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

And another........

Rice says priority for Iraq is capacity building

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today that the international community's priority for Iraq is not financial assistance, but capacity building.

"The Iraqis don't need large sums of money. They do need large infusions of technical assistance, project support, helping to build an adequate police force, helping to build an adequate justice system, helping to build a capacity to ****ute their large budgets, down to the provincial and local levels," Rice told reporters after meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

"Iraq is increasingly a functioning state. The question is: can it be a capable and functioning state?" asked Rice, who is in Stockholm for an international conference on Iraq later today.

Rice's comments echoed an Iraqi government report prepared for the so-called Iraq Compact review conference.

The 75-page report, prepared by Iraq's finance and development ministries, said Iraq has enough economic resources – oil and natural gas reserves – and that the country does not require extensive financial assistance.

It asked for development partnerships and technical assistance instead.

Rice called for more efforts from the international community to help Iraq with capacity building.

"Now that the security situation is improving, I would hope the international community would accelerate efforts to help make Iraq a capable state," she said.

The review conference is the first international gathering on Iraq following the International Compact with Iraq conference in Egypt a year ago.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, as well as delegations from some 90 countries, will attend the one-day conference.

Rice says priority for Iraq is capacity building -- Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 -- English Window to China News

Iraq and Egypt agree to establish joint investment cooperation

INTERNATIONAL. Iraq and Egypt have agreed to establish joint investment cooperation between Iraqi and Egyptian businessmen, to support the investment process between the public and private sectors. A report by Iraq Directory said that the initiative will include ten members of the Egyptian side and the same number of Iraqis.

Riyad Ghareeb, Minister of Municipalities and Public Works and head of the Iraqi investment delegation visited Egypt last week and said that this cooperation was formed after the delegation met with Egyptian and Iraqi businessmen, the Governor of Cairo, the Egyptian Investment Minister, the Egyptian Minister of Works and Municipalities in addition to many Egyptian officials and businessmen from the public and private sectors in Iraq.

He pointed out that the delegation included the Minister of Housing and Construction, Head of Investment Authority, seven governors of central and southern Iraq and a number of Iraqi businessmen to get acquainted with the Egyptian market.

The visit was instructed by Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, to activate the role of Arab investment in Iraq and to make 2008 the year of investment in Iraq.

Ghareeb explained that the delegation had reached several agreements, in addition to the establishment of the cooperation that will give the best start to investing in Iraq.

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?c=3&cg=3&t=1&id=20826

Iraqi prime minister: National reconciliation nearly complete

Iraq's prime minister says economic and security progress shows that reconciliation between the nation's feuding factions is close to being completed.

Nouri al-Maliki says that does not mean that "everyone gets an equal piece of the pie but it means that one must show a commitment for a unified, democratic Iraq."

Al-Maliki spoke to reporters in Stockholm on Friday.

His Shiite-dominated government is under pressure to show progress in reconciliation among the country's Sunni Arabs, Shiites and Kurds. Iraq's Sunni Arab minority has long felt it is being sidelined by the majority Shiites and the Kurds, who dominate the Iraqi parliament and al-Maliki's government.

Iraqi prime minister: National reconciliation nearly complete - USATODAY.com

Swedish to reopen Baghdad embassy

As Sweden announced plans to reopen its Baghdad embassy later this year, Iraq's prime minister also called for Iraqi refugees to return to their former homeland.

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt revealed the news in a press conference after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Friday.

The embassy is to open just outside the heavily armed Green Zone, near the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. At present, Swedish ambassador Niclas Trouvé lives in Jordan's capital city of Amman but frequently travels to Baghdad for work.

During the press conference, Iraq's prime minister let it be known that he hoped many Swedish-Iraqis would return to their former homeland.
"More than anything, we want Iraqis to return. We want our country's talent and competence to return," he said.

The Malaki-government is currently working on a strategy to set aside resources to prepare for Iraqi refugees from all over the world who choose to return of their own free will.

He expects tens of thousands will make the move and intends to give them privileges.

During the conference Reinfeldt pointed out that around one percent of Sweden's population have Iraqi roots.

The Iraqi PM is in Sweden to build lasting relationships with Swedish companies such as Volvo and Scania. The two companies used to be active in Iraq and Maliki hopes to sign an agreement with them shortly.

The Iraqi delegation met Swedish Minister for Trade Ewa Björling and representatives from 18 Swedish companies, including Volvo, Tetra Pak, ABB and Scania on Friday.

The Local - Swedish to reopen Baghdad embassy

Talibani: Nasrallah has no right to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs

Iraqi President Jalal Talibani called on Hezbollah Secretary General not to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs.

“Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah does not have the right to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs, as we have not interfered in Lebanon’s affairs,” Talibani said after meeting with heads of Iraqi dailies and newspapers.

“Iraq is an independent country and is the cradle of civilization. All those preaching Jihad and patriotism have learned from us,” he added.

“Najaf has graduated militants and Shia clerics, and it is not acceptable that students impose their opinions on their teachers,” Talibani noted, referring to Nasrallah’s speech on May 25 in which he tackled the issue of the resistance in Iraq.

Lebanon news - NOW Lebanon :: If not now, when -Talibani: Nasrallah has no right to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs

Update.......

Korea is invited to contribute to the reconstruction and training Iraqi staff

Vice President, Tariq Al-Hashimi, called on South Korea to contribute seriously to the reconstruction and to enter the Iraqi market quickly, as well as help in training and developing Iraqi cadres working in all state institutions.

A statement by the Vice President's Office, said that Al-Hashemi met in his office in Baghdad on Monday Ha-gen-Hu the South Korean ambassador to Iraq. The statement said that Al-Hashemi, "urged Seoul Government to contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq and Korean companies to enter the Iraqi market quickly, in addition to open training courses in order to develop Iraqi cadres working in all state institutions to promote their performance and efficiency in managing the economic progress in the projects of reconstructing the country."

The statement pointed out that Korean Ambassador, "invited, at the conclusion of the meeting, the Iraqi Vice President to visit South Korea; the invitation was accepted thankfully, and its date to be determined later."

The statement quoted the Korean Ambassador as saying after the meeting, "a discussion was held over the reconstruction projects, the invitation of Korean companies to contribute to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure and the development of Iraqi experience in many areas."

Korea is invited to contribute to the reconstruction and training Iraqi staff | Iraq Updates

Iraqi National Front to be announced soon - INL

A leader from the Iraqi National List (INL) said on Friday that the Iraqi National Front (INF) would be announced soon, with the participation of some political figures inside and outside the parliament.

“Some political figures expressed readiness to join the new front, including member of the Fadhila party, Nadim al-Jaberi, Head of the Arab bloc for the National Dialogue, Saleh al-Mutlaq, former Sadrists and member of a national association,” Usama al-Negiefi told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI).

Al-Jaberi had said last Tuesday that he is forming with political and intellectual figure a new political front with an initiative from Head of the INL Iyad Allawi to “save Iraq from the current crisis.”

INL, a secular parliamentary list led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, holds 19 of the parliament's 275 seats, withdrew from the government last August, citing problem with government as a reason for its pullout.

“The INF will be announced in a general conference and a number of committee were formed in preparations for the new front,” al-Negiefi added.

Aswat Aliraq

I lack the computer skills to post an article which appeared in today's Washington Times by Austin Bay. It outlines progress under democracy in Iraq for the last two years. I found it helpful and hopeful as well. Perhaps someone more computer literate than I can post it.

Also, I'd like to thank the admin people for working so hard to keep our site out of trouble.

Stik

Dinar sites seem to be under relentless attack by unknown source, not known if this a prelude to other events, situation unclear.

Originally Posted by CROW

Dinar sites seem to be under relentless attack by unknown source, not known if this a prelude to other events, situation unclear.

Perhaps this is the overture, act 1 being set behind the curtain