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

Nechirvan Barzani set to remain prime minister in Kurdish region

Kurdish leaders have agreed to keep Nechirvan Barzani as prime minister for another two years within the framework of a power sharing arrangement in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Nechirvan Barzani's term in office ended on January 1, 2008 and he was supposed to handover the prime minister's office to a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) which is led by Jalal Talabani. However, after a summit meeting between Talabani, who is the president of Iraq, and Massoud Barzani the president of the Kurdish region and the chairman of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Saturday in Dukan near Suleimania the two leaders decided to keep Nechirvan Barzani as prime minister for another term and also allow Adnan Mufti who is the regional parliament speaker from the PUK to remain in office.

According to the original arrangement Nechirvan Barzani was supposed to be replaced by a PUK member and Adnan Mufti by a KDP official.

The New Anatolian learnt that the leading candidate for the prime minister's post in Erbil was Dr. Barham Saleh who is currently the deputy prime minister of Iraq for economic affairs. The Kurdish leadership did not want to bring Dr. Saleh from Baghdad and give up an important cabinet post in the central government. The Kurds have three important portfolios in the Baghdad cabinet besides the deputy prime minister's post including the Foreign Ministry which is led by Hoshyar Zebari, the uncle of Massoud Barzani.

The PUK felt the prime minister's job in Erbil is extremely important and Nechirvan Barzani who has a full grasp of the problems should stay on during this sensitive period.

The coalition government in Erbil is primarily comprised of KDP and PUK ministers but also has members from other smaller parties, tribes and ethnic groups like the Turkmens thus making the number of portfolios mushroom to 47.Turkmen's have two seats including the ministry of industry and the state ministry in charge of Turkmen affairs.

The Kurds face major challenges in the upcoming days.

They are at odds with Baghdad over oil contracts. Baghdad was irked in the summer when the Kurds passed their own oil bill and started handing out contracts to foreign companies for oil prospecting. Baghdad opposed these moves and declared the contracts null and void.

The Kurds say they were fed up with the delays in new the oil law in Baghdad which tied their hands and legislated their own bill to allow the development of the oil resources of the relatively stable and secure northern regions of Iraq. They say the oil extracted would be sold in the name of Iraq and the revenues will go to Baghdad.

Iraqi Arabs say this move is designed to create more autonomy for the Kurds bordering on independence and undermines the unity of the country and the integrity of the central government.

Nechirvan Barzani has visited Baghdad before the New Year but despite intensive talks with the central government and the Shiite leadership has returned to Erbil empty handed.

The Kurds also want the Baghdad government to finance the peshmerga forces in northern Iraq who they say are the main defense force of the country in the region bordering Turkey, Syria and Iran.

They are also furious that the referendum for the future of Kirkuk was not held by the end of 2007 as stipulated in the Iraqi Constitution and about suggestions floating in Baghdad that now that the polls were not held Article 140 of the constitution on Kirkuk is null. The Arabs say the Kurds forced them into agreeing to the rerferendum when they were in disarray during the drafting of the Iraqi constitution in the early days of the American occupation. Now many erabs reportedly have second thoughts on the Kirkuk referendum.

The Kurds agreed to a United Nations brokered deal that the referendum be delayed for six months.

The issue will again be raised with Baghdad and Kurdish leaders want Nechirvan Barzani to do the job.

Barzani gave signals at the end of 2007 that he is prepared to give up his post as prime minister but observers said this was a tactical move to strengthen his own position knowing that the PUK did not have anyone viable to replace him.

The New Anatolian

US jets unleash 40,000 pounds of bombs in 10 minutes in Baghdad

US bombers and jet fighters unleashed 40,000 pounds of explosives during a 10-minute airstrike on Thursday, flattening what the military called Al Qaida in Iraq safe havens on the southern outskirts of the capital.

The punishing strikes were carried out above approaching troops of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, which has battled insurgents south of the capital for months. The massive attack was part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, a nationwide campaign launched on Tuesday against Al Qaida in Iraq.

A military statement said two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighters dropped the bombs on Arab Jabour in 10 strikes on 40 targets. Al Qaida fighters are believed to control Arab Jabour, a Sunni district lined with citrus groves and scarred by daily violence.

“Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds,” the statement said.

The attack came a day after the US military reported that nine American

US jets unleash 40,000 pounds of bombs in 10 minutes in Baghdad | Iraq Updates

PM Barzani: KRG to strengthen banking and insurance

Mr Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), at a meeting of the Kurdistan Economic Council said that in 2008 the government must focus on developing strong banking and insurance systems.

The Economic Council, which oversees and advises on the Kurdistan Region’s economic policies, met on 31 December to discuss new policies to develop banking and insurance. The council decided to set up a special committee, made up of banking experts and officials from relevant ministries, to implement the council’s recommendations.

Dr Ezzat Isa, Secretary of the Economic Council, said, “In 2008 we will focus on developing the banking and insurance systems, which will help to increase economic growth. We will facilitate entry into Kurdistan for reputable banks and insurance companies.”

He added, “Prime Minister Barzani wants a new special committee to focus on attracting solid foreign banks and insurance companies to Kurdistan's market, which is still relatively undeveloped in these sectors, particularly insurance. The council members agreed that it was vital to increase consumer and business confidence in banking and insurance services, which in turn will stimulate more economic growth.”

The Economic Council decided that it will hold a conference in 2008 on establishing an insurance system in the Kurdistan Region. They also studied recommendations made by the KRG Ministry of Trade to strengthen the private sector and promote more foreign direct investment and joint ventures. Several banks already operate in the Kurdistan Region, but the market remains largely untapped on both the commercial and retail sides.

PM Barzani: KRG to strengthen banking and insurance | Iraq Updates

Disruption of LPG unit at Baiji refinery worsens power supply

The blaze at Iraq’s largest refinery of Baiji north of Baghdad has taken out the country’s largest Liquefied Petroleum Gas processing unit, according to Oil Ministry sources.

Iraq relies on LPG to power major electricity plants. LPG is also the main cooking fuel for Iraqi households.

But the blaze is reported to have damaged the unit exacerbating the already acute shortages of gas in the country.

An Electricity Ministry source told the newspaper that northern Iraq, comprising the three Kurdish provinces of Dahouk, Arbil and Sulaimaniay as well as Mosul and Kirkuk, has plunged into darkness as the gas-driven power plants had no more fuel to operate.

After a short halt, Iraqi technicians repaired damage to refining units and Baiji, according to the Oil Ministry, has resumed churning nearly 200,000 barrels a day.

Baiji’s capacity is 350,000 barrels a day.

An engineer died and several workers suffered burns due to Tuesday’s fire which officials say was caused by a gas explosion.

Though holding massive oil reserves, Iraq has turned into a net fuel importer. Fuel shortages started with the 2003 U.S. invasion and have aggravated since.

Disruption of LPG unit at Baiji refinery worsens power supply | Iraq Updates

Constitutional Amendment Committee Discusses Article 140

A source in the Constitutional Amendment Committee in the Iraqi Parliament said that they have met today to discuss the issue of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.

In an exclusive statement to our website, the source said on condition of anonymity “the committee decided to address the Constitutional Court about this article, and if it is still active and can be extended.”

“The parliament blocs' representatives in the committee accepted to address the court including the Kurdistani Alliance Bloc”, the source added.

PUKmedia :: English - Constitutional Amendment Committee Discusses Article 140

President of Kurdistan Region sends back Press Bill to Parliament

The President of Kurdistan Region, Mr. Massud Barzani has officially sent back the Press Bill to the Kurdistan Region Parliament on Wednesday, a source from Kurdistan Region Presidency Office told PUKmedia today.

The purpose behind not signing the law is those compliments and criticisms by the journalism and intellectual mediums regarding the articles of the bill, which they could be mended by the Kurdistan Region Parliament.

PUKmedia :: English - President of Kurdistan Region sends back Press Bill to Parliament

Integrity Committee in Iraqi Council of Representatives requires hearing from Iraqi Trade Minister

Chairman of the Iraqi Integrity Committee in the Iraqi Council of Representatives , Sabah al-Saaidi told PUKmedia on Thursday that he got signatures of 68 Iraqi MPs up to now to hear the Iraqi Trade Minister, Abdul Falah al-Sudani to the Iraqi Parliament.

He also said that he has documents which proves the involvement of Iraqi Trade Minister with administrative and financial corruptions pointing out the ministry has signed contracts with companies to import food stuffs without healthy requirements, as well as with unreal companies .He also said the Iraqi minister id charged of wasting public funds.

“Frauds have been made with the Oil for Food and Memorandum.” He added.

Chairman of the Iraqi Integrity Committee in the Iraqi Council of Representatives also has registered other charges against the Iraqi minister.

PUKmedia :: English - Integrity Committee in Iraqi Council of Representatives requires hearing from Iraqi Trade Minister

Unprecedented huge demand for the dollar in daily auction

Demand for the dollar was at a record high in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Thursday, reaching $199.375 million, the highest in its history, compared to $124.615 million on Tuesday.

In its daily statement, the bank said it had covered all bids, including $20.605 million in cash and $178.770 in foreign transfers at a stable exchange rate of 1,215 dinars per dollar, unchanged for the sixth session in a row.

The 17 banks that participated in Thursday's session offered to sell $8 million, which the bank bought at an exchange rate of 1,213 dinars per dollar.

Speaking to the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI), Ali al-Yasseri, a trader, attributed the huge demand for the dollar to the session's falling between two days off, which he said increased the number of banks participating in the auction.

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

Aswat Aliraq

Parliament's speaker discusses changing flag, article 140

Speaker of the Iraqi parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani on Thursday morning discussed with members of the constitutional amendments committee changing the Iraqi flag and article 140.

"Al-Mashhadani discussed with a number of members of the constitutional amendments committee, including Iyad al-Sameraei from the Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) and Qassem Dawood from the Unified Iraq Coalition (UIC), changing the Iraqi flag and article 140 of the Iraqi constitution," the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) correspondent inside the parliament said.

"The members presented their suggestions over the two issues," he said.
According to the article, the dispute over Kirkuk should be solved over three stages: normalization, demographic consensus, and a referendum on the status of Kirkuk as to whether it should remain an independent province or be annexed to the Kurdistan region.

Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud al-Barazani had urged the central government in Baghdad to speed up changing the Iraqi flag ahead of the Arab parliamentarians conference to be hosted by Arbil in February 2008.

Barazani affirmed that the Kurds "would never raise the current flag because it still carries the three stars symbolizing the (former) Baath Party."

http://www.aswataliraq.info/look/eng...=2&NrSection=1

U.S. aims to find 'Iraqi solutions' - paper

In the year since U.S. President George Bush announced he was changing course in Iraq with a troop "surge" and a new strategy, U.S. military and diplomatic officials have begun their own quiet policy shift, the U.S. Washington Post newspaper said in its edition on Thursday.

"After countless unsuccessful efforts to push Iraqis toward various political, economic and security goals, they have decided to let the Iraqis figure some things out themselves," it added.

"From Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker to Army privates and aid workers, officials are expressing their willingness to stand back and help Iraqis develop their own answers," the paper said.
"We try to come up with Iraqi solutions for Iraqi problems," said Stephen Fakan, the leader of a provincial reconstruction team with U.S. troops in Falluja.

"In many cases -- particularly on the political front -- Iraqi solutions bear little resemblance to the ambitious goals for 2007 that Bush laid out in his speech to the nation last Jan. 10. "To give every Iraqi citizen a stake in the country's economy, Iraq will pass legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis," he pledged. "Iraqis plan to hold provincial elections later this year . . . the government will reform de-Baathification laws, and establish a fair process for considering amendments to Iraq's constitution."

"Although some progress has been made and legislation in some cases has begun to slowly work its way through the parliament, none of these benchmarks has been achieved. Nor has the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki taken over security responsibility for all 18 provinces, as Bush forecast it would. Last month's transfer of Basra province by British forces brought to nine the number of provinces under Iraqi control," he added.

In explaining the situation, U.S. officials have made a virtue of necessity and have praised Iraqi ingenuity for finding different routes toward the same goals. Iraqis have figured out a way to distribute oil revenue without laws to regulate it, Crocker has often noted, and former Baathists are getting jobs. Local and provincial governing bodies -- some elected, some not -- are up and running.

The Iraqis "are at the point where they are able to fashion their own approaches and desired outcomes," Crocker said in an interview, "and we, I think, in part recognizing that and in part reflecting on where we have been over the last almost five years, are increasingly prepared to say it's got to be done in Iraqi terms."

The U.S. military has praised the Maliki government for acknowledging it is not ready to handle security in much of Iraq, and at the same time has dismissed the ongoing violence in Basra and much of the rest of the south as an Iraqi problem.

"There are innumerable challenges in the security situation in Basra," Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, said late last year, "but there are Iraqi solutions emerging to some of these."

For some observers, the approach indicates a new realism in Washington, a recognition that long years of grandiose plans drawn from U.S. templates have not worked in Iraq. But others charge that the phrase "Iraqi solutions" implies a cynical U.S. willingness to turn a blind eye to sectarianism, political violence and a wealth of papered-over problems, if that is the price of getting the United States out of Iraq.

U.S. officials at various levels are pushing the idea for different reasons, said Sarah Sewall, director of Harvard University's Carr Center for Human Rights Policy and a Clinton-era Pentagon official. While Petraeus has embraced the notion out of "realism," Sewall said, she thinks the Bush administration "has recently arrived at this formula out of desperation - due to the failure of its past efforts."

Aswat Aliraq