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

Originally Posted by CROW

RoyalBeluga! Cool off speculation? Limit flow of info? I don't know Beluga, but it's not good! CROW

If they are going to do or have done something not good, for us speculators, why bother to limit the flow of info? In case we sell? lol

Trade on agenda of talks between Swedish and Iraqi Premiers

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt met Friday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a day after a UN- Iraq conference on Iraq's efforts to improve security, human rights and economic development. Echoing the declaration adopted by almost 100 countries at Thursday's follow-up meeting on the International Compact for Iraq (ICI) launched a year ago, Reinfeldt said "notable progress has been made."

During their talks, the two premiers also discussed the need for investments and trade, they told a joint news conference.

Reinfeldt said there were "close ties" between the two countries despite the geographical distance between them, noting that "1 per cent of the Swedish population (of 9 million) is of Iraqi origin."

Iraqi refugees were welcome to return to Iraq, al-Maliki said, adding that his government "has a clear strategy to which funds have been earmarked for the voluntary return" of those who fled.

During the UN-Iraq conference, Baghdad said it had allocated 195 million dollars for refugees and displaced persons.

Al-Maliki said Iraq needed technology and equipment for its agriculture sector, transport and hospital construction, saying these were potential business opportunities for blue-chip companies like Volvo and Scania as well as Swedish construction firms.

Trade Minister Ewa Bjorling, who met members of the Iraqi delegation, said she planned to visit Iraq with a trade delegation later this year.

Asked about the sizeable number of refugees from Christian minority groups, al-Maliki underlined his government's aim to be inclusive and protect all groups "regardless of sectarian affiliation."

Trade on agenda of talks between Swedish and Iraqi premiers : Europe World

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Kurdish MP says differences over Kirkuk caused delay in other laws

The political powers' differences over the city of Kirkuk have contributed to a great extend to the delayed adoption of other draft laws inside the Iraqi parliament, a Kurdish legislator said on Friday.

"Having the issue of Kirkuk and other disputed areas pending and without radical solutions is not acceptable today. These differences have become a stumbling block before the parliament to pass some laws," Mohsen al-Saadoun, a member of the Iraqi parliament from the Kurdistan Coalition (KC), told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

Saadoun, whose KC is the second largest bloc with 55 seats out of the Iraqi parliament's 275, appealed to the UN to intervene to end this dispute peacefully in a way that would guarantee everyone's rights.
"The Kurdish parties do not plan to control the oil-rich city. All groups in the city are full-fledged partners in its riches," stressed Saadoun.

Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to normalization in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turcomans, Christians, Arabs and Assyrians.

Kurds seek to include the city into the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Muslims, Turcomans and Shiites oppose the incorporation. The article stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad.

The article also calls for conducting a census to be followed by a referendum to let the inhabitants decide whether they would like Kirkuk to be annexed to the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region or having it as an independent province.

These stages were supposed to end on December 31, 2007, a deadline that was later extended to six months.

The former regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had forced over 250,000 Kurdish residents to give up their homes to Arabs in the 1970s, to "Arabize" the city and the region's oil industry.

Aswat Aliraq

Originally Posted by RoyalBeluga

If they are going to do or have done something not good, for us speculators, why bother to limit the flow of info? In case we sell? lol

It's not good to limit info, but something good could happen we just don't know.

Great info seaview keep it coming brother I like all the good news coming out.

Iraq FM unsatisfied about Arab participation

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hosheyar Zebari expressed disappointment towards the participation of Arab countries mainly Gulf countries in International Stockholm Conference. Zebari told Reuters that Arab presence was satisfying however ministerial representation was not sufficient hinting indirectly to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. While he noted that weak participation does not demean the importance of the conference, he added that any country in the world seeks to have such political, diplomatic and international support.

Zebari noted that the majority of parties believe progress has been made in Iraq while fears of civil or sectarian war is unjustified noting that the conference is crucial to boost Iraq reconstruction efforts.

Though disappointed about Arab participation in the conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister stressed that Iraqi Government is determined to achieve its goals with the cooperation of the international community.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News...icipation.html

CIA chief sees 'near strategic defeat of al-Qaeda in Iraq'

Michael Hayden, US Central Intelligence Agency director, sees the terrorist network al-Qaeda as on the run in Iraq and the Arabian peninsula and losing support across the Muslim world, in an interview published Friday by the Washington Post. After two full years on the job, Hayden in the Post interview voiced concern that resolve against international terrorism is waning due to a sense of safety that has returned, nearly seven years after the attacks against New York and Washington that killed 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

But the US-led effort against Osama fugitive Saudi terrorist leader bin Laden's loosely knit organization is succeeding, Hayden argued.

"On balance, we are doing pretty well," he told the Post.

"Near strategic defeat of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Near strategic defeat for al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. Significant setbacks for al-Qaeda globally - and here I'm going to use the word 'ideologically' - as a lot of the Islamic world pushes back on their form of Islam."

US and other intelligence experts believe that bin Laden is most likely hiding in remote, mountainous areas along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But other top al-Qaeda operatives have been located and killed frequently by US military or intelligence forces.

"The ability to kill and capture key members of al-Qaeda continues, and keeps them off balance - even in their best safe haven along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border," Hayden said.

CIA chief sees 'near strategic defeat of al-Qaeda in Iraq' : US World

Iraq Compact Review Conference ends with 'new hope'

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that there is new hope that the people and Government of Iraq are overcoming daunting challenges and working together to rebuild their country, after years of war, dictatorship and neglect.

He made the remark at the one day annual review conference of the International Compact with Iraq which was held in Infra City outside Stockholm.

Stockholm final declaration was adopted

In a final declaration, the government of Iraq invited international partners to invest in the future of Iraq and presented its initiative for intergration with the regional and global economy.

The conference welcomed Iraq's six point proposal for a Partnership for Development which includes a co-financing mechanism for new programmes undertaken with international partners and Iraq's adoption of the OECD's Paris Principles on Aid Effectivenss. Iraq has joined the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and endorsement of UN Conventions on Anti-Corruption and Torture, says the declaration.

Participants affirmed their support for the Compact and encourage the Government of Iraq to improve its investment environment including passing necessary legislation. Creditors external to the Paris Club were encouraged to consider resolving outstanding debts to Iraq on Paris Club or similar terms.

Participants agree that issues of human development, human rights, reconstruction and economic governance were identified as vital areas of mutual interests over the next year.

They urge the Iraqi government to further consolidate progress in rule of law, promoting human rights, advancing national dialogue and reconciliation.

Participants also reiterated their commitment to support Iraq in their efforts to build a united, federal and democratic country. They also agree to meet every year to have a review on mutual progress and future priorities.

Iraq calls for cancelation of debts and sanctions amid progress

According to Iraqi Prime Minister Noori Kamil Al-Maliki's statement, Iraq has made progress in integrating larger participation in decision-making, enforcing security and stability as well as imposing the rule of law, making economic reforms and increasing people's income.

The International Compact with Iraq was launched last May in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

It is a five year development plan for Iraq with the support from the International Community.

A report titled A New Beginning -the annual review of progress 2007-2008 states that the security environment in Iraq has improved due to a combination of military and political initiatives. The growing public confidence in security has also led to increased domestic consumption and revival of local business across Iraq. Iraq has also ratified the UN Convention on Anti-Corruption.

According to IMF comments, Iraq's economic development is remarkable. It has reduced its inflation from 36% in 2006 to 16% now.
23 billion out of 75 billion US dollars external debt burden has been settled in 2007-8 while the oil revenue is expected to be 70 billion dollars during 2008, the highest since 2004.

Unemployment number has been halved to 17%.

GDP grow rate in Iraq is expected to be at 8% this year from 1.3 % last year. Per capita income increased to 2100 dollars in 2007 from 465 dollars in 2003.

262 actions have been completed and 142 are currently being addressed, representing progress on 74% of the agreed actions.

However, according to the report, the Iraqi people continue to suffer from acts of terrorism, sectarian violence and criminality. Many endure forced displacement and human rights violations. Essential services are still sorely lacking.

Iraqi Prime Minister Al Maliki said the reason to call for cancellation of debt and UN sanctions is that Iraqi people should be liberated from the old regime and the long term sanction affected Iraqi development.

Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said nevertheless, Iraq is not a poor country. It is rich in oil resources. But it needs technical support, infrastructure construction and capacity building.

The Iraqi deputy Prime Minister said optimistically that ‘failure is not an option' and he hopes that next annual review conference will be held in Baghdad.

China cancelled Iraqi government's debt

Liu Jieyi, Assistant Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs said China calls for a quick buildup of Iraq's security forces so that they can assume full responsibility for Iraq's national security.

"Reconsiliation holds the key to the reconstruction process and development is the focus of the process in Iraq, " said Liu Jieyi.
China also calls on international community to continue cooperation with Iraq while respecting Iraq's sovereignty and independence.

Liu Jieyi said China has provided Iraq with a grant of 120 million yuan or 15 million US dollars in recent years. China has already cancelled debts owed by the Iraqi government. China will coordinate among Chinese enterprises to reduce or cancel the debts owed by Iraq to them according to the arrangement of the Paris Club.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised the current Iraqi government leaders and called on other countries to establish diplomatic relations with Iraq or Iraq to establish embassies in other countries. But security in Baghdad is still a great concern of neighboring and other countries.

Analysts hold that the essential issue in Iraq has great to do with the invasion and occupation of the US troops in Iraq. Without mentioning any kind of withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq, any effort seems to be hard to hold in the long run. Iraq has built up its own security forces to 600,000 while the American troops there stands at 150,000.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said "This is the first truly forward looking meeting on Iraq. "It has been looking forward, but not looking backward."

He said it demonstrates a new level of international community's efforts and engagement in Iraq and the implementation of the UN resolution 1770.

Foreign Ministers, Heads of Organizations and other high-level officials representing some 100 states and organizations met in Stockholm for the First Compact Annual Review.

Also on Thursday there were several small scale demonstrations near Infra City while local media reported that about 1000 people demonstrated in the Stockholm city center against war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/9...3/6421527.html

Kurdish MP says differences over Kirkuk caused delay in other laws

The political powers' differences over the city of Kirkuk have contributed to a great extend to the delayed adoption of other draft laws inside the Iraqi parliament, a Kurdish legislator said on Friday.

"Having the issue of Kirkuk and other disputed areas pending and without radical solutions is not acceptable today. These differences have become a stumbling block before the parliament to pass some laws," Mohsen al-Saadoun, a member of the Iraqi parliament from the Kurdistan Coalition (KC), told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

Saadoun, whose KC is the second largest bloc with 55 seats out of the Iraqi parliament's 275, appealed to the UN to intervene to end this dispute peacefully in a way that would guarantee everyone's rights.

"The Kurdish parties do not plan to control the oil-rich city. All groups in the city are full-fledged partners in its riches," stressed Saadoun.

Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution is related to normalization in Kirkuk, an important and mixed city of Kurds, Turcomans, Christians, Arabs and Assyrians.

Kurds seek to include the city into the autonomous Iraq's Kurdistan region, while Sunni Muslims, Turcomans and Shiites oppose the incorporation. The article stipulates that all Arabs in Kirkuk be returned to their original locations in southern and central Iraqi areas, and formerly displaced residents returned to Kirkuk, 250 km northeast of Baghdad.

The article also calls for conducting a census to be followed by a referendum to let the inhabitants decide whether they would like Kirkuk to be annexed to the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region or having it as an independent province.

These stages were supposed to end on December 31, 2007, a deadline that was later extended to six months.

The former regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had forced over 250,000 Kurdish residents to give up their homes to Arabs in the 1970s, to "Arabize" the city and the region's oil industry.

Aswat Aliraq