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

Ministry Put New Mechanism for Supplying Fuels

Secretariat –general of ministers council formed a common committee from oil & transport ministries to put a new mechanism for supplying the hunting boats within fuels to limit smuggling situation in Basra, while oil ministry prepared number of the producing and discovered fields to improve it leaning on oil and gas law which to hope deciding in the parliament cession soon.

Oil ministry's General inspector Abdul Kareem Lua'bi said that the processes of smuggling the fuels in Basra were done across the hunting boats which supplied with the fuels across oil ministry within subsidized prices were gathered in large quantities then to be sold in the international waters.

Ministry Put New Mechanism for Supplying Fuels | Iraq Updates

Iraq Oil Ministry: Foreign Cos Stay Away, Pipe Network At 35%

Iraq has failed to attract foreign companies due to violence and around 70% of the oil pipeline network remained idle due to sabotage and lack of repairs last year, the Oil Ministry said Tuesday.

Inspector General Abdul-Karim Elaibi, in an annual report, blamed frequent sabotage and lack of maintenance for a reduction to around 35% of the carrying capacity of the 7,500 kilometer pipeline network.

The report also said the country was also facing a decline in the output of refineries.

Since 2003, U.S. Congress has approved $46 billion to rebuild Iraq's devastated infrastructure, including oil production plants and pipelines. The expectation after the U.S. invasion had been it would take up to 18 months for Iraq to assume responsibility for reconstruction efforts, using its oil revenues.

But the Iraqi government has failed to lure international companies or even local companies to improve the ailing industry despite repeatedly launching tenders, sometimes more than 10 times for one project, Elaibi said.

No one "showed interest due to the security situation," the inspector said in his 152-page report.

"The difficult security situation has affected the oil workers and their performance," and had negative effects on production levels and development plans, Elaibi said.

In the latest act of sabotage, a bomb struck a pipeline carrying oil to refineries in southern Iraq on Friday, wounding eight oil guards and disrupting the flow of crude. Oil pipelines have frequently been targeted by insurgents or saboteurs trying to pilfer oil in the war-torn country.

Concern about the situation led Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, an Iraqi-born Shiite Muslim cleric in Lebanon, to issue a religious edict, or fatwa, banning attacks on public utilities in Iraq -- mainly the oil industry -- on March 31.

Sunni insurgents are also blamed for sabotage, especially in the north of the country.

Iraq sits on the world's third-largest oil reserves, totaling more than 115 billion barrels. But the industry lacks modern equipment and training after decades of U.N. sanctions, war and Saddam Hussein's ruinous rule.

The country has announced plans to increase its oil output to 3 million barrels a day by the end of 2008 by bringing in foreign companies, and is targeting production of 4.5 million barrels a day by end of 2013.

Meanwhile, Elaibi's report cited corruption and bureaucracy among other barriers before developing the country's oil industry.

The report said workers and employees at some oil installations were in "collaboration" with militiamen to commit "organized theft operations either by tankers or jerrycans in daylight."

Earlier this month, the Iraqi government announced plans to crack down on militiamen controlling gasoline stations and oil distribution in a new move to curb the resources of armed groups.

It is widely believed gasoline stations and distribution centers, especially in eastern Baghdad and some Iraqi southern provinces, are covertly controlled by Shiite militiamen dominated by radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. They in turn make large sums of money by selling smuggled gasoline and kerosene on the black market.

Iraq Oil Ministry: Foreign Cos Stay Away, Pipe Network At 35% | Iraq Updates

Al-Maliki Appreciates Kurdistan Leadership Stances in Iraq

Today the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki held a press conference in Baghdad in which he referred to the role of the Kurdistan leadership and their positive efforts to resolve issues.

al-Maliki said that the Kurdish leaders are committed to the promises they made, whenever they or he make a statement they have the same saying” al-Maliki told reporters.

He asked the reporters not to depend on incredible sources in covering Iraq’s developments and take the responsibility as a national duty and to resort to the journalism morals.

The Iraqi Prime Minister reiterated that those sides who want to participate in Iraq’s political process must not have armed forces, saying that only security institutions will be authorized to have arms and their cannot be two armed forces in the country.

The prime minister asked those sides which have militias to disarm their militias, stop interfering in state affairs, or face a military assault.

Al-Maliki stressed that the Iraqi government will force out the outlaws in al-Sadr city in the few coming days.

PUKmedia :: English - Home

Turkish Delegation Expected to Meet Barzani

According to CNNTurk, a Turkish delegation including the Chief Advisor to Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davudoglu, is expected to meet the KRG Prime Minister, Nechirvan Barzani, in Baghdad. The decision was made on the sidelines of the meeting of the Turkish National Security Council (MGK) held on April 24th.

As CNNTurk reported, the future relations between Kurdistan region and Turkey will be discussed while separately the delegation is expected to meet the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, and Iraqi Premier, Nuri al-Maliki amidst their visit to Iraq.

PUKmedia :: English - Home

Foreign Minister Receives Chinese Ambassador in Baghdad

Iraq Ministry Of Foreign Affairs

His Excellency Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari met with Mr. Qin Xiao Dong, the Chinese Ambassador in Baghdad this morning, 30/4/2008 on the occasion of ending his task as ambassador to the Republic of China in Baghdad. During the meeting, a number of issues of local, regional and international levels along with aspects of bilateral relations between Baghdad and Beijing were discussed.

The Minister praised the efforts of the Chinese Ambassador and his activities within the framework of developing bilateral ties of Iraqi-Chinese relations stressing the keenness of the Foreign Ministry's Government and the Iraqi leadership to continue relations between the two countries at various levels, praising what has been achieved by the two governments and stressing that the current year, which coincides with the fiftieth anniversary for establishing diplomatic relations between Baghdad and Beijing, will witness a qualitative leap in the level of relations.

The Minister explained the most important local, regional and international developments, and expressed the Iraqi government keenness to consolidate security, stability and reconstruction in the whole country according to law and the government's program on the reconstruction.

On his part, Ambassador Dong praised His Excellency the Foreign Minister and the Ministry's sponsorship for the Chinese Embassy in Iraq, stressing Beijing's keenness to develop friendship and cooperation relations between the two countries and valued Iraq's stances in supporting Beijing in all fields. The Chinese Ambassador also renewed the Chinese Foreign Minister's invitation to Minister Hoshyar Zebari to visit China in the coming period.

PUKmedia :: English - Home

Demand for dollar higher at daily auction

Demand for the dollar was up in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Wednesday, registering at $95.180 million compared to $81.895 million on Tuesday.

"The demand hit $5.050 million in cash and $90.130 million in money transfers outside the country, all covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,202 Iraqi dinars per dollar, unchanged for the 8th session in a row," according to the central bank's daily bulletin which was received by Aswat al-Iraq- Voices of Iraq- (VOI).

The 14 banks that participated in the auction offered to sell 1.200 million dollars, which the bank bought all at a rate of 1200 dinars per dollar.

Speaking to VOI, Ali al-Yasseri, a trader, said that there was an increase in remittances in toady’s session, raising the overall demand for the dollar.

Aswat Aliraq

Premier al-Maliki refuses to apologize to former Premier Allawi

Premier Nouri al-Maliki refused on Wednesday to apologize to former premier and head of the Iraqi National List, Iyad Allawi, for accusing the latter of standing behind the violent acts that took place in Najaf in 2007, during a Shiite religious occasion.

Al-Maliki considered this issue as purely "judicial."

"If there was an insult made by the Iraqi List or the head of the Iraqi List, then it is not our responsibility to apologize for it," al-Maliki said in a press conference in Baghdad as reported by Al-Iraqiya satellite channel.

"He (Allawi) must apologize, but if there was no insult, then this is not our responsibility, but rather that of the judiciary's," al-Maliki added, answering a journalists' questions.

In mid-March, lawmaker Osama al-Nujaifi of the Iraqi National List (secular parliamentary bloc) called on the government to submit "an official apology" to Iyad Allawi, after accusing him of involvement in al-Zarga events.

Al-Nujaifi explained that this is a condition for the Iraqi National List before joining any negotiations with the government that aim at restoring the Iraqi National List in al-Maliki's government.

"The head of the Iraqi National List can submit a petition to the judiciary, and a committee can be formed to re-study (the accusations), but if the case is approved, judicial measures will be taken, but if it is not approved, then the judiciary will apologize," al-Maliki said.

"It is not a political case, but a judicial issue," he asserted.

"This is the only case that the Supreme Judicial Council examined from A to Z, from investigation, decisions, to the ending, and neither the police nor cabinet intervened in this issue," al-Maliki asserted.

Aswat Aliraq

Allawi did not demand apology – Senior Iraqi List's member

Izat al-Shabandar, senior member of the Iraqi National List parliamentary bloc, said on Wednesday that Iyad Allawi, former premier and bloc's head, did not demand the government's apology regarding the accusations attributed to him concerning al-Zarga events, but Allawi demanded to reveal judicial investigations' results in this regard.

"Iraqi List's official stance is to reveal al-Zarga events investigation details, and we did not demand an apology," al-Shabandar told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

He explained that Allawi perceives his innocence of the accusations attributed to him.

Concerning the negotiations with the government, al-Shabandar said, "Negotiations are underway with President Talabani's mediation."

Earlier on Wednesday, Premier Nouri al-Maliki refused to apologize to former premier and head of the Iraqi National List, Iyad Allawi, for accusing the latter of standing behind the violent acts that took place in Najaf in 2007, during a Shiite religious occasion.

Al-Maliki considered this issue as purely "judicial."

"If there was an insult made by the Iraqi List or the head of the Iraqi List, then it is not our responsibility to apologize for it," al-Maliki said in a press conference in Baghdad as reported by Al-Iraqiya satellite channel.
"He (Allawi) must apologize, but if there was no insult, then this is not our responsibility, but rather that of the judiciary's," al-Maliki added, answering a journalists' questions.

In mid-March, lawmaker Osama al-Nujaifi of the Iraqi National List (secular parliamentary bloc) called on the government to submit "an official apology" to Iyad Allawi, after accusing him of involvement in al-Zarga events.

Al-Nujaifi explained that this is a condition for the Iraqi National List before joining any negotiations with the government that aim at restoring the Iraqi National List in al-Maliki's government.

"The head of the Iraqi National List can submit a petition to the judiciary, and a committee can be formed to re-study (the accusations), but if the case is approved, judicial measures will be taken, but if it is not approved, then the judiciary will apologize," al-Maliki said.

"It is not a political case, but a judicial issue," he asserted.

"This is the only case that the Supreme Judicial Council examined from A to Z, from investigation, decisions, to the ending, and neither the police nor cabinet intervened in this issue," al-Maliki asserted.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraqi laws delay reflect negatively on other institutions

Iraqi Parliament members clarified that blocking a number of laws namely provincial law and Oil and Gas law is due to political problematic between political parties and constitutional amendments delay which is reflecting negatively on activities of other institutions.

Iraqi laws delay reflect negatively on other institutions | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iran and US accused of sharing power in Iraq

Al Sadr Bloc spokesman in Najaf City Sheikh Salah Al Ubaidi accused Iran of working with the United Sates to share powers in Iraq. He added that Iran has agreed with the United States behind the scenes to share powers and economic resources in Iraq noting that not opposing so far the long term agreement between the Iraqi government and the United States is a proof thereof.

Iran and US accused of sharing power in Iraq | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network