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

Originally Posted by Seaview

Well, well.........the plot thickens

Parliament: Al-Maliki signed a confidential document allows the Kurds sign oil contracts

A decision of the Commission on Iraqi oil in the parliament, Tuesday, what he called "confidential document" signed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki with President Jalal Talabani and Massoud Barzani allow the Territory Government signed oil contracts with foreign companies without reference to the central government.

But Kurdish officials denied the existence of any agreement on this matter, considering the Territory Government signed oil contracts "constitutional right".

He said Jaber Jaber Khalifa, Rapporteur of the Commission on oil and gas in the parliament he briefed during his visit to Kurdistan province, last month, "the confidential document signed between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government (in Baghdad), allows the Government's signature on oil contracts with foreign companies, in If not, pending the completion of ratification of the oil and gas from the Iraqi parliament before June of the year (2007) last. "

The Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq has concluded, last year, (15) oil contracts with foreign companies, which granted considerable privileges and tax exemptions for these companies, which was considered by the central government "big concession" to these companies, what the effects of political crisis between the two sides. Then the Ministry of Oil has decided to deprive all of those companies signed contracts to invest in other parts of Iraq.

He called Jabir, who belongs to (the Islamic Virtue Party), a Shiite party holds on (15) seats in the House of Representatives of the total (275) seats, the Iraqi government "to clarify this document", describing the statements of Minister of Oil Hussein Shahrastani, and some Iraqi officials critical of Of the oil contracts signed by the Kurds as "a media exaggerations."


MP was no t disclosed on how he obtained the document, nor who informed him it. He said that this document "signed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, and (President Kurdistan province) Massoud Barzani, over a year ago, which gives legal standing to the contracts signed by the Government of Kurdistan with foreign companies."

It also did not mention whether both Maliki and Talabani and Barzani signed the document in their official capacity current, or in their capacity as leaders of political parties.

Al-Maliki belongs to the bloc (the United Iraqi Alliance), which operates (83) seats in parliament, holding them on the parliamentary majority, which is at the same time the post of Secretary General of the Party (Islamic Call). With Jalal Talabani headed the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, headed by Barzani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, both belonged to (Kurdistan Alliance), who is (55) seats in Parliament, is the second largest parliamentary blocs.

The decision of the Commission on oil and gas in Parliament that the Kurdistan Regional Government "could not take advantage of the seriousness of these contracts (signed by), because oil is exported via main oil pipeline controlled by the central government, as well as to any contract signed between the Government of the Territory require two years to complete, It is enough time to legislate a law of oil and gas. "

The delayed approval of the House bill oil and gas, which was approved by the Government of Nouri al-Maliki and forwarded to the parliament in July last year (2007), due to strong opposition of several parliamentary and political influence of the law.

She says that the strong opposition that the project gives "concessions" unprecedented for foreign investors to establish facilities and oil refineries, and allows investing for periods of up to (50) years, and he devotes controlled territories on wealth owned both the Iraqi people.

Justifying Jaber insistence Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve outstanding problems between them and the central government on this issue, that the Government of the Territory "does not have any outlet to export oil only (port Ceyhan) oil, which passes through the Turkish territories," stressing that "it requires solving problems With the central government (in Baghdad), in order to allow them to export oil. "

For his part, denied press secretary to the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government Mosques Barzani that there be "no secret document" signed by the territorial Government with the central government, allowing the province to sign oil contracts with foreign companies.

His press secretary Mohammed Khoshnaw, the Government of the Territory "by signing contracts with foreign companies under their constitutional rights."

His "The constitution, which gives us the right to sign oil contracts, not a secret document alleged."

A spokesman for the Iraqi government to Skinner, said the beginning of May last, that the version sent to the House bill from the oil and gas "are the same as those agreed upon in February of the year (2007) last."

Skinner pointed out that the House "can be discussed (draft), or under any adjustments that might see members of Parliament."

The decision of the Committee on Oil and Gas House Jabir Khalifa Jaber said, earlier, that there is "a draft of the Law of the oil and gas from the Cabinet sent to parliament, the end of April last, which itself agreed by the Council of Ministers, in February (2007 ), And then intercepted by the Kurdistan Regional Government. "

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljeeran.net%2Feconom ic.html&sl=ar&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Interesting,

If only the capital was in Kurdistan, then we could bomb Baghdad and get rid of all these crooks who have been holding up progress. The oil minister, Shahrastani, talks tough against Kurds, but look what happens, all his big talk just went up in smoke with the stroke of a pen by Maliki. He probably used invisible ink. I knew the Kurd's would win out sooner or later, they are the only ones who care about their people and made these oil deals for the betterment of all citizens, including those in Baghdad, yet they met nothing but resistance from Shahrastani.

Originally Posted by Offshore-Wealth.com

Interesting,

If only the capital was in Kurdistan, then we could bomb Baghdad and get rid of all these crooks who have been holding up progress. The oil minister, Shahrastani, talks tough against Kurds, but look what happens, all his big talk just went up in smoke with the stroke of a pen by Maliki. He probably used invisible ink. I knew the Kurd's would win out sooner or later, they are the only ones who care about their people and made these oil deals for the betterment of all citizens, including those in Baghdad, yet they met nothing but resistance from Shahrastani.

You hit the nail on the head. Yes, Unforunately the people of Iraq endured unprecendented years of abusive rule, and now corruption in government is still the rule, and the average Iraqi is at the mercy of inept and self serving goverment officials who could care less for the good of the entire country. As I said before, you have the Kurds and then you have the Turds
messing up the country.

FistFull of Dollars

Iraqi Kurdistan Criticizes Baghdad's Oil Plans: Report

The minister of natural resources of Iraqi Kurdistan criticized the plans of the Iraqi government to award service contracts to foreign oil companies, in an interview published on Tuesday.

The central Iraqi government had been expected to sign interim service contracts on Monday but failed to strike an agreement. It said it planned to sign other long-term consultancy deals for six oil blocks next year.

The deals on offer were "likely to fail. We don't encourage these contracts," Natural Resources Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government Ashti Hawrami told the daily newsletter of the World Petroleum Congress here.

In the past year, the autonomous Kurdish government has angered Baghdad by finalising its own energy law and signing production-sharing contracts with global oil majors despite the absence of national oil legislation.

The contracts on offer from the central government are for only technical advice and consulting services and Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani said foreign groups would not get a share of the oil.

"Since when did the majors become consultants?" asked Hawrami, who told the WPC News newsletter that the contracts on offer were "lousy".

Furthermore, they would not be approved by parliament and would fail to result in the increase in oil production hoped for by Iraqis.

"Anyone sensible will not sign. If you don't have a legal framework it will end in tears," he said.

Political infighting over how oil revenues should be shared in Iraq has slowed the process of rebuilding Iraq's oil industry, which has been shattered by UN sanctions and war.

Crucially, the passing of a hydrocarbon law that aims to govern profit-sharing as well as foreign agreements has yet to be passed by the nation's parliament.

The head of British-Dutch oil company Shell said Monday that he hoped to sign a deal with Baghdad in the next few weeks.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi Kurdistan Criticizes Baghdad's Oil Plans: Report

Iraq-Japanese economic forum kicks off in Amman

The Iraqi-Japanese economic forum will start in the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday with the participation of Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi.

The forum aims to discuss means to develop oil and chemical industries, reconstruction operations in Iraq as well as encouraging the Japanese companies to take part in rebuilding the country and to find investment opportunities in Iraq.

“Iraqi Industry Minister Fawzi al-Hariri will inaugurate the two-day forum, during which Iraqi and Japanese officials will discuss means to develop oil and chemical industries and the reconstruction operation as well as the Japanese companies’ contribution within this context,” well-known sources told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI) correspondent.

“The Iraqi delegation led by Vice President Tare al-Hashemi will seek to talk with the Japanese businessmen on the increasing investment opportunities after the improvement of the security condition in the country,” the sources added.

Al-Hashemi, Japanese deputy minister of economy and a number of officials will deliver speeches in the opening ceremony of the forum.

Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi arrived in Amman on Tuesday afternoon leading an Iraqi delegation to take part in the Iraqi-Japanese economic forum on July 2-3.

The two-day forum will be attended by more than 200 participants, including the biggest Japanese companies and banks, to encourage the Japanese companies to enter the Iraqi market and contribute in rebuilding the country and rehabilitating oil, energy, and electricity sectors.

Aswat Aliraq

Stable demand for dollar in central bank auction

Demand for the dollar was stable in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Wednesday, registering at $121.770 million compared to $121.774 million on Tuesday.

"The demand hit $16.120 million in cash and $105.650 million in money transfers outside the country, all covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,195 Iraqi dinars per dollar," 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 100,000 dollars, which the bank bought all at a rate of 1,193 dinars per dollar.
The Iraqi Central Bank runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraq witnesses great diplomatic development, says FM

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Wednesday that Iraqi is witnessing a great diplomatic developments in Arabic, regional and international levels because of the political and security improvement in the country.

“The recent political and security improvement in Iraq positively affect the Iraqi diplomacy and many country expressed readiness to send ambassadors to Iraq, including the UAE,” Zebari said at a press conference in Baghdad.

“Jordanian King Abdullah II will visit Iraq soon,” he said, with no more details.

Regarding the security agreement between Iraq and the U.S., the minister said “I felt there is a misunderstanding during yesterday’s session in the parliament, we cant say now there is an agreement but there are negotiations between the two sides.”

A declaration of principles was signed between U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in December 2007. The declaration was planned to be ratified on July 31, 2008 to be effective as of January 1, 2009.

The agreement governs the U.S. forces' presence in Iraq after the year 2008. This presence currently relies on a mandate by the UN, renewed annually upon the request of the Iraqi government.

The agreement should not be effective except after endorsement by the 275-member Iraqi parliament, which comprises five political blocs, the Fadhila (Virtue) Party and the Sadrist Bloc, or Iraqis loyal to Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

Aswat Aliraq

Shahrastani: short-term contracts to benefit from higher oil prices

acknowledged Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani intention of the ministry's short-term contracts with a number of major oil companies giant pointing out that this step aims to take advantage of the rapid rise of oil prices in the global market.

Shahrastani added at a press conference in Baghdad that the purpose of concluding such contracts, which faced criticism Democrats in the U.S. Congress is to achieve a rapid increase in oil production.

Shahrastani said that the Oil Ministry felt that talking with international companies could benefit from advice and support transmission from abroad for wages paid by the ministry.

Shahrastani and pointed out that the reasons for his ministry to adopt this resolution is to take advantage of the current rise in oil prices to increase financial resources of Iraq especially since the licensing round will take about a year and a half until the middle of next year.

Shahrastani legislators attacked Democrats in the U.S. Congress who warned of the danger of concluding such contracts prior to the approval of the oil law, stressing the need for mechanisms to ensure transparency in identifying the names of these companies.

The oil minister said that these observations to keep on American oil contracts for themselves because Iraq did not need the USA nor any other, because Iraq know the higher interest than others.

Shahrastani and pointed out that they did not speak when he signed contracts participate in the production and said that he does not respect the views of opposition to these contracts.

Shahrastani and disclosure of the names of oil and gas fields which will be subject to the rehabilitation operations which North Rumaila and Zubayr, southern West Qurna field, the first phase and three fields in Maysan Albozorkan and Abu West and inside the field of Kirkuk and Bai Hassan field, crutches and Mansourieh.

Shahrastani said that the ministry would open the way for 35 oil companies to submit bids for licences education through service contracts which were selected from among 120 companies failed to qualify.

But Shahrastani is required to foreign companies winning any long-term oil contract to develop Iraqi fields to open offices in Baghdad, preferring to work with the combined companies, not individual.

Shahrastani explained that the signature on the first round of licensing with the first oil companies will be in the month of June next year in the event of acceptance of the offers made by oil companies.

Translated version of http://www.aljeeran.net/economic.html

Zebari: negotiations with Washington on the Security Agreement reached on the results of advanced

The Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari that "the negotiations by the Iraqi side with the American government to sign a convention of security between the two parties reached an advanced regarding the outcome of the disputed paragraphs in terms of the agreement."

Zebari explained in a press conference today, Wednesday, that "the Iraqi delegation, which is being negotiations with the U.S. side regarding the convention security act seriously to find amendments to the paragraphs of the Convention and formulas to be ready for signature."

Zebari added that "negotiations are under direct supervision by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the Political Council for National Security in which the representation of most of the political blocs in the Iraqi parliament" as he put it.

Zebari denied reports that spoke of the existence of secret supplements in terms of the agreement and security between Baghdad and Washington, said that "the Convention will be announced formally presented to the parliament before the Iraq signed with the American side."

The Foreign Minister of Iraq that "the positions of some political blocs around the convention security was rejected because of lack of clarity in the full picture of Dianha as well as attempts by some media talk about things not found in the roadmap."

Zebari pointed out that "the improved security situation in Iraq over the past months reflected well on the external relations of Iraq, called for a number of Arab and foreign countries to open embassies of the new headquarters in the Iraqi capital Baghdad."

Zebari disclosed about the existence of faith when the Jordanian monarch King Abdullah II to visit Iraq during the coming period, it did not disclose the date of the visit or its causes.

Recalled the Declaration on Principles had been signed between Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and U.S. President George W. Bush last December, includes security guarantees and commitments towards the Republic of Iraq, and it is expected that the Agreement shall enter into force on the first of January next year, if signed in July of this year. The three parliamentary blocs are common coalition and Iraqi Accord Front and thorax trend showed rejection to sign the agreements between the long-term security of Iraq and the United States of America, the presence of paragraphs where much of Iraqi sovereignty, according to the three blocs.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

$ 26 B Investment Budget for Current Year, Minister Says

Finance minister Baqir Al-Zubaidi, emphasized that the budget of 2008 would arrives with the complementary budget up to more than $ 70 B which would be the largest budget in the state history to reach about $ 70 B and the mentioned amount would needing to private Arabian and International effort sectors to share in building the new Iraq.

That came while Zubaidi met Omani an national economic minister Mohammad Bin Nasir al-Khasebi and the a compound delegation and attended by Dr. Ali Dabagh and finance deputy minister with number of general directors and represents of the Omani an private sector.

$ 26 B Investment Budget for Current Year, Minister Says | Iraq Updates

Era of Cheap Energy is Over, Oil Experts Say

The root causes of skyrocketing oil prices remained unclear at the World Petroleum Congress in Madrid this week, but one thing was becoming increasingly evident.

Access to "easy oil" will henceforth be "limited," as Royal Dutch Shell chief ****utive Jeroen van der Veer put it, while BP boss Tony Hayward spoke of the era of "cheap energy" being over.

The reasons for oil prices doubling within a year divided analysts at the congress bringing thousands of experts to the Spanish capital from Monday to Thursday.

"The reasons for the oil prices are a mystery," said one official from the Algerian energy group Sonatrach, while Qatari Energy Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah spoke of "strange market fluctuations."

The ongoing "oil crisis" was seen as differing from previous ones in that its causes were more complex.

Analysts attributed the soaring prices to a variety of factors ranging from the weak dollar to insufficient investments and refinery capacity, fuel taxes, the appearance of alternative energies, and conflicts such as the tension between Israel and Iran or militant attacks on oil pipelines in Nigeria.

One of the factors boosting oil prices is undoubtedly growing demand in developing countries, whose needs will amount to a quarter of todays global production within two decades, according to figures given by Fu Chengyu, president of the Chinese National Offshore Oil Corporation.

Oil company representatives and the International Energy Agency (IEA) downplayed the role of market speculators, whom producing countries and some European politicians accused of inflating prices.

Representatives of consumer countries expressed doubts over the availability of sufficient supplies, while their counterparts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said there were oil cargoes that could not find buyers.

With alternative energies still playing only a limited role, the world will remain dependent on oil for decades to come, and analysts expressed confidence that new projects in Brazil, Russia, the Gulf of Mexico and even conflict-torn Iraq would add to supplies.

Many new reserves, however, are in deep waters or other sites of difficult access, which will make oil extraction increasingly expensive, experts said.

Brazil, for instance, has "major new resources," but they are "technologically one of the most difficult" to reach, ExxonMobil chairman Rex Tillerson said.

Investment in such reserves may require a minimum oil price of up to 80 dollars per barrel to be profitable, said Christophe de Margerie, chief of the French oil company Total.

Rising oil prices have hastened inflation, sparked riots both in developing and industrialized countries, and threatened the global economy with a recessionary impact.

With oil prices unlikely to go back to the low levels seen in previous decades, such problems could persist unless consuming countries start adapting their economies to a higher inflation in the long run, European Union finance ministers warned recently.

Era of Cheap Energy is Over, Oil Experts Say | Iraq Updates