslim neighbors that have more than 1400 km of joint borders should be removed by President Ahmadinejad's visit," hoped Hakim, who also leads the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC), the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament with 83 out of a total 275 seats.

Ahmadinejad arrived in Baghdad on Sunday morning on a two-day landmark state visit, the first ever by an Iranian president to Iraq since the outbreak of the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

Ahmadinejad said during the news conference that the U.S. accusations that his country was backing armed groups inside Iraq "would not solve the Americans' problems."

"It would be better for the United States to change its views regarding its accusations against others on issues pertaining to terrorism," the Iranian leader said.

"I carry on my visit to Iraq a message of friendliness from the Spiritual Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei to the Iraqi people," Ahmadinejad said.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had received Ahmadinejad on Sunday and discussed with him in two separate meetings bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.

Aswat Aliraq

Al-Maliki calls governor to accelerate provincial projects

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Monday called on all province governors to complete their provincial projects to allocate money for the state's complementary budget to come into action by the middle of the year.

Al-Maliki said at the opening session of the national conference for strategy of developing provinces, "The money allocated for provinces increased by 90% for each one in the fiscal budget for the calendar year of 2008" read the PM office's statement received by Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).

The premier noted, "The central government would work on bringing international experience to help provinces with planning and reconstruction, especially following the security improvements."

Al-Maliki called the governors to "speed up the completion of projects in order to allocate extra money through the complementary budget starting in the mid of this year."

The conference aims at drawing a development strategy concentrating on advantages and the obstacles facing provinces in the coming five years. It would also help the international donors to understand the issues that people are most concerned about.

Aswat Aliraq

Update........

7 MoUs signed to boost economic relations with Iraq – Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that he signed seven memorandum of understandings with Iraq to foster economic relations between the two countries, including a one-billion loan.

Speaking at a press conference held in the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, the president said "the signing of the MoUs is considered a huge step toward developing ties between the two neighboring countries."

"There is an understanding of providing Iraq with a one-billion loan to implement some projects," he added.

The Iranian president arrived in Baghdad on Sunday morning on a two-day official visit, the first of its kind for an Iranian president since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

He held meetings with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

He is accompanied by an economic and commercial delegation.
Regarding the Iraqi prisoners file, Ahmadinejad said "there is a number of missing on both Iraqi and Iranian sides and we are cooperating to find them."

He slammed the U.S. administration and its policies in the region, noting that the United States has to pull out of Iraq, saying its presence there had brought only destruction and division.

"We believe the power that came over the seas ... These powers should leave this region and hand over the affairs to the people and governments in the region," he said.

"Foreign states should not interfere in the affairs of states. Peoples and governments of these states are capable of running their own affairs without the presence of foreigners," Ahmadinejad said.

"People have seen nothing from the foreign presence in this region other than more destruction and division."

He called on all countries in the region to help Iraq, asserting that Tehran will do its utmost for the good of the Iraqi people.

Aswat Aliraq

Iranian president wraps up visit to Iraq

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Iraq on Monday, wrapping up his historic visit, during which he held talks with Iraqi officials and signed memorandum of understandings to boost economic relations, the state-run al-Iraqia satellite channel said.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, as well as Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari and a number of officials, saw Ahmadinejad off at the airport.

The Iranian president arrived in Baghdad on Sunday morning on a two-day official visit, the first of its kind for an Iranian president since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

He held meetings with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Aswat Aliraq

Will Iraq-Iran talks include Algiers Accord?

Will Algiers Accord be absent during Iraqi-Iranian talks? If Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Al Husseini’s statements that the Accord is not included in talks were to be exact, where should such disputed key matters between Iraqi and Iranian sides be discussed? Does putting aside debated issues of a great importance to Iraq mean that there are no border, water or oil problems that require discussion in the summit meeting between Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad?

Amidst preparations to Iranian President’s visit to Iraq, it was remarkable from Al Husseini to note in a news conference in Tehran that Algiers Accord is not put on the table. He explained that Iran had earlier constructive talks with visiting Iraqi officials on 1975 agreement over border conflicts and other water pending issues. When asked if Iran President’s visit to Iraq will tackle the treaty, Al Husseini affirmed that related talks will not be held.

However, Iran’s overlooking to the border conflict highlighted Iraq’s insistence to deal with this issue. When received at the airport, Ahmedinejad was asked whether Algiers Accord will be discussed during his visit, but declined to answer. Meanwhile, Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi announced on Saturday that Iraq wants to seize Ahmedinejad’s visit to Iraq in order to resolve ongoing conflicts among which common border demarcation.

It is to be mentioned that Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has reopened the border issue in December 2007 when he announced that the existing government has cancelled Algiers Accord. However, President Talabani retracted his statements later on though stressing the necessity of introducing amendments therein through negotiations.

Following talks in February 2007 between Iranian and Iraqi officials, Iranian media reported without details that both countries have agreed to reactivate some technical mechanisms of the agreement only.

Rows over borders and control over Shatt Al Arab waterway were one the factors that led to Iraqi-Iranian war that had lasted eight years killing about 1 million people.

Will Iraq-Iran talks include Algiers Accord? | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iran President visit to Iraq rises questions

Will the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad make any breakthrough on the security and political levels? What is the effect of the first visit by an Iranian President to Iraq since the Iranian revolution 29 years ago? While several questions are put on the table, this landmark visit that has been received with an official welcome and a disparity in opinion among Iraqis, shows Iran’s role as a major regional player in Iraq.

At his arrival, Iranian President confirmed the good relationship between Iraq and Iran while US President Georges W Bush called Tehran to stop sending weapons to Iraq and halt support to extremist groups. It is remarkable that intense security measures were taken ahead of Iranian President’s visit by Iraqi Forces without the participation of the US military. It is to be noted that pending issues such as border demarcation and oil fields will not be discussed during Iranian President’s visit to Iraq. President Ahmedinejad started his visit with a round of talks with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. Following his meeting with Talabani, Ahmedinejad met Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki with whom he held a news conference.

Moreover, Iranian President met as well Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al Hakim with whom he held a joint press conference during which he evoked Turkish incursion into Iraq calling on Iraqi and Turkish governments to coordinate with the Iranian government in order to fight Kurdish rebels. Ahmedinejad affirmed that terrorists harm all parties and should be fought while he stressed the necessity of preserving Iraq’s national sovereignty and not allow few individuals to sap people’s relations.

Iran President visit to Iraq rises questions | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iran offers $1 billion loan for construction projects in Iraq

Iran has allocated $1 billion in loans for infrastructure projects in Iraq, a senior Iranian official said ahead of a historic visit to Iraq by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The loans will be earmarked to reconstruction projects conducted by Iranian companies, Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Reza Sheikh Attar has said.

"Iran's $1 billion loan to Iraq was among the main issues discussed with the Iraqi side" Attar said as he ended a visit to Baghdad as part of a high-ranking delegation paving the way for Ahmadinejad's visit to Iraq.

"The loan will be allocated to infrastructural projects carried out by Iranian contractors using Iranian goods and equipment" said Attar.

The Iranian president also plans to inaugurate two power lines during his trip, Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Ahmadian said.

He said one 400-megawatt electricity transmission line would run from the Iranian port city of Abadan to the Iraqi town of Alharasa, and another from Iran's Marivan to Panjwin in Iraq.

A third electricity line supplying power to Khaneqin in eastern Iraq is already operational, Ahmadian said. Tehran has also signed a $150 million contract to build a 300-megawatt power plant in Baghdad, he said.

Some 10 other economic cooperation agreements will be signed between Iran and Iraq during Ahmadinejad's visit along with the $ 1 billion loan, which was first announced by Iranian officials last May.

"The political aim of the president's visit is to materialize the idea of establishing durable peace borders between Iran and Iraq" IRNA quoted Attar of the foreign ministry as saying.

Iraq Development Program - Iran offers $1 billion loan for construction projects in Iraq

President: we aimed to dislodge Mojahedin Khalgh from Iraq

President Jalal Talabani, with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a press conference in Baghdad today, Sunday, after a meeting between the two sides. President Talabani said at the beginning of the conference: that the visit of Iranian President to Iraq is good evidence that Iraq and Iran in the best relations, and this visit brought to the days of the common struggle against dictatorship.

"Talabani added" we carry President greetings to the commander of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and all the other brothers who have helped the Iraqi people in the days of hardship and adversity, on the Iraqis displaced and deprived of all human rights in this day and age.

In speech Iranian President pointed to the historical and brotherly relations between the Iraqi and Iranian peoples. He said: that the Iranian and Iraqi peoples were always together, and my brother is the invitation of the Mam Jalal and they emphasize the new fraternal relations between the two countries.

In conclusion, he thanked President Nejad, His Excellency President Talabani and the Iraqi government on the good and generous hospitality, expressing his hope that the outcome of the visit opened a new page of relations between the two countries.

His part, President Talabani said "We discussed with the Iranian President all matters of common interest." And the presence of Organization MKO in the occupied Iraqi President Talabani said that "the existence of this terrorist organization is prohibited according to the Iraqi constitution and we will seek to drive them out."

President Jalal Talabani, in the Presidential Palace Met today, Sunday, with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who arrived and his accompanying delegation on an official two-day visit to Baghdad, by invitation from President Talabani.

After the two presidents directed to the podium of honour the NATIONAL anthems of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Iraq has had been playing by the military brigade music. Then place a guard of honor ceremony inspections. The ceremony was attended reception Vice President Dr. Adel Abdamahdi and Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Barham Ahmed Salih, a number of ministers and Iraqi officials. Accompanied President Nejad to visit a high-level Iranian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. MNA, Associate President of the Republic Mchaie Rahim and Minister for Energy Eng Pervez Fattah and Economy Minister Danesh Jafari, financial secretary and the economic development of Iranian - Iraqi Hassan Al Datapi and Senior Adviser to the President Hashemi Engineer fruit and a number of officials.

Iraqi Media Net