Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 15/04/08 - 26/08/08

Parliament sessions open to compromise while the election law

Parliamentary sources to keep the hearings open in case the parliament was not reached consensus on the electoral law and voting on it again tomorrow, Sunday, after vetoed by the presidency of the republic.

The present leaks continue simultaneously with efforts to resolve the political crisis item 24 on Election Kirkuk. The government yesterday called on all parties and components and parties in the governorate of Kirkuk to remain calm and wisdom and resorting to the law and the Constitution and miss the opportunity to the enemies of Iraq who phishing in troubled waters and not doing anything to escalate the action would damage national unity and spirit of brotherhood, harmony and fraternal coexistence among all components.

He said government spokesman Dr. Ali Skinner in a statement, which "Sabah" yesterday a copy of it, the Government maintains its rejection of any unilateral step to change the status of the city of Kirkuk and by illegal and unconstitutional, since the final status of Kirkuk city governed by constitutional mechanisms and political consensus, warning that Any violation or breach of security by any armed groups will be dealt with firmly, strength, and according to law.

Saw yesterday, holding more than one meeting and meet with politicians to bridge the gap in viewpoints on the electoral law, since the collection of Dr. Adel Abdul Mahdi, most of the country's leaders at a luncheon with President of Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani Iraq with a delegation from the Islamic party elections in Kirkuk province.

In the context of similar, uncovered parliamentary sources told "Sabah" that the parliament may keep its meetings open until the vote on the election law after vetoed by the presidency.

The sources said that there was no legal cover to extend the work of the House of Representatives, but it can take advantage of the constitutional article states "keep an open parliamentary sessions until the budget approval," noting that it could be linked to the vote on legal elections and the supplementary budget.

And Sheikh Khalid al-Attiyah, First Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives last week, continuing meetings of the Chamber of Deputies to take place to ratify the supplementary budget, he kept open for tomorrow, Sunday, to decide on three important topics are: "Consideration of the presidency to veto a bill provincial council elections and the ratification The supplementary budget, in addition to extend the work of the parliamentary committee charged with reviewing the constitution. "

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

A substantial increase in military salaries

according to a new Government and the Ministry of Defence APPROVE amendments to the Defense and Security Committee on the Law of service and retirement.

Vote in the House shortly, the law of service and military retirement, after approval by the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Defence on most amendments added by the Commission on Security and Defence in Parliament.

The law contains a substantial increase in military salaries, as containing a salary of 25 degrees or rank, according to what was announced for "morning," deputy coalition Hassan Al-Sunaid.

Al-Sunaid said: that the law is examined by the committee added several amendments, granted the military a good salary and pension guarantees him his future, pointing out that the law contains several paragraphs specify the retirement age and how to calculate the financial allocations, in addition to annual bonuses deserved vacations and other receivables other.

He added that the parliamentary committee member parliament ended the search and read the law twice, noting that the coming period will witness the vote (the law of service and military retirement) there is agreement and unanimity on its importance, fairer slice of the military. According to the bill which was obtained by "Assabah" on a modified version of it, the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Defense had agreed to the law, after a slight change.

The law grants a nominal salary of the first group of two million and 800 thousand dinars, and the team Milonen and 300 thousand dinars, while the nominal salary of the brigade and a half million military brigadier general and 900 thousand dinars, Col. 750 thousand dinars, while a lieutenant affiliated receive a nominal salary of 650 thousand dinars, while Distract the class of 24 affiliated with any soldier at the first 326 thousand dinars, and the soldier $ 302 thousand dinars.

The law emphasizes that "the amendment amounts of salaries being from the date of the law is the first base year", also points out that "the disposal of allocations, ***** allocations (Other allotments, housing, scientific, professional and serious warning, instead of infection and hospitality, clothing, etc. ..) issued a special proposal from the Ministry Defense and the ratification by the general commander of the armed forces.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

After the expected effect of monetary policy

The decision of the Central Bank in the standardization of legal reserve to put an end to win over many of the banks to monetary policy tools .. However, it came somewhat late . But .. Come late is better than never comes ... Strikingly, in the statement released by the Central Bank is a reference to the late Bank Note - The banking market is still not encouraged to provide reasonable limits of credit granted to private activity, particularly in the real sector of civil - and that many of the banks win over the tools of monetary policy are the fruits of its reserves and surplus rates Some of them amounted to 100% of surpluses in the Central Bank of tools for profit without concern for economic activity and its financial intermediation of the required funding needed for the market to the extent required --

Much has been said on this observation, since the beginning of starting the monetary policy adopted by the Central Bank hub of hubs to address the inflationary situation endured by the Iraqi economy through higher interest rate does not poles money supply in order to reinvest in economic development as a declared and understood, but The statement pointed to the accumulation of Mali reached 29 trillion dinars, and strongly criticized the policy of the banks in dealing with the tools of monetary policy pursued by the bank?

The question many of those involved in the economic and monetary policy since the adoption approved to raise the interest rate, on the possible revitalization of financial intermediation in a situation where banks can profit by investing in the tools of monetary policy, which avoided going into the players credit, which returns more Night of investment returns if they take into account credit risk and cost management, let alone with the investor or borrower from dealing with banks by the high interest rates, which are not commensurate with the size of profits that could be achieved borrower who works in the activities of the real sectors, and therefore the economy, which meant It has been to play in one of the most important sectors to the reluctance of large, with the exception of credit backed by the state in the agricultural and industrial sectors, which was in a narrow limits until early this year.

Processors have come to amend the Central Bank of compulsory reserves of the total government deposits from 75% to 25% and adopt this amendment for all deposits, including eligibility, but according to the instructions and mechanisms currently in force, and understand from this that the interest rate adjusted to 17% a few months ago will remain as This will give the justification for the continuing rise in interest rates on credit granted on the assumption that these banks continued to pay interest on deposits of the public after it had been adjusted, according to the vision of banks for banks eligibility under the guidance of the Central Bank for banks governmental organizations, and therefore we do not expect change to occur In fact essential financial intermediation through activating the role of the banking sector borrowers with actors towards the fight against economic stagnation, particularly in the real sector Ahli also hopes the designer of monetary policy.

Unless they are reducing the interest rate on credit granted, especially since there are sectors that offer them loans are almost useless from the specialized banks, but the other sectors where investors are still waiting for rain.

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An economic expert: the new investment law will achieve a qualitative leap in the Iraqi economy

Expect an economic expert to happen the new investment law significant qualitative leap in the Iraqi economy and contribute to the establishment of base infrastructure.

He said Dr. Nazim Albahadli professor in the Faculty of Administration and Economy at Mustansiriyah University: "The move will occur through the advent of capital and foreign expertise that will contribute to the establishment of a basic infrastructure of the Iraqi economy, Iraq is suffering lack of capital available for Reconstruction and Development result of the accumulation of debt as well as a few Experience accumulated result of continuous wars and this law will greatly help in bridging the shortfall.

He added that the law guarantees fundamental points are lacking in investment laws of other States grants the right of residence and to facilitate the entry of the investor and his exit to and from Iraq and non-confiscation or nationalization of investment project adding that workers from non-Iraqis the right to convert their salaries and compensations due to outside Iraq.

He explained that Albahadli infrastructure of the Iraqi economy needs to be revisited especially with the rapid growth and increasing population, which means that Iraq may be the economic machine that will not stop for more than fifty years of service in terms of population, industrial, agricultural and commercial. He explained that the law will achieve this progress through the achievement of a safe environment for investment.

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Send files of the companies put up for investment of Iraqi embassies

The Ministry of Industry and Minerals that it would send the files of companies and laboratories open for investment to Iraqi embassies in the countries of the world to inform investors there and familiarize them with a detailed project.

An official source in the ministry: "The ministry will invest files for companies to put Iraq's embassies abroad to be a link between the ministry and international investors wishing to operate in the Iraqi market." He added: "The other objective is to open channels with common investors to achieve investment plan that will benefit the Great on the national economy and turned from socialist to free market economy.

Pointing out that this shift is one of the foundations on which government seeks to implement it. "The source stressed that it was hoped that the plan of investment companies and factories and plants to raise production capacities as a kind of sectors deactivated.

It is worth noting that this plan depends on the invitation of local and foreign investors to invest in various sectors of industry.

Translated version of http://www.almadapaper.com/paper.php?source=akbar&page=107

Minister of Labour: the completion of transactions 7500 draft in Baghdad and operate more than 200 thousand jobless

The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Sheikh Mahmoud Radi was completed transactions 47364 micro-projects in Baghdad and other governorates until the end of last July, has been operating 234 thousand and 433 unemployed.

The Iraqi cabinet was launched in 2007 in the soft loans to establish small projects of graduates from universities and institutes in all governorates of Iraq, has reached the value of those loans 30 million dollars to Baghdad and 15 million dollars to each governorate of Iraq's other provinces.

According to Sheikh Radi, in an interview with "Uzmatik" today, Friday, that "transactions 7500 draft bar in Baghdad had been completed and transferred to banks for the receipt of the beneficiaries of loans allocated to them, while the transactions were completed 39 thousand and 864 projects in other provinces."

He added that the Minister of Labour "project loans, which was launched in March 2007 included four categories of work are unemployed graduates, families who lost breadwinners due to terrorist operations, and the displaced, and the owners of the assignee affected by acts of violence," noting that "have been identified loan Between 4 - 10 million dinars, estimated by special committees depending on the nature of the project and only 2% interest rate paid to state banks to repay the loan during the period of 8 years. "

The minister pointed out, "it was allocating 60 million dollars in 2008 for each of the governorates of Baghdad, Basra and Mosul, and 30 million dollars to each governorate other," explaining that "the state would bear the interest rate and the amount of 2%."

The minister Sheikh Radi, "the draft loan application correctly would create 300 thousand jobs at the end planned duration of the project," noting that "this important step on the road to fight unemployment through the conversion of the unemployed to producers."

The Minister of Labour as a "million were registered and 234 thousand jobless people to work until the end of last July, while the operation was 234 thousand and 433 jobless people during the same period."

It is noteworthy that the statistics of the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation noted in its annual report for the month of May 2008 that the rate of unemployment among workers aged 15 years and over was 28.1% for both sexes, is the unemployment rate for males 30.2%, while the unemployment rate for females and 26% registered unemployment rate 30% in urban areas while 25.4% in rural areas.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

PARLIAMENTARY independent: the government should be bolder and desist from the Kurdish side courtesy

Independent deputy said in the Iraqi parliament Wael Abdul Latif, "the Iraqi government to be more aggressive in dealing with the problem of Kirkuk governorate and desist from accommodating the Kurdish side, which Waterhouse situation in the province."

He Abdel spectrum in an interview with "Uzmatik", today, Saturday, to "appease the government at the expense of national interest, more than once Kurdistan Alliance, which used state funds to change the demography of the Iraqi Kirkuk, through adoption of the amount of twenty million dinars every Arab who wishes to leave for preserving" as He said.

The disposal of the Supreme Committee for the implementation of Article 140 of the Constitution financial compensation worth 20 million dinars, compared to register their transfer to civilian areas, which came with granting them a plot of land housing for them, as is happening in Kirkuk brought forward from the 10 million Iraqi dinars and a piece of land where housing, yet to prove It Kirkuk, was deported in the era of Saddam Hussein's regime.

He Abdel-Latif "that the recent escalation carried out by members of Kurds in the governorate of Kirkuk is unjustified and unworkable because the first paragraph of Article III of the Constitution, which they have based, stipulates that all measures to create or join the province, are not only After the election of provincial assemblies in accordance with the Constitution of the Iraqi headquarters in 2005 and which formed the provincial assemblies before it is approved. "

The 22 members of the Kirkuk governorate, filed a request to the Kurdistan region, to join the preservation mechanism, in case the Iraqi parliament approval again Article 24 of the district councils election law, which provides for the distribution of powers between Kurds, Arabs and Turkmens at 32% and 4% for giving Caldoachorien.

Abdel-Latif accused the coalition of Kurdistan "disrupt the country over the past five years, and to impede the process of construction, investment and political reconstruction in Iraq, via the three main objection to your laws, oil and gas, investment, and the election of provincial assemblies, as well as disrupt the process of constitutional amendments in Parliament."

He attributed Abdel-Latif "the Kurdish side's confidence in its ability to obtain all meant to sectarianism, which tore apart Iraq and divided the Arabs along with Sunni and one Shiite, Kurdish, making more powerful position" as saying.

And Abdel-Latif, "The Kurdistan Alliance, which calls for national consensus, for so long was the first to violate this agreement, as happened in the governorate of Kirkuk," adding that "threats to the territorial Government to take other measures that have not got Murad in Kirkuk, b.r.a.n.dishing secession accompanied the political process since The fall of the former regime. "

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

Iraqi government considering resorting to the Security Council to cancel the debts of Kuwaiti

Iraqi government seeks to benefit from positive reports about the decline of violence in Iraq and the improved security situation in July seeking to end the Iraqi debt and close the file of Kuwaiti reparations by resorting to the Security Council if diplomacy failed bilateral, revealed Deputy Prime coalition bloc in parliament that the writer "Damages or cancellation of debt of Iraq is one of the most prominent current demands of Baghdad", urged the Kuwaiti government to "follow the example of many of creditor nations of the world for Iraq and cancel debts faced by Iraq economically and financially result of previous policies" and hinted that there is an option for the transformation of bilateral diplomatic efforts The recourse to the Security Council for adopting a resolution to exempt Iraq from its debts.

Translated version of http://almalafpress.net/index.php?m=39

Shell may relocate to Iraq over Niger Delta woes

Multinational oil giant, the Royal Dutch Shell, may relocate to other countries such as Iraq to counter lost oil production in Nigeria, after raising its investment spending targets for the year.

The United Kingdom’s Daily Telegraph newspaper reports that Shell’s chief E.x.e.cutive, Jeroen van der Veer, said the multinational company would spend up to $36 billion (18 billion pounds sterling) on drilling and acquisitions this year. His comments came as he unveiled a 33 percent rise in second-quarter net profits to $11.6bn, boosted by record crude prices. The performance lifted first-half profits 41% to $20.1bn pre-tax, on revenue up from $84.9bn last year to $131.4bn.

Van der Veer also raised Shell’s target for asset sales by $1bn to $5bn. The company’s output has taken a hit in recent years, after it was forced to sell control of its stake in Russia’s Sakhalin-2 venture and continuing attacks in Nigeria, which made it lose 195,000 barrels a day in the second quarter.

This week, Shell suspended exports of Bonny Light crude after a raid. Van der Veer said, “We went through a difficult period in Russia a couple of years ago, but have a long term vision there and intend to continue to play a part in the country.

“In terms of Nigeria, we have a high appreciation of all of our staff that work there and understand that it is a challenging situation. We will look to go into countries with an acceptable, fiscal risk. For example, our progression in Iraq is subject to the security situation, but we are keen to make progress there. Nothing is signed yet, as many of the details take time to work out, but we are in active negotiations.”

The company is also looking to complete the acquisition of Duvernay Oil Corporation for about $5.8m, including the assumption of debt, to expand gas output in Canada, which is currently subject to regulatory approval. Van der Veer, who is due to leave his post in July next year, would not be drawn on the company’s succession plan or current oil prices.

The Punch: Shell may relocate to Iraq over Niger Delta woes

This article comes from a website that has a very expensive membership fee - unusually this article is accessible - but was difficult to copy over. Dated 25th July 2008

Iraq: The Sunni Agenda

Tarek al-Hashemi, the head of the Iraqi Islamic Party, holds the highest Sunni political position in the current political setup as vice president and plays a major role in determining which way Sunni politics go. His most recent achievement is negotiating the return of Sunni ministers to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government this week, after a boycott that lasted for almost a year over differences on security policies. But challenging issues lie ahead for the minority Sunnis in the current transitional postwar and pre-full-independence period, including: disputes over the northern oil hub of Kirkuk, claimed by the Kurds and Arabs; efforts by Shiites to establish a semi-independent region in southern Iraq, home to the country's giant oil fields; and a possible withdrawal of US troops, which they fear will boost Iran's support to Shiites.

"I am in favor of a scheduled US troop withdrawal from Iraq over an agreed period of time, during which Iraq should be cleansed of all militias and the Iraqi army should be built up," al-Hashemi told Energy Compass last week in his tightly secured office inside the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad. "Our ultimate objective is to see all foreign troops out of Iraq as soon as possible, but first we have to ensure that we have a capable military power with national allegiance. The timeline is dependant on the time needed to have our forces ready, which is a decision to be made by the army leadership in relation to its ability to ensure internal security and protect Iraq against external threats," he added. Iraqi officials told Energy Compass that the Iraqi government is pushing for a 2010 timeline for withdrawal, while the US has been insisting on 2013 (EC Jul.18,p13). Al-Hashemi abstained from expressing a preferred date.

The national allegiance issue refers to Sunni apprehension of Iranian influence in collusion with Iraqi Shiites. Sunni Arabs were the biggest losers when the regime changed in 2003, opening the way for the majority Shiites to run the country for the first time in modern Iraqi history. With Tehran moving in full force to back fellow Shiites in Iraq and neighboring Sunni Arab regimes abstaining from engaging with the new political forces in power, Sunni Arabs in Iraq chose a course of action that on one hand tried to fight the new status quo through insurgency against US forces and successive Shiite-led administrations, and on the other hand led to a boycott of the political process. That included the January 2005 vote for an interim parliament and the drafting of the constitution and the referendum that ratified it. But they voted in strength in the December 2005 parliamentary elections and won 58 seats in the 275-member assembly.

A major turning point took place in late 2006, when Sunni Arab tribal leaders decided to take a stand against al-Qaeda's indiscriminate killing of civilians and joined forces with the US military to expel the group from their provinces, starting with their stronghold in Anbar in western Iraq, and then in other areas. Now, with the return of the six ministers of the National Accordance Front, the main Sunni block in which Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic Party plays a major role, to the cabinet and taking the second position of a deputy prime minister -- the first being held by a Kurd -- they are gearing up for the upcoming political battles that they see as determinants in safeguarding the unity of Iraq despite the federal political system agreed by all.

"I don't have anything against granting regions more freedoms, and I support decentralization, but Iraq is in need of a strong centralized government. Federalism should be based on the administrative requirements of the state -- not on ethnic and sectarian foundations. Anything else would lead to the division of Iraq and the end of it as a state," al-Hashemi said. He rejects the Shiite argument for a southern region similar to the Kurdish region in the north and says this will push Sunnis to declare their own region as well, which would be a de facto division of the country into three mini-states of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.

The establishment of a southern region would grant Shiites control over the bulk of Iraq's oil fields, which include giants such as Rumaila, Majnoon and Nahr bin Umar. Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani told Energy Compass in Baghdad last week that his ministry is forging ahead with setting up a new regional oil company in Missan province in southeastern Iraq. It will be followed by another regional company in Thi Qar governorate, also in southern Iraq, once the governorate's oil fields are producing enough. Iraqi oil experts in Baghdad warn of granting each governorate its own oil company and its own oil fields at a time when disputes continue over whether the much-delayed draft oil and gas law should give more power to the regions or to the federal government.

Oil Spats

Al-Hashemi says the ongoing disputes over the draft oil and gas law between Baghdad and the Kurdish region have their roots in differences over the constitution, which he says was drafted and voted on hastily. "Our view is that the differences over the oil and gas law will remain as long as the constitution is not amended with regards to the authorities it grants the regions at the expense of the central government," he adds.

The Arab-Kurdish dispute over Kirkuk flared up this week when the Iraqi parliament passed a provincial elections bill paving the way for a new poll, originally planned for October, which is expected to integrate Sunnis further into the system. The bill singles out Kirkuk among the country's 18 provinces for postponement of elections and states that each ethnic or sectarian group gets a set allocation of seats and that voting is between individual candidates from those groups. The Kurds boycotted the vote, and the three-member presidency council ultimately vetoed the legislation.

Ahead of the vote on the bill, which was later vetoed by the presidency council, al-Hashemi insisted that "Kirkuk is an Arab province whether they [Kurds] like it or not. There is no national consensus over a solution to this dispute, and that's why Kirkuk has to be treated differently from other provinces." The constitution stipulated that a referendum on Kirkuk be held by the end of 2007 to decide whether to integrate it and its giant oil field into the autonomous Kurdish region, but that vote was delayed after UN intervention.

http://www.energyintel.com/documentd...ment_id=236218