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

Trade studying the establishment of specialized exhibitions on the territory of the Baghdad International Fair

The company's general manager for exhibitions of the Ministry of Commerce Saturday, Gomaa said the company very seriously considering the establishment of specialized exhibitions on the territory of the Baghdad International Fair. Gom'a in the dissemination of a press statement today, Tuesday, that the aim of establishing Thus exhibitions is to activate the economic and commercial activity and the directions the government in reconstruction. It should be noted that this step and other steps come after the announcement of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that the year two thousand and eight will be a year of reconstruction and Estmar and openness on Iraq Surrounding Arab states.

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

Trade Bank of Iraq organize an Exhibition in November in the next
The aim of promoting and upgrading economic activity in the country

Company plans for public exhibitions of the Ministry of Trade Bank of Iraq mount an exhibition in Baghdad. The director said the company collected Saturday in a press statement that the company is considering very seriously the establishment of specialized exhibitions on the ground of Baghdad international exhibitions aim to activate economic and commercial activity and the directions the government in reconstruction.

He added that in light of plans of the Ministry and its future directions, the intention is to establish Iraq's international exhibition of a period of 10 15 November next, under the slogan "workshop of international cooperation for reconstruction and investment," especially after the great success achieved by the exhibition industry and the first national trade mounted in the ground exhibition of Baghdad Bank during last May with support from Trade Minister Dr. Abdullah Hassan Sudanese farmer.

He explained Friday that the first thing demonstrated experience a positive impression of a successful plans for the organization and installation of specialized exhibitions in future, therefore, the intention is to establish "Iraq International Fair" that separates a group of international business company in coordination with the Iraqi opposition and the participation of concerned ministries, stressing that the exhibition coincides with the announcement Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in 2008 "year of investment" and the opening of Iraq to the Arab Surrounding

The International where many countries expressed their desire to enter and invest in promising Iraqi market. In this framework, announced Friday that the ministry addressed the embassies and consulates abroad to approach States and specialized international companies to participate in the exhibition, where it was creating all the necessary requirements, the Iraqi media hotels and transportation for the reception of delegations and provide full comfort to them, explaining that many of the chambers of commerce and international companies Prestigious declared interest in participating, including the Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Lebanese Industry and Agriculture.

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

The scene raises the parliamentary session tomorrow to Wednesday

The Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud scene to lift the parliamentary session on Wednesday, after unable to reach any agreement on the law of provincial council elections.

He was scheduled to be presented at today's meeting the election law and the supplementary budget to a vote, but the continuing disagreements over the organization of elections in Kirkuk prevented that.

The parliamentary source close to the Kurdistan Alliance bloc in an interview with "Uzmatik", today, Tuesday, that "the scene met with heads of parliamentary blocs, and then decided to adjourn the meeting tomorrow, hoping to reach the satisfaction of all parties on holding the elections in Kirkuk."

The source added that the Kurdistan Alliance bloc had approved the latest proposal put forward by the United Nations and the judge to postpone elections in the city of Kirkuk to a maximum of the end of next year, to be approved a special law to organize the elections in Kirkuk during a period of up to the end of this year. "

The MP for the Coalition of Kurdistan, Abdul Bari, who is revealed in an interview with "Uzmatik", earlier in the day, on "the United Nations to provide a new proposal contains a postponement of elections in the city of Kirkuk for up to the end of next year, and the continuing discussions in the Iraqi parliament to formulate a law regulating Elections in Kirkuk, but no later than the end of this year 2008, as well as the continuation of the governorate of Kirkuk current performance of his duties in full, until the organization of elections in the city, where the audit records to determine demographic abuses that occurred before and after in 2003, in addition to the emphasis on the need to respect All articles of the Constitution relating to the city of Kirkuk, including Article 140. "

It is noteworthy that the Iraqi parliament had voted, in the twenty-second month of last July, the approval of the provincial council elections law, which reversed the presidency one day after the approval, at the meeting raised a lot of controversy between the parliamentary blocs to vote because of their dependence overt and covert some of the paragraphs of the law , Which led to the withdrawal of the Kurdistan Alliance bloc of the meeting in protest against the method of voting.

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Spokesman for the plan to impose civil law: the allocation of three billion dollars to rebuild Baghdad until 2010

The scale of civil behalf of a plan to impose law in the Iraqi capital Baghdad to improve Shaykhli "for an amount of three billion dollars for reconstruction and development of infrastructure of the capital, which include Almjsrat, roads and water and sewage networks."

Shaykhli said in a press conference in Baghdad, today, Tuesday, "The Iraqi government allocated for the next three years the amount of one billion dollars each year for the reconstruction of Baghdad that are still on the same designs planned 25 years ago, despite the large population increase, which occurred in them".

He added Shaykhli "The first steps for reconstruction started during the current year, although there is considerable expansion in the D-water systems to cover larger areas of the capital, as well as to sustain and increase the sewage system in areas served, which shares hit 79% of the suburbs of Baghdad, which has an area 900 square kilometers. "

Between Shaykhli in an interview with "Uzmatik", "The government has opened the door of investment for foreign companies to build infrastructure projects in the capital, as well as projects with recreational and nature tourism."

He Shaykhli "The most important projects where work will begin during the current year is to build Almjsrat settle jams in the streets of Baghdad, which reached a peak because of improved security in the city with a population ranging between 5.5 - 7 million people."

The Shaykhli "that the government had decided some land acquisition and the role that fall within the scope of projects to be implemented and compensating the owners," asserting "direct action disbursement of compensation to the owners role within the project Almjsr approaching a bridge link between Mohammed Qasim in the Rusafa side, which is scheduled to pass over the area Alaazemih Related to the bridge connecting Ateef. "

Shaykhli said, "The establishment of a large five-star hotels, parks and recreation clubs in different parts of the capital, and develop the existing, occupied a large part of the plan aimed at returning the civilized face of a civilian Baghdad, which has suffered from mismanagement over the past years."

The Shaykhli "The government is seeking in earnest to reach the point where every Iraqi citizen has a special flat", noting that "the first building blocks to implement a number of housing projects started in the areas of gazelle and the rational and east of Nahrawan."

Shaykhli pointed out that "the Eastern Channel, which is located, including Sadr City and characterized by high population density will be part of a project in ten years, which means the allocation of ten billion for the next ten years to develop."

It is noteworthy that the improvement of security that was evident in the general areas in Iraq, especially Baghdad after the implementation of government troops backed by force multinational security operations against large bands of armed militias and encouraged the Iraqi government to start reconstruction campaign in the general areas of the capital, as it has helped to support Iraq's position in Invite foreign companies to invest and work in Iraq, pledged his government protection of these companies and provide all facilities to them.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

GAO: Iraq could have $79 billion budget surplus

The Iraqi government could end this year with as much as a $79 billion cumulative budget surplus, based largely on ever-increasing oil revenues, congressional auditors say.

A report by the Government Accountability Office made public Tuesday prompted renewed calls from senators that Baghdad pay more of the bill for its own reconstruction, which has been heavily supported with U.S. funds.

The projected Iraq surplus, including unspent money from 2005 through 2008, has been building because of rising world oil prices, increasing Iraqi oil production, the government's inability to ****ute budgets for spending its money and persistent violence in the country, the GAO said.

The report was requested by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"The Iraqi government now has tens of billions of dollars at its disposal to fund large-scale reconstruction projects," Levin said in a statement. "It is inexcusable for U.S. taxpayers to continue to foot the bill for projects the Iraqis are fully capable of funding themselves."

"It is time for the sovereign government of Iraq, using its revenues, expenditures and surpluses, to fully assume the responsibility to provide essential services and improve the quality of life for the Iraqi people," Warner said.

The GAO said Iraq had an estimated cumulative budget surplus of about $29 billion from 2005 to 2007 and could have another surplus of up to $50 billion this year.

The expected surplus could be lower if Iraq passes stalled legislation for a $22 billion supplemental budget for 2008 _ and if the government then e.x.e.cutes the budget.

But the report noted oft-repeated factors holding the government back on its spending plans.

"First ... (the) relative shortage of trained budgetary, procurement and other staff with the necessary technical skills as a factor limiting the Iraqi government's ability to plan and ****ute its capital spending," the GAO said, adding that a second problem is the government's weak accounting systems.

"Third ... violence and sectarian strife remain major obstacles to developing Iraqi government capacity," it said.

The report also estimated that this year Iraq could generate $67 billion to $79 billion in oil sales. Other U.S. officials previously had said they expected the oil windfall to be about $70 billion.

"This substantial increase in revenues offers the Iraqi government the potential to better finance its own security and economic needs," the GAO said.

Since 2005, the United States has funded a number of efforts to teach civilian and security ministries how to effectively e.x.e.cute their budgets.

The efforts included programs to advise and help Iraqi government employees develop the skills to plan programs and to effectively deliver government services such as electricity, water and security.

washingtonpost.com

I think i posted something about this yesterday - but if not ......

Iraq Moves on Akkas Early Production Plan

Summary
Iraq's North Oil Co. (NOC), one of 15 state firms affiliated with the oil ministry, has invited bids for drilling, completion and workover of a number of wells in the Akkas gas field, in western Iraq, and in the East Baghdad oil field in the center of the country, according to an announcement on NOC's website.........

Iraq Moves on Akkas Early Production Plan

Iraq resumes oil exports to Turkey

Iraq resumed shipping oil through its northern pipe-line to Turkey early yesterday at a rate of 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), two high level officials from Turkey's pipeline company Botas told Reuters.

The flow through the pipeline to Turkey stopped on Monday for an unknown reason.

The line is Iraq's secondary export route, transporting crude from the northern fields around Kirkuk to the Turkish Mediterranean oil terminal at Ceyhan.

Iraq ships most of its exports through its main export terminal at Basra, which handles about 1.6 million bpd.

Around 750,000 barrels of Iraqi oil was in storage at Ceyhan yesterday, a shipping agent said.

A ship was waiting to berth to load a million barrels for Italian refinery ENI, the agent added.

The pipeline to Turkey was pumping at around 300,000 bpd before the stoppage.

The export route was plagued by sabotage and technical problems after the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Tighter security has allowed Baghdad to increase the flow during the past year.

Turkey suspended oil shipments from Iraq through the pipeline temporarily due to an unpaid debt in July.

Gulfnews: Iraq resumes oil exports to Turkey

Iraqi Parliament to Vote on the Elections Law Today

It is decided that the Iraqi Parliament will vote today on the Provincial Elections law, which was issued on July 22nd and was rejected by the Presidency Council.

The Parliament held 3 sessions during the past days and failed to issue the law, because of the disagreement on Article 24 of the law that concerns the elections in Kirkuk Province.

It’s worth mentioning that the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi Coalition, Iraqi Islamic Party, Islamic Union and People’s of Iraq Conference Parliamentarian blocs requested yesterday to carry out the elections this year. They also insisted on voting on the law today.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi Parliament to Vote on the Elections Law Today

Iraqi Parliament Passes Complimentary Budget for 2008, Postpones Provincial Elections Bill

The Iraqi parliament on Wednesday passed the Iraq’s complimentary budget for 2008, which is about $22 billions, Iraqi lawmaker from the united Iraqi alliance bloc, Rashid al Azawi, told PUKmedia.

Regarding the Iraqi provincial elections law he said that voting on the bill has been postponed until half an hour.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi Parliament Passes Complimentary Budget for 2008, Postpones Provincial Elections Bill

Abadi: consensus on the wording of the legislation of a special law that the elections in isolation from the Kirkuk provincial elections law

His leadership in the Dawa Party member of Parliament from the coalition list of common Haider Abadi, "The political blocs reached a compromise formula is, in the creation of a special law Kirkuk Governorate Council elections in isolation from the district councils election law, because of the special situation that characterizes the Kirkuk governorate."

The Abadi, during a press conference held in Baghdad today, Wednesday, afternoon, that the "proposal provides for the creation of a special law to elections in the governorate of Kirkuk, with the end of the month of October next, while maintaining the conditions of preservation as it is now, and to review the voter registry, The emphasis on holding elections later in Kirkuk in the light of the new agreement. "

The leadership in Kurdistan Alliance, Mahmoud Othman said in an interview with "Uzmatik" Earlier today, Wednesday, that the Kurdistan Alliance "and agreed to give written guarantees for the Arabs and Turkmen included in the electoral law to be voted on at today's meeting."

Abadi said "the approval of the Kurdistan Alliance, submitted the proposal made considerable progress in ongoing negotiations to pass an election law provincial assemblies due to the refusal of any alliance earlier proposal in this regard", he said.

Abadi pointed out that "the United Nations High Commission for Elections confirmed categorically to the House of Representatives, that if legislation is not the election law before the end of the summer parliamentary recess, there would be no elections this year."

Abadi added that "the High Commission for the elections will not be able to create Supplies elections due to the passing of the bill who has not completed discussions on it until now, which in the case of approval UNHCR begins its preparations."

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/bm/Politics/4320.shtml