Thread: Archive Latest News - Dinar Think Tank - 27/08/08 - 15/01/09

U.S. forces begin to withdraw from the streets of Baghdad in February next

U.S. forces begin deployed in the streets of Baghdad to withdraw "gradually" and is "slow" from the streets of Baghdad, in a step to hand over full security responsibilities in the areas to Iraqi forces.

Meanwhile, the leadership in the Islamic Supreme Council that Washington would respond to the draft Iraqi during a period not exceeding 48 hours ahead. A senior source revealed exclusively told "Sabah" that some U.S. military units deployed in areas of Baghdad will withdraw to camps located outside Baghdad or in places far from the city centre, with effect from next February. He added that he hoped to complete the withdrawal of troops from the capital, according to the circumstances on the ground before next July, pointing out that these forces would be ready to implement the duties if requested by the Government Maliki assigned.

According to the article on the U.S. deployment in Iraq, according to Security Agreement to be signed between Baghdad and Washington, "withdraw U.S. combat forces from all towns, villages and towns of no more than acknowledges Iraqi security forces in which security responsibility, to be the withdrawal no later than June 30, 2009, but If the competent Iraqi authorities requested otherwise, "while" American troops would withdraw completely from the territory fighter in the history of Iraq no later than the end of 2011. In the context of similar, said Sheikh Hamid milestone leader of the Supreme Council of Islamic: that Baghdad is currently awaiting the response of the American side on the draft proposed Convention security "Sufa.

The milestone in the special permit for "Sabah" that the American response will be announced within a period not exceeding 48 hours ahead, stressing that the government is committed to that agreement includes the full sovereignty of Iraq.

He said Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in a statement last week alone took him "Assabah": that the government expects the U.S. side responded to the Iraqi draft proposal, the reservation of Iraq's sovereignty and interests of its people, pointing at the same time that members of parliament are from the Convention will decide to accept or reject.

The White House announced yesterday, about the resumption of negotiations between Baghdad and Washington in the coming days, the official source revealed to "Assabah" Recently, the negotiations stopped Security Agreement between the two countries.

He continued, Sheikh milestone: It was not presented in the event of the Convention on the Iraqi side of the Chamber of Deputies, and only with the consent of the political council, there is a trend to introduce a record agreement within the Iraq issue at the United Nations to ensure implementation of all commitments by the signatories.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

Iraq issues will be discussed at the meeting strongly Arab ministers

Started in Cairo yesterday at the Secretariat of the Arab League session of the "130" for the university council at the level of permanent delegates of Member States under the chairmanship of the University Permanent Delegate Saudi Arab League Ambassador Ahmed Abdul Aziz Qattan.

The agenda of the meeting "33" items (including five belonging to the situation in Iraq), to prepare draft resolutions and recommendations for submission to the Council meeting at the level of foreign ministers tomorrow, Monday, for approval.

Over the Ambassador Ahmad Qattan Chairman of the meeting in his opening remarks on the hope that "the return of a free Iraq as a country of civilization and harmony between races and peaceful coexistence as the country of Iraq and not any other name. He said:" We all hope of returning a new guise..Guise of freedom, democracy, justice, equality and begin a new stage, "asserting his country's support for the security and unity, integrity and independence of Iraq and its people with all its components, saying:" The Saudi Arabia is working to serve the national interests of Iraq. For his part, Ambassador Ahmed Ben Hali, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, that the issues of Iraq would be delivered forcefully in a ministerial meeting of Iraqi debt forgiveness with the Arab states and cooperation between the Tigris and the Euphrates is "Turkey, Syria and Iraq" to resolve the problem of water sharing between them.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

Al-Bayati: Autumn session of Parliament heated

Description deputy coalition consolidated Abbas Al-Bayati next autumn session of Parliament which will begin the day after tomorrow, Tuesday, as "heated dialogues and talks," on several important laws and controversial.

Al-Bayati told the "morning" that the laws will occupy the forefront of important talks and the agenda of the House of Representatives for the respect of the views of multiple and chronic differences, pointing out that most of those laws is the law of provincial assemblies and Security Agreement with the United States and the law of oil and gas and constitutional amendments in addition to the crisis of Khanaqin and government authority The central file services that some ministries did not provide basic services to citizens.

He favored to cover important laws mentioned on the overall autumn session, as it requires the coming period, intensive attendance by leaders of political blocs and parliamentarians to pass these files and laws.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives recognizes the official invitations by the Presidency of Parliament to attend the meeting in the first chapter of the new Legislative Council the day after tomorrow, Tuesday,.

His deputy Akram Fawzi Sadrist bloc, "the ninth of September approved next Tuesday, is the date for holding a hearing after the House of Representatives were invited Council members formally by the Presidency in Parliament. Terzi added in a press statement that" the current legislative debate will see the law Provincial council elections and the issue of Khanaqin, and expected adoption of several laws, including oil, gas and Security Agreement between Iraq and the United States.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

Following his meeting with Mr. de Mistura Sistani: Non-income holding elections at risk

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, a provincial council elections on schedule, to be held no later than the end of this year or early next year.

This came during a press conference held yesterday morning following a meeting of religious Repertory Mr. Ali al-Sistani in Najaf.

De Mistura said: "In my view there is no reason not to hold elections as scheduled," pointing out that there is no formula for the legislation of the electoral law.

He warned of the lack of electoral eligibility when he said: "We risk going into the illegality of the current provincial assemblies", and expressed the readiness of the international organization to help the Iraqi people, who confirmed that he has the right to express his opinion.

With regard to the issues discussed during the meeting, Mistura said: "This is the second visit of Mr. Sistani, I had the privilege of listening to his advice and ideas, as we review what the United Nations to help the Iraqi people in the area of elections, economic growth and finding solutions to the issues of disputed areas" He emphasized that he found Mr. Sistani's seriousness in working for Iraq's sovereignty, independence, stability and economic growth. "

The official added that the volitional ethnic people have suffered so much from dictatorship and the right to choose their representatives through elections, noting that the United Nations is trying to help Iraq achieve democracy.

On the view of Mr. Sistani in the case of postponing the elections, he replied de Mistura, "I will talk about the respect that I feel myself why I have refrained from talking on his behalf, and I think need to hold elections on schedule, albeit not at the end of this year in early next year."

The political blocs agreed to seek a compromise on the law of provincial council elections before the end of this month, and a pass in the parliament, to hold elections this year.

He alluded to Dr. Adel Abdul Mahdi, Vice President of the Republic yesterday, to use the old electoral law for election dues, in the case are not agreeing on a new law.

In the meantime, visited the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq's religious authority, Sheikh Mohammad Al Yacoubi at his office in Najaf asked De Mistura heard Sheikh Al Yacoubi On the subject of provincial council elections, said Al Yacoubi I do not believe in partial solutions to this problem or that they keep tinkering with temporary Soon explode other problems, but we want a comprehensive solution to the overall situation and miserable by suffocating with the country.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

Barzani: “We are ready to engage in talks with Arab and Turkmen patriots”

Kurdistan region president Massoud Barzani said that the Kurdish leadership is determined to engage in talks to address the disputed issues.

The statement came as president Barzani met today with the members of both Kurdish blocs (Kurdistan Alliance and Islamic Union) in the Iraq’s parliament in Salahadin Resort, Erbil.

He expressed his delight that both blocs have a united position and worked jointly for the best interests of Kurdish people.

He also reaffirmed the position of the Kurdish leadership on the elections in Kirkuk saying: “we are ready to hold elections in Kirkuk right now. If it is delayed or any agreement is reached, then it should not be an alternative to article 140. We believe in consensus with our Turkmen and Arab brothers. We are ready to engage in talks with the Arab and Turkman patriots. But those who do not accept us, they should change their position, otherwise, I do not think that we can reach an outcome.”

President Barzani also referred to the recent tension between the Kurdish Peshmarga forces and the Iraqi army in Khanaqin saying: “there was no dispute over Khanaqin during our negotiation with the Iraqi regime in 1991 and Khanaqin was considered part of Kurdistan region. The forces (Peshmarga) were sent to Jalawla upon a request from Baghdad. They could clear the area from the terrorists.”

“I am just wondering that the issue of Green and Blue lines is currently mentioned. If we had accepted those lines, Saddam Hussein would have been very thankful to reach a joint agreement with us. Except for Kirkuk, the Iraqi regime was ready to allow the incorporation of Khanaqin and Shangal into Kurdistan region at that time.”

The ‘Green line' was drawn to protect the Kurdistan region from the Iraqi regime since 1991 while the "Blue" is the line which marks the whereabouts of the Peshmarga forces before the Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

PUKmedia :: English - Barzani: “We are ready to engage in talks with Arab and Turkmen patriots”

$300 billion to boost Gulf oil by 10 million barrels a day
Database shows upstream oil projects soaring from $1.5 billion to a 2008 peak of $30 billion.

A massive $300 billion investment in boosting oil production is underway which could see the Arabian Gulf deliver a staggering 10 million barrels of crude a day in added capacity by 2015 - more than half from Saudi Arabia alone - according to project research firm Proleads.

"Recent analysis of total global oil production and development projects that world crude production capacity from all sources has the potential to rise from 87 million barrels per day to as much as 108 million by 2015," said Emil Rademeyer, director of Proleads.

"Our analysis shows that if all current projects across the region meet their projected targets in barrels of oil a day, it would mean that by 2015 the hydrocarbon rich countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) will be supplying more than half that future added oil capacity," said Emil Rademeyer, director of Proleads.

This important Proleads analysis also reveals that within the GCC countries of Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates approved upstream oil projects designed to either maintain or increase production capacity have soared in value from below $1.5 billion in 2006 to a 2008 peak of $30 billion. Across the GCC, Proleads is also tracking a record of nearly 300 active upstream oil projects with a combined value of almost $300 billion.

"Saudi Arabia is leading the way and would contribute more than half the 10 million barrels a day in added capacity if all projects deliver on target by 2015," Rademeyer added. "Saudi Arabia, with one-fifth of the world's proven oil reserves and some of the lowest production costs has an aggressive energy sector investment initiative."

Between this year and 2009 alone, Saudi Arabia has put in place projects with target added production capacity of more than 1.6 million barrels a day (see table). By 2015, projects in Saudi Arabia are targeting 5.2 million barrels a day in added capacity. By 2010, Qatar - richer in gas than oil - is targeting an increase of 1.4 million barrels a day in added production capacity.

Projects approved in the United Arab Emirates indicate added oil production capacity of almost 1.9 million barrels a day by 2013.

Current approved projects in Kuwait indicate an increase in capacity of around one million barrels a day by 2011 but this does not take account of expected developments in the country's northern fields which have yet to be approved.

Oman, where fields have been depleting, hopes to achieve added capacity of around 460,000 barrels a day by 2012.

Bahrain, where oil production has peaked, expects to only increase capacity by 35,000 barrels a day by 2015.

One of the major revelations of this latest analysis of active projects is the continued failure of Iraq to significantly add to its oil production capacity with only an extra 300,000 barrels a day projected by 2013.

"Iraq has the world’s third largest proven petroleum reserves but only a fraction of its known fields are in development," said Rademeyer. "Iraq’s oil infrastructure is in clear need of massive modernisation and investment and has so far been unable to meet production and export targets.

Not all of this added oil capacity will be exported as crude. "Much will be destined for the booming regional domestic markets where new refinery and petrochemical projects are also at a record level," Rademeyer said. "Clearly, some will also offset declining production in some fields and areas as well as extending the life of existing oilfields. Most of the current projects will use enhanced oil recovery techniques that can suck up 70% of the oil compared with conventional extraction of only around 35%."

Saudi Arabia currently maintains the world’s largest crude oil production capacity, estimated to be around 10.5-11 million barrels per day and raised output in July to the highest in more than 25 years. Meanwhile Abu Dhabi, owner of the world’s fifth-biggest oil reserves, recently announced it intends raising crude production by 30% in the next two years 3.5 million barrels a day by 2010.

"However growing economic gloom worldwide could put a brake on increasing energy use," warns Rademeyer. "These concerns are shared by some within Opec who think that future demand for oil may not be strong enough to justify the huge investment in boosting production. Algeria's energy minister Chakib Khelil, for example, has talked of 'big uncertainties' about making huge investments in infrastructure to increase output."

Dubai-based ProLeads provides the most up-to-date, accurate and detailed project information across the fundamental industries of civil construction, oil and gas, petrochemicals, power, water and industrial.

Proleads is currently tracking in excess of 5,200 individual projects worth in excess of $4 trillion across the region in the oil and gas, petrochemicals, civil constructionand, power, water and industrial sectors and is the mostly widely referenced database of its kind in the Middle East.

"Our research team tracks down project news in Arabic and English, networking within industry sectors to burrow deep into every aspect of a project," said Rademeyer. The online service allows searches for projects in given markets for all industries or industry sectors for all markets. It provides US dollar values as well as key contact details for all project owners, developers, contractors and sub-contractors.

Rademeyer added: "As well as the Gulf Co-operation Council countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, our database of projects now covers Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan, Syria and Yemen."

$300 billion to boost Gulf oil by 10 million barrels a day - Industry Press Releases

Iraqi Parliament resumes with full plate

Iraqi lawmakers end their summer break this week facing urgent tasks of approving a new election law and signing off on a still-unfinished security pact with the U.S. — key steps in laying the foundation for a lasting peace.

The 275-member legislature failed last month to approve a law providing for provincial elections this fall after Kurds objected to a power-sharing arrangement for the oil-rich area around Kirkuk, which they want to incorporate into their self-ruled region in the north.

U.N. and Iraqi election officials warn the balloting cannot be held this year unless parliament approves the measure quickly after it reconvenes Tuesday.

But weeks of private meetings and contacts among Sunni Arab, Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers have failed to produce any breakthrough on the issue, and it was unclear whether the bill would win speedy approval.

U.S. and Iraqi officials believe new elections in Iraq's 18 provinces are an essential step to building a long-term peace among the country's rival religious and ethnic communities. Voters will choose provincial councils, which wield considerable power at the local level.

Many Sunnis and some Shiites boycotted the last provincial election, in January 2005, enabling Shiite religious parties and the Kurds to win a disproportionate share of power at the expense of the Sunnis.

However, deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiyah expressed doubt that the assembly would be able to approve the election bill quickly.

"I am frustrated with the performance of parliament," al-Attiyah, a Shiite, told The Associated Press on Sunday. "There are many laws that should have been passed, but parliament failed to do so. The election bill is still a problem, and we are pressed for time."

He said that if the legislature can't enact a new law, the current provincial administrations will be "illegitimate" and "this will lead us into a new political crisis."

Sunni lawmaker Adnan al-Dulaimi said further delays in the election bill "will create a new crisis, a big one" because political groups that were organized after the last balloting will feel they are being denied a role in government.

During the upcoming session, parliament must also ratify a security agreement between the U.S. and Iraq governing the status of U.S. troops here after the U.N. Security Council mandate expires at the end of the year.

But the talks have hit an impasse over U.S. insistence on retaining sole legal jurisdiction over American troops in Iraq and differences over a schedule for the departure of the U.S. military. Iraqi officials want all foreign troops out by the end of 2011.

The Iraqis offered unspecified proposals last month to break the deadlock and are expecting a reply from Washington this week, Iraqi officials said on condition of anonymity because they weren't supposed to talk about the negotiations.

Once the two governments sign off on the deal, parliament must ratify it, a process that could lead to lengthy and acrimonious debates in a legislature where major factions lack the party discipline to ensure speedy approval.

The debate will be played out against the backdrop of a major change in the leadership of the U.S.-led force in Iraq. Gen. David Petraeus, credited with reversing the country's slide toward anarchy, will hand over command of Multinational Forces-Iraq this month to Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, who once served as the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq.

U.S. officials have complained privately that Iraqi politicians have failed to take advantage of the sharp drop in violence — down 80 percent since last year, according to the American military — to forge lasting power-sharing agreements.

Despite the improved security, attacks continue in Baghdad and elsewhere.

A series of roadside bombs Sunday wounded at least 14 people in eastern Baghdad, police said. The bombs appeared to have targeted Iraqi police patrols, although most of the victims were civilians.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...ca/ME-Iraq.php

Lower oil prices require market review - Iraq Min

Declining world oil prices require a review of markets, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said through his spokesman on Sunday.

Spokesman Asim Jihad conveyed Shahristani's statement prior to the Sept. 9 meeting in Vienna of ministers from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.

Officials from Iraq, which has the world's third largest proven oil reserves, and other OPEC nations will gather as world crude prices continue to drop amid sluggish demand in the United States and other consumer countries. On Friday, oil prices fell to a fresh five-month low.

OPEC last met formally in March, although the world's biggest crude exporter Saudi Arabia called emergency talks in Jeddah in June and announced it would unilaterally increase production to try to calm prices.

Prices hit a record $147.27 a barrel on July 11, but this week fell below $110 a barrel to the weakest level since early April.

Most commentators have predicted OPEC will leave formal output targets unchanged at the meeting, but there have been calls from within the group to rein in production where it is running above official ceilings.

Business Feed Article | Business | guardian.co.uk

Iraq says China firm must start oil work in 2 months

A Chinese state oil firm must start work developing Iraq's Ahdab oil field within the next two months or risk losing the $3 billion service contract, Iraq's oil minister said.

The Iraqi government said last week it had approved the contract between Iraq's North Oil Company and the Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC).

"We have asked the Chinese company to start developing the al-Ahdab field immediately. It ... should start the field work within two months, otherwise the contract will be cancelled," Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani told state-owned Iraqiya t.e.l.e.v.ision in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on Sunday.

He said Iraq's insecurity would not be an excuse for failing to start work on time.

The Iraqi government renegotiated the deal from one originally signed in 1997.

It marks Iraq's first major oil contract with a foreign firm since U.S.-led forces ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iraq has the world's third-largest proven oil reserves.

CNPC, the parent company of PetroChina and Asia's biggest oil and gas company, has not given any indication of a delay. Shahristani said production would start at 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) within three years from now, increasing to 115,000 in the sixth year of the contract.

Iraq toughened its terms in renegotiating the CNPC deal, changing the contract to a set-fee service deal from the oil production-sharing agreement signed under Saddam.

CNPC will get $6 for every barrel produced, regardless of the oil price, during the initial phases, Shahristani said. Once production is maximized in the sixth year, that fee falls to $3 per barrel, he added.

"During the period of the contract, world oil prices might double, but their fee will remain unchanged," Shahristani said.

The CNPC deal is sure to be watched closely by companies seeking to secure the most profitable terms they can in any contracts brokered with Iraq.

The Ahdab field is in Wasit province, south of Baghdad and bordering Iran.

Iraq opened its doors to foreign companies in a bidding round for eight oil fields and two gas fields at the end of June. Ahdab was not included in that round.

Shahristani told Iraqiya only 27 of Iraq's 80 proven oil and gas fields were currently producing and all of the remaining ones would be opened to investors in bidding rounds during the next year. He did not give precise dates.

Iraq says China firm must start oil work in 2 months | Markets | Reuters

The absence of safeguards is the main reason for the delay adoption of the Electoral Law

A member of the Chamber of Deputies MP Abbas Al-Bayati in the bloc the United Iraqi Alliance that the last three special meetings had reached a compromise formula on the election law but stopped at the point of safeguards.

Where it took place modifications of the Turkomen, Arabs and Kurds as well as representatives of the bloc in Parliament and Chairperson got the consensus was to be highlighted to the vote, but the absence of guarantees regarding the sharing of power prevented it stopped and dialogues.

The statement said in a telephone conversation with the agency (news) that the four elements contained in the paper is to postpone elections and power sharing and to send a parliamentary committee to investigate the facts in the records of voters and civil registration services and also a special law legislation Kirkuk was the reason for the emergence of differences between the parties, but as I said there are no guarantees Convincing the Turkmen and Arabs led to postpone it, adding that during the next few days will assume the coordinating committee in charge of the House meetings for the purpose of developing the paper (paper and the United Nations) to include adequate safeguards and I think we expires at the end of this month of the Act and approval of the Council, regarding a Elections are held as scheduled revealed Al-Bayati expressed his belief that if the law was approved in the current month (September) elections will inevitably end in December this year if the law did not recognize this date, I believe we will come back to the former exception of Kirkuk elections in the country.

Translated version of http://www.khabaar.com/news_view_326.html