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

Building Oil Refinery in Sulaimani

Mr. Zana Mohammed Salih, Sulaimani District Commissioner discussed in a press conference today the fuel problem in Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region and the Province’s share from fuel. He also discussed the issue of distributing the Citizen’s oil allocation which is 220 Liter for each family.

“KRG has a program within the oil contracts to build an oil refinery and new oil tanks after solving a few technical problems with Oil Ministry in the Federal Government, we have supplied the areas which witnessed a heavy Snowfall as Chwarta , Qalaat Deza, Penjwin and other border areas” Mr. Zana Mohammed added

PUKmedia :: English - Building Oil Refinery in Sulaimani

Supplementary Budget allocated to Kurdistan Region

An official source from Iraqi finance ministry announced that in case the Iraqi oil revenues rise due to climbing the price of oil crude in 2008, supplementary budget is allocated to Kurdistan region by 17 percent.

The Iraqi deputy finance minister, Fazil Nabi, told exclusively Kurdistani Nwe newspaper that “In case the Iraqi budget ratio rises and the supplementary budget is not specified in the next months, it will be delayed for 2009. In this case 17 percent of that supplementary budget is allocated to Kurdistan region.”

PUKmedia :: English - Supplementary Budget allocated to Kurdistan Region

Iraq should become Federation of Independent States

The Washington Post

Iraq's government is at a stalemate. As in the United States, there is much discussion here of the need for political reconciliation. What does that mean? That the majority Shiites and the minority Sunnis and Kurds must find a way to govern collectively at the national level.

As national security adviser to the head of Iraq's governments since March 2004, I have participated in the development of democracy in my country. I strongly support the government and applaud its achievements. But I understand that the political objectives of Iraq's three main communities are unrealizable within the framework of a unitary, centralized state.

It has been impossible to maintain a political consensus on many important issues. For one thing, the U.S.-dominated coalition, which has its own objectives, must be accommodated. The regional "superpowers" (Iran and Saudi Arabia) meddle in Iraq's affairs, and their own sectarian tensions are reflected in the violence here. The absence of truly national political parties and leadership that reach the Iraqi people exacerbates the problem.

Five state solution

Overall, Shiites see their future based on two fundamental "rights": Power must be exercised by the political majority through control of governmental institutions, and institutional sectarian discrimination must be eliminated. Kurds see their future bound to their "rights" of linguistic, cultural, financial and resource control within Kurdistan. Sunni Arabs are driven by resistance to their loss of power, as well as fear of revenge for past wrongs and the potential for reverse discrimination.

The current political framework is based on a pluralistic democratic vision that, while admirable, is entirely unsuited to resolving this three-way divide. It ignores underlying issues and expects that a consensus will emerge simply by enacting a liberal constitutional legal order.

Pluralistic democracy will not take root unless the national political compact recognizes and accommodates the fears and aspirations of Iraq's communities. Resolution can be achieved only through a system that incorporates regional federalism, with clear, mutually acceptable distributions of power between the regions and the central government. Such a system is in the interest of all Iraqis and is necessary if Iraq is to avoid partition or further civil strife.

Federalist system

Only through a new political compact among Iraq's main communities will a viable state emerge. A key condition for success is that the balance of power should tip decisively to the regions on all matters that do not compromise the integrity of the state. The central institutions must earn their legitimacy from the power that the three main ethnic groups are prepared to give them. Iraq needs a period during which the Shiites and the Kurds achieve political control over their destinies while the Sunni Arab community is secure from the feared tyranny of the majority.

The shape of a reconstructed, federal Iraq could vary, but it should permit the assignment of nearly all domestic powers to the regions, to be funded out of a percentage of oil revenue distributed on the basis of population. The federal government should be responsible only for essential central functions such as foreign policy (including interregional affairs), defense, fiscal and monetary policy, and banking. Regional parliaments and executives would govern their areas. A federal parliament with a new upper house could manage governance at the national level.

A regional political structure would allow for the development of religious, cultural and educational policies more suited to areas' populations than a central government could create. A regional framework for economic policy would also fit better with traditional trade patterns and markets.

Iraq's political geography suggests five likely federal units: A "Kurdistan province," including the current Kurdistan and surrounding areas; a "Western province," including Mosul and the upper Tigris and Euphrates valleys; a "Kufa province," built around the Middle Euphrates governorates; a "Basra province," including the lower Tigris and Euphrates valleys; and a "Baghdad province," built around Greater Baghdad, which may include parts of Diyala and Salah ad Din Governorates. The Kurdish region would be given a special constitutional status as a recognized society and culture with a unique identity (similar to the Canadian province of Quebec).

The new, national Iraqi identity will be forged over time as a result of peaceful, respectful participation in governance and growth, not by fear and terror as in our past. Iraq's constitution was ratified before its communities reached agreement on many vital issues, such as provincial powers. Without a process aimed at reaching a broad political consensus on the makeup of the Iraqi state, order and democracy are unlikely. This consensus would form the backdrop to a referendum on a reformed constitution. Each of Iraq's communities has leaders up to the task of creating a new political consensus. It is time for them to begin work.

(Mowaffak al-Rubaie is Iraq's national security adviser. The views expressed here are his own and do not constitute an official position of the government of Iraq.)

PUKmedia :: English - Iraq should become Federation of Independent States

Iraqi Parliament to settle Key Issues Soon

The Iraqi Parliament will settle the issues of the Iraqi budget for the current year, and amendments in the new Iraqi flag in the current week, an Iraqi MP from the Kurdistan Alliance Bloc has exclusively told PUKmedia on Saturday.

“The Iraqi Council of Representatives will hold a session on Monday in attendance of the Iraqi deputy PM, Dr. Barham Ahmed Salih and the Iraqi finance minster, Baqir Jabir al-Zubaidi for settling the budget of 2008 and it is expected to be approved.” Bayazed Hassan, Iraqi MP from the Kurdistan Alliance Bloc told our web site.

“The Iraqi Council of Representatives will deal with the issue soon.” He said regarding the issue of the Iraqi flag.

He also indicated that parliamentary blocs have agreed upon the reduction of the Iraqi federal government to 18 or 19 ministries.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi Parliament to settle Key Issues Soon

Shiite leader may reconsider Mahdi Army freeze- spokesman

Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr may reconsider his decision on freezing the activities of his Mahdi Army militia if he does not receive cooperation from the government, the leader's official spokesman said on Saturday.

During the past two weeks, numerous committees from al-Sadr office visited several Iraqi provinces and found the central government holding on to "gangs which control the security apparatus" there, Spokesman Salah al-Obeidi told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).

"The security apparatus in these provinces have been found guilty of involvement in the displacement and killing of individuals, in addition to terror activities," al-Obeidi indicated.

"If the government remains uncooperative, we will reconsider our freeze decision," he added.

The spokesman explained that one of the main reasons that prompted al-Sadr to order the freeze was to help security forces regain control over Iraqi streets. "The presence of those individuals will induce the Iraqi street to hate the security apparatus and blame them for what happens in the provinces," al-Obeidi said.

In late August 2007, al-Sadr announced the freeze of his Mahdi Army militia after bloody incidents in the holy city of Karbala, 100 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The incidents, for which Mahdi Army elements were blamed, were followed by a wide-scale arrest campaign against the army's fighters as well as Sadrists, or Iraqis loyal to the Shiite leader.

Commenting on the news, the New York Times said in its Saturday issue that al-Sadr "might allow his milita to become active at the end of February after a yearlong freeze."

"Lifting the freeze could have troubling consequences for the American military, which has been able to use the calm to focus on those Shiite insurgents, most of whom it believes are linked to Iran, who have ignored the freeze," the newspaper said.

"Since the freeze, the number of bodies found daily in Baghdad neighborhoods as a result of sectarian killings has dropped to about three after months of dozens being found," the newspaper wrote.

Quoting al-Obeidi, the newspaper indicated that several Mahdi Army members "had been unfairly singled out and that many had been detained but not charged by members of the Iraqi security forces."
"However, he said no final decision had yet been made to lift the freeze."

"The decision to consider lifting the freeze came after a fact-finding tour by several high-ranking members of the Sadr organization in which they visited Samawa, Diwaniya, Kut, Amara and Basra, according to Mr. Obaidi. He said that for Mr. Sadr to remain credible with his followers, he has to stand up for them when they become targets," it added.


Aswat Aliraq

No financial allocations to cover items of the ration

The Ministry of Commerce said that the lack of financial allocations to cover items of the ration is the reason for failure in contracting with suppliers of these items, noting that they seek to provide urgent funds to buy the basic items of the ration.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=5370

Repairing Shuaiba refinery may take a week

Two Engineers at Shuaiba oil refinery in southern Iraq said on Thursday that repairing the refinery which was closed on Tuesday because of a large fire could take up to a week. They said that the fire destroyed the production units of liquefied petroleum gas and fuel in the refinery, as well as causing massive damages of pipelines.

One of the two engineers at the refinery, the second largest oil refinery in Iraq and located in the southern province of Basrah, said "we are working to restart the refinery within two days; otherwise, it will take another five days to do the necessary repairs, especially that some pipes were fused and need to be replaced." Meanwhile, the refinery of Baiji, the largest refinery in northern Iraq, was shut down on Wednesday after an interruption of electricity; engineers in it hope to resume operation on Thursday evening.

The Oil Ministry said the fire at Shuaiba resulted from the military American or British helicopters which were flying over the refinery and fired flame normally used to stave off a possible missile attack from the ground. But the South Oil Company, which runs oil installations in southern Iraq, said the fire resulted from an attack by a mortar shell.

According to the Ministry of Oil, Shuaiba compound can refine 160 thousand barrels per day of crude oil for the local market, but its current production of refined products range between 100 thousand and 120 thousand barrels a day.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=5371

Government approves plant to guard power grid

The government has endorsed a plan calling for the mobilization of additional forces to protect the national grid against acts of sabotage.

Electricity output has slumped recently with power being on for only two hours a day in most parts of the country.

Electricity Ministry officials say sabotage is one of the main causes for the current shortages. They also blame lack of fuel which they say has made some of the major power plants idle.

Scores of ministry technicians have been killed in the past three years as they tried to repair or maintain installations.

“The grid is under continuous attack from saboteurs,” said a ministry source, refusing to be named, said.

The plan to protect the grid is now with the ministries of defense and interior. Both ministries are under obligation to find the resources to halt the attacks.

The plan includes a recommendation to divert the path of power pylons from restive areas to less violent regions. It also calls for the transfer of strategic electricity installations to safer areas.

New military units are to be formed and the government has agreed to allocate money in order to furnish them with weapons including helicopter gun ships and electronic control gadgets.

Azzaman in English

Power cuts plague Iraq, oil output

Electricity cuts that blacked out Iraq’s northern oilfields and main refinery this week were a timely reminder that its hopes of boosting oil production rest on something it does not have — a dependable power supply. Iraq has managed to sustain production of around 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but levels were close to 3 million bpd before the US-led war on Iraq in March 2003. While sabotage attacks have constantly interrupted the country’s attempts to increase oil production, power cuts are nearly as detrimental. The latest major disruption was on Wednesday, when Iraq’s largest refinery at Baiji, 180 kms (110 miles) north of Baghdad, was shut down by a power cut.

Iraq has also stopped pumping crude oil from its northern Kirkuk oilfields to the Turkish port of Ceyhan after the main power station feeding the fields ran out of refined fuel. Baiji resumed operations on Thursday evening, but the Kirkuk oilfields were still idle on Friday, according to an engineer in Kirkuk, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. Iraq’s Oil Ministry has blamed the Electricity Ministry for failing to provide its refineries with an uninterrupted power supply. The Electricity Ministry in turn has said the Oil Ministry is not providing sufficient fuel to run its plants.

Vicious
“It’s a vicious circle,” observed a US government official, who said US officials were working hard to improve cooperation between the two ministries to improve the stability and capacity of the fragile, war-damaged national power grid. The pressure on the country’s fragile grid has been increased by an exceptionally cold winter that has left many Iraqis with less than an hour of electricity a day. The Electricity Ministry has also blamed a decision by Turkish power provider Kartet on Jan 4 to stop exporting electricity to Iraq. Kartet said Iraq had stopped supplying it with refined fuel for its power station near the border. “We are going to see blips like this,” said the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We are fully engaged with them (the ministries) to resolve this issue, and it is our belief that this will be resolved soon.” Washington has pumped $4 billion into reconstructing the national grid, and the US Army Corps of Engineers has completed more than 500 projects to improve the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Iraq.

Announced
Iraq needs about 9,500 megawatts a day but Iraqis receive around only 5,000 MW. A 10-year plan announced by Electricity Minister Karim Waheed envisages adding 1,000-1,500 MW, but attracting the necessary investment has not been easy. “The technical issues involved in re-establishing national grids are extremely complex,” said Steve Wardlaw of Baker Botts law firm, which has great expertise in energy. “Add into that a volatile political situation and a lack of interest from lenders or international power companies ... and it is no surprise that the initially hot topic of the challenge of upgrading the Iraqi power system very quickly fell away through almost complete lack of interest,” Wardlaw said. The US official said giving Iraq a reliable electricity supply was vital for political stability and economic growth. “Who is going to invest if there is no power?” he said. But Wardlaw said oil companies were used to building their own power stations, particularly in regions like Africa. As long as they were able to import the equipment and expertise and were comfortable with the security situation in Iraq, “then I think the self-generation of power must be their preferred operation”. Iraq’s grid sustained significant damage during the 1991 Gulf War, and the decade of sanctions that followed made repairs next to impossible. In the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, saboteurs blew up power lines and oil pipelines.

Arab Times :: Power cuts plague Iraq, oil output

Praise, but no Iraq timeline

Top U.S. generals in Iraq said Thursday they could not commit to how independent the Iraqi forces must be before the United States can withdraw completely.

"Even as our combat roles go down, our enabling roles will continue for some time," Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, commanding general of the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq, told the House Armed Services Committee. "The truth is that they cannot fix, supply, arm or fuel themselves completely enough at this point."

Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qadir said earlier this week that Iraq might be able to handle its internal security by early next year and external security by 2018.

But the U.S. military is making its judgments on 90-day cycles, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps in Iraq, said from Iraq in a video news conference.

During Dubik's testimony, House members pressed for a troop withdrawal timeline.

"Most Americans would like to know that some day our presence would no longer be needed," said Rep. Roscoe Bartlett R-Md.. "Americans would like to have a chart on their refrigerator that looks to when we can get out."

Dubik responded: "Put no number on the refrigerator."

International Security - Emerging Threats - Briefing - UPI.com