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

Supreme Committee of Implementation of Article 140 demands increasing their Budget

Deputy head of Supreme Committee of Implementation of Article 140 ,Mrs. Narmin Othman, told PUKmedia today that the budget allocated to the committee for 2008 is 160 million dollars, stating it is not sufficient to implement the program they planned for.

“We are trying to raise a formal request to the both Iraqi government and the Iraqi presidency to allocate extra money for implementing the article 140.” She clarified.

“Currently the works of the committee are going on very well .Recently an official letter from the Iraqi council of ministries has been sent to all the Iraqi ministries which demands facilitations should be made for those civilians who are included by the decisions of the Supreme Committee of Implementation of Article 140 and should be returned to their jobs.” She added.

“Currently we signed all the compensation checks during the framework of the second stage of compensating the deportees.” She concluded.

PUKmedia :: English - Supreme Committee of Implementation of Article 140 demands increasing their Budget

Sports city, 10,000 housing units soon in Baghdad

sports city covering an area of 500 donums (1 donum= 1,388 square meters) will be set up in the Iraqi capital, in addition to 10,000 housing units, a medical city, residential compounds and a trade center, Baghdad mayor said.

"There is a plan to establish 10,000 housing units, in addition to a sports city that is designed to be erected on Baghdad's southwestern al-Rasheed camp," Mayor Saber al-Isawi said during a press conference on Tuesday.

"The government has allocated 100 billion Iraqi dinars (1 U.S. dollar= 1212.5 Iraqi dinars) for these projects," al-Isawi indicated, calling for increasing the amount to 600 billion Iraqis dinars to enable the municipality to go ahead with its plans as appropriate.

The mayor criticized an Iraqi court ruling allowing compensation to individuals whose land will be used for public purposes, describing the decision as a "waste of budget."

Aswat Aliraq

VP intends to hinder approving accountability bill - MP

An Iraqi lawmaker on Wednesday unveiled that Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi intends to hinder approving the accountability and justice draft law, unless certain amendments were made.

Speaking to the Saudi newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat, the MP, who preferred to remain anonymous, said "this came after consultations between some legislators who oppose the law and al-Hashemi, who will work with members of the presidential council to reach to an agreement on the major points of disagreement."

"The parliament's chairmanship and some parliamentary blocs were threatened by a certain bloc to pass the law," he underlined, refusing to name this bloc.

Ten days ago, the Iraqi parliament approved the accountability and justice draft law by overwhelming majority amidst rejection by four blocs.

The Iraqi National List (INL), the National Dialogue Front (NDF), the Independent Arab Bloc, the National Dialogue Council and IAF independent members expressed rejection against the law and refused to vote over it, terming it as "hard to apply."

"Approving the law was made under pressures exercised by some political blocs, which threaten to boycott the parliament's session in case the law was not passed," The MP, who represents Sunni Arabs in the parliament, explained.

The draft is an alternative for the debaathification law, enacted by former U.S. civil administrator Paul Bremer, who ruled Iraq after the fall of the former regime in April 2003.

Since it was first announced by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in June 2007, the draft law, dubbed the accountability and justice law, is facing fierce opposition and several reservations, mostly by the Sadrists, who occupy 30 seats in parliament.

The law allows 30,000 Baathists, or members of the former ruling Baath Party, to return to their original jobs and receive their retirement rights.

Aswat Aliraq

Parliament discusses duty, retirement bill

The Iraqi parliament on Wednesday held its regular session under Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, during which the first reading of the duty and retirement draft law was completed.

"Today's session envisages also the second reading of the general amnesty bill, proposed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the second reading of the forensic medicine draft law, reading the mobile phone committee's report as well as a statement about the electricity," a parliament's media source told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq

Aswat Aliraq

Parliament postpones general amnesty bill reading

The Iraqi parliament's presidency adjourned its Wednesday session until tomorrow, postponing the second reading of the draft general amnesty law for further amendments, an Iraqi parliamentarian said.

"The parliament's presidency adjourned today's session after the parliamentary human rights committee had demanded a postponement of the second reading of the draft general amnesty law until amendments are made to it," MP Basim Shareef from the Islamic Fadila Party told Aswat al-Iraq, Voices of Iraq, (VOI).

The parliamentarian explained that the amendments will aim to release a larger number of detainees from Iraqi and U.S. prisons and d****tion centers.

Last year, the Iraqi government announced a plan to release detainees who had been cleared of any wrongdoing as part of national reconciliation efforts.

A parliamentary media source told VOI earlier today that the parliament completed the first reading of the draft service and retirement law during its Monday session under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.

Aswat Aliraq

New growing stance to handle U.S.-Iraq agreement-Iraqi offical

The Chief of the Presidency office said the Iraqi executive body meeting on Wednesday addressed important issues including the agreement between the U.S. and Iraq, elections law, and the controversial 2008 budget.

“The executive body consisted of the president, his two deputies, the prime minister, and a representative of Kurdistan’s regional president discussed broadening the political participation in Iraq,” a statement received by Aswat al-Iraq -Voices of Iraq - (VOI) quoted Naseer al-Ani, the chief of the Presidency office, as saying in a press conference after the meeting.

Al-Ani added “The body considered including figures and parties believing in the political process to enlarge the process of decision making in decisive issues that required collective participation.”

As for the long-term U.S.-Iraq agreement, al-Ani referred to a growing stance “calling for broadening the political participation to handle the issue (of the U.S.-Iraq agreement)”.

He added "It is a national resolution that necessitated the participation of powerful national and political figures in shaping the country’s future.”

The announcement pointed out “the elections law is ready for voting after its circulating and discussion its items among political blocks.”

Yet, al-Ani conceded that “a number of laws, like the oil and gas law, require more in-depth study and long-time discussions.”

The official noted “the fiscal budget for the calendar 2008 year was finalized and would soon be submitted to the parliament.”

Earlier, the Iraqi parliament said on Tuesday that attempts to pass the 2008 budget had stalled, leading to fears that infrastructure projects would be delayed.

Aswat Aliraq

Kurdistan Region Presidency welcomes Iraqi new Flag

PUKmedia 2008-01-23 17:44:03

The Head of Kurdistan Region Presidency Office, Faud Hussein, announced in an official statement that the Presidency welcomes the decision issued by the Iraqi council of representatives to raise a new flag in Iraq.

“The President of Kurdistan Region, Massud Barzani, recommended the Kurdistan National Assembly (KNA) to hold a session in which raising Iraqi new flag to be accepted. The Iraq flag which dated back to 14 of July 1958 Revolution has been raised so far in Kurdistan region. After approving the new flag by the Iraqi council of representatives and expected approval by KNA, the new flag will be officially raised in Kurdistan region.” He added.

PUKmedia :: English - Kurdistan Region Presidency welcomes Iraqi new Flag

Al Mashhadani calls to vote on Iraq budget

Iraqi Parliament speaker Mahmoud Al Mashhadani called on heads of political parties to meet in his office after the voting on 2008 Iraq budget has stumbled. Al Mashhadani urged all members and heads of parties showing reservation on 2008 budget to approve the bill in order to provide essential needs for the Iraqi people. He urged the Parliament well to approve the budget in its upcoming session on Thursday.

In aim to discuss 2008 budget, heads of parliamentarian committees convened inside the Parliament with Finances Minister Baqer Jaber Al Zubaidi who confirmed following the meeting that oppositions submitted on the budget are political.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Iraq News | Al Mashhadani calls to vote on Iraq budget

US Senate approves by majority new Iraq bill

The US Senate approved by a majority vote of 91-3 a bill that would exempt Iraq from lawsuits dating back to the regime of former President Saddam Hussein and authorizing a range of US military programs for the year 2008.

Earlier last week, US House of Representatives has ratified a similar bill.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Iraq News | US Senate approves by majority new Iraq bill

Oil pumping from Kirkuk into Turkish Ceyhan Port to resume shortly

Iraqi Oil Ministry expected to resume pumping crude oil from Kirkuk northern fields to Turkish Ceyhan Port on the Mediterranean within a couple of days. Iraq has stopped pumping last week due to electricity blackout. However, Oil Ministry spokesman Issam Jihad affirmed that pipelines leak and dysfunction have caused further delay.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Economics News | Oil pumping from Kirkuk into Turkish Ceyhan Port to resume shortly