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

FM undersecretary receives Chinese ambassador in Baghdad

Dr. Mohammed Hajj Hmoud, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and multilateral relations met on Sept.10 2008 the Chinese Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Chang Yi.

During the meeting the two sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of development, Dr. Hajj Hmoud mentioned that Iraq would continue to support China's unity and will support this position in all international forums, stressing that Iraq's relations with China is ancient and traditional and that the future of these relations is in the interests of the two friendly nations.

On his part, the Chinese Ambassador stressed that the Chinese government and people highly appreciate the positions of Iraq's obligations to a united China and that his country looks forward to make use of all available opportunities to strengthen its relations with Iraq in all fields.

PUKmedia :: English - FM undersecretary receives Chinese ambassador in Baghdad

President of KNA receives a delegation from the Embassy of Ukraine to Iraq

Mr. Adnan Mufti, President of Kurdistan National Assembly KNA on Sep 11, 2008 met with a delegation from the Ukrainian Embassy to Baghdad.

Mr. President shed light on the political situation in Kurdistan and Iraq, he also touched on bolstering relations between the two sides, saying that we expect that you will play an activate role in Kurdistan which enjoys federalism and seeks to develop bilateral relations and coordination between KNA and the Ukrainian Parliament through your diplomatic staff.

The delegation also explained the aim of their visit to KNA, which comes to promote political, economic and financial cooperation. They announced that it is scheduled to meet with the Chamber of Commerce in Kurdistan for achieving the stated objectives.

PUKmedia :: English - President of KNA receives a delegation from the Embassy of Ukraine to Iraq

Iraqi investors participate in investment, industrial conf. in Prague

Iraqi investors and businessmen will take part in the investment, industrial and trade conference to be held in Prague by economic organizations, in cooperation with the Iraqi embassy in Czech, on September 15-17, the deputy chairman of the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce said on Friday.

“The Iraqi participation in the conference aims at boosting the relation with the Czech side and to discuss the possibility of Czech companies’ participation in Iraqi investment programs after the activation of the investment law, which facilitate the foreign investment in the country,” Mahmoud Alloush told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq (VOI).

“The Iraqi delegation, including businessmen, traders and industrialists, will hold meetings also with the Arab-Czech office and the Prague chamber of commerce to bolster bilateral ties in trade and economic fields,” he explained.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraq pumps little quantities of oil towards Turkey

A Naval source said that Iraq is still pumping oil towards Turkey thru its northern pipelines with a low rate that varies between 20 thousand and 30 thousand oil barrels a day and that because reservoirs in Ceyhan Turkish port are full.

Iraq pumps little quantities of oil towards Turkey | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Saudi to sign extradition treaty with Iraq
Saudi Arabia is poised to sign an extradition treaty with Iraq, where several Saudis who joined the insurgency are believed to be held, an interior ministry spokesman said in remarks published Thursday.

"We have completed the drafting of an extradition accord which will be signed soon between the kingdom and Iraq," the spokesman was quoted in the local press as saying.

The treaty stipulates "the exchange of convicted prisoners ... so that they serve the rest of their sentences close to their families," said the spokesman, whose remarks were carried by the official SPA news agency.

He did not say how many Saudis were being held in Iraq, where Saudis are among foreign fighters who have joined Sunni Arab insurgents battling Iraqi government forces and their US-led backers.

Iraqi national security adviser Muwaffak Al-Rubaie said in March that Baghdad had repatriated six Saudis, one of whom was wanted by security authorities in Saudi Arabia, which has been battling suspected Al-Qaeda militants for more than five years.

Rubaie said the Iraqi government was holding fewer than 100 Saudis, who had all been put on trial and convicted, while US-led forces were holding fewer less than 50.

Saudi Arabia, citing lack of security in Iraq, has yet to reopen its embassy in Baghdad, more than four years after the two countries restored diplomatic relations in July 2004.

Iraq reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia in February 2007 after it had been closed in December 1990 on the eve of the 1991 Gulf War when ties were broken off by the regime of ****uted dictator Saddam Hussein.

Saudi to sign extradition treaty with Iraq - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

French company TotalFinaElf reluctant to work in Iraq denying entry in the licensing contracts posed by the Oil Ministry last July

Economic expert attributed the failure of negotiations to develop Qurnah field in Basra to be implemented by the French company TotalFinaElf is hesitant to the company's operations in Iraq after the announcement of its fear of engaging in the licensing contracts put forward by the Ministry of Oil last July. He said Dr. Nabil al-Saidi professor in the Faculty of Administration and Economy, told the independent press (Iba) today, Friday, the French company tried to escaped from the outset z conditions on the Iraqi government, a position similar to another position in Iran last month after he was taken to reduce the size of its investment with Iran In the implementation of Phase 11 of South pars field after the declaration of Israel's military attacks against Tehran.

He added that the failure of negotiations with the company will not result in any way reluctant to international companies to cooperate with Iraq, where international companies can fill the vacuum again to TotalFinaElf.

He continued Saidi think that losing the foundation of this issue is the company itself, although there is a need for global energy but it may lose investment opportunities in other fields with the expansion of plots expedition in southern and central Iraq, which opened the way for Russian companies and Chinese competition after a number of them expressed the desire In this area through the national oil company signed a contract with the Chinese Iraq to develop Al-Ahdab field in Wasit.

And said that the failure of the negotiations is not an economically-class base, but it results from the company's vision of the reality on Iraqi security, despite the improvement over last year. Pointing out that international companies do not consider the relative improvement or gradual, but seeks to work in very quiet atmosphere.

It is noteworthy that the agreement was cancelled last Thursday includes negotiations with the Ministry of Oil and some small companies to increase crude oil production in at least five other oil fields.

Translated version of http://www.hewarat.dk/hewarat_data.php?sid=10435

Continue efforts for the cause of parliamentary elections in Kirkuk local

Quartet Committee did not succeed in reaching a parliamentary solution for the district councils election law. And the Committee had met Wednesday evening until midnight and resumed their meeting on Thursday, and the committee chaired by Dr. Mahmoud scenery and the membership of Dr. Mohammad Tamim (Arabic), Dr. Saad Eddin Requeijo (Turkmen) and Dr. Sadi Alborznge (Kurdish) and Dr. Hashim Al-Taee President The Committee on Territories in the House of Representatives.

A source close and inside the House of ITC media that Egypt Kurdish party banner in opposition to Article 24 of the election law and the provincial assemblies and that previously approved by 127 deputies in the July 22 last, and in particular Article city of Kirkuk, which Kurdish party insists on While the holding of elections by Arabs and Turkmens insist on the removal and replacement of abuses first PESHMARGA Alasaic and Kurdish troops from the Iraqi army be drawn from central and southern Iraq.

And source added that in the event of failure to reach a compromise in committee meetings on Saturday, they may accept the proposals of de Mistura, to discuss what kind of guarantees sought by Turkmens and Arabs in return for de Mistura is a proposal to enact a special law and postponing the elections for the city of Kirkuk for six months.

And Committee members had abstained from authorizing the request of Dr. Mahmoud scene, but news leaked from inside the House of Representatives stresses that the forces on July 22 were still on their opinion and their decision for the elections in Kirkuk and a special issue of Kirkuk general.

Some demands and determining the ceiling timetable for holding elections in Kirkuk amid opposition combine coordination, which comprises 122 parliamentary deputies belonging to different blocs where the assembly threatened to challenge the presidential veto in the Iraqi governorates Councils Act, which passed parliament majority before the Constitutional Court, which provides for the holding of elections in Kirkuk With the other provinces in October next.

Hassan al-Shamri said one member assembly at a press conference held by limiting conference in Baghdad: "We call presidency of the republic to withdraw the revocation of the law governing the provinces to facilitate the holding of elections on schedule" and Dr. Saad Eddin Requeijo, that the forces on July 22 confirmed and they lack the veto based on any Constitutional or statutory text. Several deputies and threatened to veto b challenged before the Federal Court in the event of failure of the Presidency of the Republic withdrew, and Al Shammari said that "adherence coordination with Article 24 of the Parliamentary Elections Act provincial assemblies and the need to take place in the current year." And members of the Parliamentary Committee on Coordination of putting obstacles before the law is seeking to postpone the elections or to cancel it. And the Coordination Committee has expressed willingness to show flexibility necessary to find solutions constitute legal guarantees of human components of Kirkuk, Arabs and Turkmen, Kurds and Christians.

Translated version of http://nahrain.com/news.php?readmore=24290

To get close to reaching agreement on Kirkuk and the Iraqi elections
Sistani called for the post of grudges and emotions

With representative said Shiite Ali al-Sistani confirmed that the reference to the need to adopt a consensual solution to the issue of Kirkuk and not resort to the irritation grudges and emotions, his deputy, the Kurdistan Alliance bloc p.i.o.n.e.e.ring Rawanduz, the majority of members of Parliament have Agreed To be a paper representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Staffan de Mistura around the governorate of Kirkuk elections. The basis of discussion and consultations at the Parliamentary committee which was formed in. House of Representatives to reach a building on the subject of Kirkuk, and the House of Representatives has already constituted a committee headed by President Mahmoud scenery and the Council membership Representatives of all constituencies in Kirkuk on Article (24) of the Electoral Code and the governorate of Kirkuk, which remained handicap. The only Adoption Act after the provincial council elections vetoed by the Presidency Republic, after the Kurds rejected categorically insists with members of the coordinating assembly Parliamentary and strong (22) in July to stay as is the rule set aside by the Presidency of the law Demanding the withdrawal of the Presidency revoked.

But Attorney Yusuf Ahmed from the Kurdistan Alliance said The meeting held at the home of House Speaker Mahmoud scene did not reach Agreement on elections Province Kirkuk, indicating that there was progress in negotiations on the matter but it has not yet been decided.

He said Joseph was the House had decided on Thursday to form a committee headed by Mahmoud Scene The office of three MPs from the province of Kirkuk are the basic components for the purpose of reaching a Agreement on the problem of maintaining that the elections were the only impede Adoption Law Elections.

He had explained Sistani's representative Sheikh Abdel Mahdi Alkrblaney in his Friday sermon in Karbala la carte Husseini that "the religious authority of Sistani stresses the importance of recourse to dialogue and the adoption of compromises and the necessity of calming any crisis with Iraq," pointing out that many Iraqi officials have visited Mr. Sistani assured them This matter.

He added that Mr. "Sistani stresses the need not to resort to the irritation things and emotions and Kirkuk crisis resolved through reliance on national consensus, and demanded Alkrblaney his sermon in the House of Representatives to expedite the approval of the provincial council elections law, saying that" after the start of the new legislative ratification of them I hope the law because the citizens is to participate in the voting. "

Translated version of http://www.iraqpa.net/user/newsdetail.aspx?id=6414

Improve flimsy: delay ratification of the elections and failed to settle the issue of Kirkuk adversely affect the entire Political process

Mr. improve flimsy board member governorate of Kirkuk and an official political bureau of the Islamic Association of Iraqi Turkmen, there assurances from the government and by religious authorities and the UN and from all political blocs would be fruitless to us only Adoption of the electoral law and finding a compromise solution gain satisfaction of all parties in Kirkuk and only Will stop the entire political process, said a frail during a meeting with the channel (of Iraq - Kirkuk) within the (podium) that the parliament before the exam is difficult in the current legislative and dismissed him to succeed in passing a number of laws, including electoral law and the law of oil and gas and Security Agreement between Iraq The United States and other laws, reads as follows meeting:

O/Professor improve the House of Representatives failed to reach a solution on the issue of Kirkuk several times in the previous Legislature and inseparable even in the first meeting in the current legislative divorced?

C/Councils Act provincial law is important and plays a major role in supporting the political process and give legitimacy to the boards and give them the powers required, this law put to the parliament were approved, and after being subjected to some objections by the masses and members of the House and vetoed by the Presidency, and therefore this law Returned to the House of Representatives, it is known that there is an important article in the law of provincial assemblies which is Article 24 which are the subject of disagreement between political and parliamentary blocs, and there are discussions and deliberations and discussions of many to conclude it can not stop the political process or the whole democratic process so as not to enact the law Essential and important, and politicians have no choice but to reach compromise to resolve the issue, especially in Kirkuk, without compromise can not pass such a law in the parliament, and there are assurances by the government and by the authorities as well as the United Nations and all the political blocs that it is useless to us only Adoption This law will not stop the political process.

O/Professor improve if the election law by distributing seats according to the ratios of certain nationalities in Kirkuk, why is the holding of elections?

C/We really want to establish a joint administration and management just because there are still those who want to circumvent the laws and regulations and nepotism are still there and removed the conflict existed So we need to such a consensus, that is why everything happened in Iraq was based on a consensus there who demand To be harmony in Kirkuk on the same basis, and there is a fundamental and important issue is that the United Nations and political blocs when their proposals were made on this basis, and we know that any project or proposal in Kirkuk, if not undermine Reza three main components is considered that the proposed project or a failure and under - And, perhaps, one of the proposals can solve the problem but for a certain period and the problem will return again, we want to create a state of compromise to get our transparent election and get a futuristic vision, and an example of this is the theme of the hearts of two official languages in Kirkuk there (Supply Center, the population) who provided us with statistics of hearts There was a difference b (147) thousand people, and this is a vast difference between the statistics, how can an election on that basis? We want to get accurate statistical until the elections are fair and impartial and give each a right to Kirkuk.

O/Professor flimsy there other paragraphs in the constitution passed by the time the ceiling except Article 140, and there are those who say that Article 140 is unconstitutional, and also Article 142 has been postponed in Parliament?

C/Of course there are time ceiling for some constitutional articles, there is no constitutional rule in the world have a time ceiling and the intakes and legal forms, for example, article 140 have been identified to be the end of 2007 end of the ceiling in terms of implementation of Article normalization and census and referendum but this is not possible not hand Political not be technically or administratively, and for that we have faced legal problems and everyone made legal opinion on this subject, and thus completed the Higher Committee for the implementation of Article 140 of its meetings after the end of the ceiling time of the article, as well as Article 142 that was scheduled after the first meeting of the Parliament after Elections are to form a constitutional committee within three months and forwarded the remarks and amendments to the House of Representatives to recognize before them and presented to the people for a referendum again, but what happened had been more than two years and the parliament is unable to make any adjustments, authorized a marked difference in views , The problem today in the new Iraq is that each group is satisfied Doe article in the constitution and stresses them and leave the rest of materials that do not suit them, we have to deal impartially and interest in all the articles of the Constitution and abide by the text of the Constitution and laws issued by the House of Representatives, for example, has been enacted Electoral law and voted upon, but faced objections thus restore law and was vetoed, and to consider the electoral law has become (Food) means the entire political process must reach a common vision for the issuance of this law and must be validated in the coming period so that we can build and reconstruction.

O/Professor improve mean there is an obstacle to the Iraqi Parliament as an issue of Kirkuk is the real solution to cross this hurdle?

C/Chamber of Deputies before the exam is difficult in the current legislative and dismissed him to succeed in passing a number of laws, including electoral law and the law of oil and gas and Security Agreement between Iraq and the United States and other laws, and the coming days will reveal to us the success or failure of the House of Representatives in the management of the enactment of laws and legislation.

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Update.......

Iraqi inflation soars

Iraqi prices have risen more than 30% so far this year when compared with 2007, the Central Statistics Bureau said in its latest report.

The report said the price hikes for some goods were much greater.

It said this year’s big increases on most commodities have come at a time the local currency has appreciated substantially.

“The exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar vis-à-vis the dollar has firmed. The dollar’s average value has been 1266 dinars this year compared with 1477 last year,” the report said.

The sharp rise in annual inflation rate is due to surges in prices of most commodities the bureau includes in its inflationary index.

Fuel prices, it said, have gone up more than 70% this year in a country holding massive oil reserves.

Iraqi oil production has increased but the country’s refining capacity barely meets half of domestic needs estimated at 700,000 barrels a day.

Rents went up by nearly 30% with sharpest increase reporting in transport where prices rocketed more than 70%, the report said.

Pharmaceuticals rose more than 11%, clothes and shoes 8% and food more than 13%.

Analysts are somewhat bewildered as generally a firmer currency curbs inflationary pressure as almost all commodities covered in the bureau’s index are imports.

Iraq imports most of its food, most of its fuel needs and almost all its medical and pharmaceutical supplies.

The hikes are certain to make it increasingly difficult for Iraqis to make ends meet amid lack of security and rampant unemployment.

The government, embroiled in political and factional squabbling and an all out war to quell a murderous insurgency in certain parts of Iraq has no plans in place to quell fears of further hikes.

Prices of public utilities are frozen and some of them like health and education are free otherwise the inflation rate would have been even higher.

Price hikes of much lower rates raise great concern in most countries but the Iraqi government does not seem to entertain such fears.

Some basic utilities are almost non-existent like electricity which goes off for more than 20 hours a day in most parts of the country.

And inflation may be the last thing to worry about in a nation of which nearly seven million people have either being internally displaced or turned into refugees since the 2003 U.S. invasion.

Azzaman in English