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

Zebari: Iraq is still Studying the Deal with U.S

In an interview with BBC correspondent, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari spoke on the deal between Iraq and U.S. and said “the situation in Iraq was different to other countries with which Washington had military agreements, because of continuing military operations.”

"There are still ongoing operations by the US army, and we need this strategic agreement before the expiration of the UN mandate. It is an Iraqi need, but it will not be open-ended", he added.

He also added “Baghdad had assured its neighbours that the deal will not go against their national interests. There is no hidden agenda. The parties discussed efforts to ensure Iraq's rights and its full sovereignty.”

“Negotiations with Washington are still under way and the protests in Iraq only demonstrated the nature of democracy. A final draft will be placed before parliament”, Zebari added.

It’s worth mentioning that influential Shiite clerics in Iraq and neighbouring Iran oppose the deal and have called it a move against their religion. They have vowed to stage protests to force the Maliki government to roll back the deal which is expected to be concluded by the end of July.

PUKmedia::: Home

President Talabani Discuses Future of Disintegrated Areas with UN’s Delegation
The Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, met with a delegation from the UN office in Baghdad on Wednesday.

President Talabani discussed the role of UN in Iraq for helping the Iraqi people, as well as the demographic changes which were made to the provincial administrative borders due to the ousted Baath regime’s policies. Talabani indicated the issue of Kirkuk and the constitutional mechanisms for implementing article 140 of the Iraqi permanent constitution, which deals with normalization of conditions in Kirkuk and the other disintegrated areas.

President Talabani showed key historical documents and decisive facts which prove the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk, where Turkmens, Arabs, Chaldeans and Assyrians are living in coexistence, emphasizing that Kirkuk should become the city of ethnic fraternity and modern coexistence among all the fractions.

The constitutional amendments and the obstacles which hinder their progress, the Iraqi provincial elections particularly in Kirkuk were also discussed during the meeting where President Talabani stressed the need for commitment to the democratic rules and laws to protect the voting rights of the people.

On their part, the delegation reiterated the UN’s support to Iraq, expressing their gratitude to President Talabani on his clear analysis about the real conditions in Iraq, particularly in Kirkuk.

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Lower demand for the dollar at daily auction

Demand for the dollar was down in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Thursday, reaching $89.220 million compared to $ 101.520 million on Wednesday.

"The demand hit $24.420 million in cash and $64.800 million in foreign transfers outside the country, all covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,197 Iraqi dinars per dollar, unchanged for the third session in a row" according to the central bank's daily bulletin which was received by Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).

The 15 banks that participated in the auction offered to sell $ 100,000, which the bank bought all at an exchange rate of 1,195 dinars per dollar.

The Iraqi Central Bank runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

PM discusses with UAE FM means to bolster diplomatic ties

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday discussed with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan means to foster diplomatic relations, a media source from al-Maliki's office said.

"Al-Maliki held today a meeting with the visiting UAE minister in Baghdad, during which they discussed ways to boost diplomatic ties between the two countries," the source, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq (VOI).

Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi government spokesman said earlier that United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday arrived on unannounced visit to Baghdad.

"Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan is expected to meet Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki," Ali al-Dabbagh told the VOI.

The Iraqi spokesman added that the one-day-visit will concentrate on resuming the U.A.E. diplomatic mission in Baghdad.

"This is the visit ever by paid by a U.A.E. minister since the toppling of the former regime (April 2003) and that the foreign minister will explore future ties between both countries and the re-opening of the Emirates embassy in Baghdad," Dabbagh concluded.

Aswat Aliraq

Trade Minister: Iraq can run by international food crisis

Trade Minister Abdul Falah Al Sudani affirmed that Iraq can outstrip the problem of lack in world food provision considering that it is a rich country. He also pointed out that the ministry contracted with 40 thousand Arab and Foreign company in order to provide food and it would support ratio-card units.

In another context, Electricity Minister in Kurdistan region affirmed that electricity problem in the region will be radically solved during the next few years and he also published electricity schedule during the summer.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Economics...od-crisis.html

Iraq Bill against Oil Smuggling Passed

A senior Iraqi lawmaker says parliament has approved a bill to combat oil smuggling.

Abdul-Hadi al-Hassani says the measure provides for stiff penalties for oil smugglers ranging from fines to imprisonment and confiscation of boats used for smuggling.

To become a law, the measure needs the signature of Iraq's three-member presidential council. Parliament approved the bill Wednesday.
Al-Hassani is the deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee on oil, gas and natural resources.

Iraq sits on the world's third-largest oil reserves, totaling more than 115 billion barrels, but the sector has been hampered by decades of neglect and lack of investment.

Iraq bill against oil smuggling passed - AP Wire > World | Bakersfield.com - Kern County news, events, shopping & search

BGR Energy Systems Bags $9.29 Mln. Contract From Iraq

Thursday, BGR Energy Systems stated that it bagged a contract for $9.29 million from State Company for Oil Projects, Baghdad, Iraq for design, engineering, manufacture and supply of 70 oil products storage tanks for new Aumara Oil products depot, Iraq. The project is to be ****uted within 12 months.

Company News Story

Iraq pays Russian Company $110 million to resume work

Iraq's ministerial council has agreed to pay $110m to the Russian company that was working on the Yousfiyya Electrical Station to cover losses the company incurred after the abandoned site was looted when its workers left in 2003.

The council has also reached an agreement with local tribesmen to provide security for the company’s workers as they return to finish work on the facility.

Yusufiyah power plant has a planned capacity of 1,600MW and has been under construction by Russian firms for over a decade. Minister of Electricity, Dr. Karim Wahid recently announced that another Russian company has agreed to undertake work on two generators with a combined capacity of 320MW and the construction of a power station in Udhaim.

He also said that his ministry is in the process of signing a contract with the unnamed Russian firm to build two generators at the Hartha Station (in southern Iraq) and for them to provide experts to restore ailing generators at other sites.

The minister added that a Qatari gas pipeline, which will supply gas to Iraq’s southern power stations in Nasiriyya, Diwaniyya, Najaf, Kerbala and Babylon, is almost complete and will be ready for operation by the end of the year.

Wahid said that his ministry continued to receive solar energy units for street lighting in public spaces and streets in the capital, Baghdad, recently taking an order for 5,000.

He said that he has urged each governorate to follow Baghdad’s example and to start to install them locally.


http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.or...ws/new1993.htm

Iraq Opens 22 State-run Companies To Investment - Official

Iraq's Industry and Minerals Ministry said Thursday it is opening 22 state-run companies to outside investment.

Deputy Minister Adel Karim said the companies are in five industrial fields: engineering, reconstruction, textiles, chemical and petrochemical and food and medicine.

Karim told reporters Iraq is looking for investors to rehabilitate and manage industrial plants according to production-sharing agreements for a negotiated period and terms.

He said investors have until July 10 to submit proposals.

Despite soaring oil revenues, Iraq still ails in public investment because of corruption and security concerns in some areas.

Iraq Opens 22 State-run Companies To Investment - Official - Middle East News

Iraq says UAE to name ambassador to Baghdad in days

The United Arab Emirates has committed to naming an ambassador to Baghdad within days, the Iraqi government said on Thursday.

The announcement came during a visit by UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nayhan, the first such trip by a chief diplomat from a Arab country in the Gulf since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

The United States has been pressing its oil-rich Sunni Arab allies in the Gulf to show more support for the Shiite-led Iraqi government by sending ambassadors to Baghdad.

Iraq says UAE to name ambassador to Baghdad in days - Middle East News