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

Considering the financial reserves to protect the Central Bank & mechanisms to pay debt

Research and Finance Minister Bayan Jabr with legal advisers in the ministry to protect reserves the central bank and government assets and mechanisms for the payment of debt to pay in 2009 and re-open the file and commercial debt claims U.S. citizens affected by the measures Alambad.

The Information Office Director Adnan Abdul Rahman, the "morning", the minister met on Thursday in Washington with the legal advisers of the Ministry of Finance and the Iraqi Central Bank Governor Sinan Al-Shabibi and Legal Adviser to the Prime Minister Jawad al-Fadil to discuss the issue of the protection of reserves the central bank and government assets recorded in the Development Fund for Iraq And a mechanism to diversify the investment of reserves, adding that the meeting address the impact of lawsuits filed in the United States by American citizens affected by the Alambad procedures and legal remedies "and the volume of claims and claims made by the judicial decisions against the Central Bank and the Rafidain and Rashid Banks and their impact on the assets of Iraq and how to deal With it, adding that legal advisers had a "claims that can be identified so far and how to deal with them, in addition to the payment of some benefits States that have signed bilateral agreements with them to settle their debts and payable in 2009, stressing that it was agreed that the proposed mechanisms in this regard.

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Associated Press reveal paragraphs of Security Agreement between Baghdad & Washington

Published The Associated Press Highlights of the draft agreement a long-term security to be signed between Baghdad and Washington, said it obtained from its own sources. This is the most important paragraphs in the draft:

- Committed members of the armed forces and civilian staff to respect the laws and conventions, customs and traditions of Iraq during the conduct of military operations and to refrain from any activity that is incompatible with the letter or spirit of the Convention and the United States is committed to take all necessary action in this area.

- To prevent internal and external risks that threaten the Republic of Iraq and strengthen cooperation in order to defeat al-Qaida in Iraq and other lawless groups, the parties tentatively agreed on the following:

- Iraqi government asks for help from U.S. forces to support its efforts to ensure the security and stability, including cooperation in operations against al-Qaida and other terrorist groups outside the law.

- Is the implementation of all military operations with the Iraqi government and in full coordination with the Iraqi authorities, is overseeing the military operations through a joint committee and, if a dispute over the content of these processes and can not be resolved this Committee to bring the case to the inter-ministerial committee.

- All military operations carried out under the Iraqi constitution and Iraqi law not incompatible with Iraqi sovereignty and national interests as determined by the Iraqi government and U.S. forces should respect Iraqi laws and international law.

- The parties agree to the continuation of their efforts to cooperate in the development of Iraqi security capabilities through training and processing Allojsitp and modernization of transport infrastructure, housing, the supply of troops.

- Be transferred control and monitoring Iraqi airspace to the Iraqi authorities as soon as the Convention enters into force.

- The United States the right to exercise jurisdiction over its soldiers and civilian personnel and contractors with the U.S. Department of Defense, as long as the incidents occur within the rules.

- Iraq's right to exercise jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers and civilian personnel and contractors with the U.S. Department of Defense, in the event of a major crime committed with premeditation and outside U.S. bases outside the time of service.

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Iraqi government prepares to assume greater costs in the area of reconstruction

A senior U.S. official in the White House, the increase in oil prices today is contributing to the Iraq's ability to pay further costs for the reconstruction of the country, which remains to this day receives funding from the taxpayers in the United States of America.

He said an employee of the U.S. Treasury Department Gyude Smith, the club from the American embassy in Baghdad, that since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein by the United States and coalition forces in 2003, "many of the remaining heavy legacy of pregnancy" in terms of the cost of the reconstruction of dilapidated infrastructure, has been repaired with money from American taxpayers.

According to Smith, who took office as a supplement to the U.S. Treasury Department in Baghdad since 2007, Washington, DC, for consultations. After Smith attended the conference through closed-circuit t.e.l.e.vision in the hall of the "Roosevelt" with U.S. President George W. Bush and other senior civilian and military officials, Smith said that Iraq had been "a dramatic increase in financial resources, building on the basis of the increase in oil prices." Smith said: "There is a sense of entry into force of patience because of the inability of Iraq to increase levels of spending as much as people would like it," Smith said, saying that Iraq now has billions of dollars into its own, that already "a good opportunity to spend the money to move It goes forward in the development itself. "

He recalls that oil prices had risen to nearly $ 150 a barrel this summer. But the current global economic crisis had led to a drop in oil prices to 70 dollars per barrel, although there is still much higher price of a barrel compared with historical levels registered.

On the growth of the Iraqi central government, including the financial growth of Iraq, Smith said: "We live in a transitional phase now ... with the adoption of the Iraqi government forces."

Smith said that the development of the broader security marked today in all parts of Iraq, has helped the staff of provincial reconstruction teams American and coalition forces in their mission to help Iraqi officials in the administration systems of governance and the economy - and looking forward to the repair or replacement of structures vital infrastructure such as roads, schools And the provision of basic municipal service needs, such as water, electricity and sewage treatment.

The other hand, General Raymond Odierno, commanding general of the multinational forces in Iraq, said in an interview, speaking during a t.e.l.e.vision interview with "Fox" News 13 October: that the security gains in Iraq are encouraging, but Iraq is still "Fragile stability" in part, because it is the responsibility of the new Iraqi government to provide many services that most people need it.

Odierno said a U.S. military official, the highest in Iraq, that the Iraqi government officials "to ensure their ability to provide services to the Iraqi people."

The Oodernoa, saying that the Iraqi government does not work to provide these essential services to the people, "the people may look at it in another place," and meant that the rebels might try to fill the void time.

(The General Odierno, and rightly so), this idea of what the retired officer Thomas Burke class of the U.S. Army Special Forces, one of the staff of the U.S. Department of State, and now the leader of a provincial reconstruction team in Baghdad. Burke said that the most important element of the provincial reconstruction team is to help Iraqi officials in providing such basic services, and provide guidance to them on how to allocate the fiscal budget for the implementation and management of such services.

Burke said when the view of the Iraqi people that their government is responsible for the provision of basic services, then Semel "Iraqis rally on a central government further."

Smith returned to comment, saying, as Iraqis continue to move forward in the management of their internal affairs: "they will have the management and complete control over their projects if they spent their own money residence."

It should be noted that provincial reconstruction team formed cadres career staff specialists from the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the American military establishment, and a number of other institutions, government agencies and non-governmental organizations, reconstruction teams in the overall tasks to help officials Iraqis in establishing systems of governance and the economy - and looking forward to the repair or replacement of structures vital infrastructure such as roads, schools and the provision of basic municipal service needs, such as water, electricity and sewage treatment.

And work as well as U.S. military units together with the provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide security and other services. And gives the concept of Provincial Reconstruction Team example of joint work between the institutions of the United States of America, which sees senior White House officials, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and senior leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon), see it an effective way to continue the global war on terrorism.

Mr. Jason Highland employee of the U.S. State Department, who worked until June / 2008, the leader of a reconstruction team in Nineveh province in northern Iraq, said that the local governments of the eighteen Iraqi provinces "were not already have specific financial authority," before That the formation of the first provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq in 2005.

Highland said that the provincial reconstruction teams since 2005, had been jointly working with the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the Iraqi government and with unrivaled in two important areas; increase in the use of the fiscal budget implementation in Iraq, raise the value of the fiscal budget of Iraq.

The Highland said: "This has been a real success story ... because we are already working again with local bureaucrats so that they can not use this kind of power and management ,"... It was money the Iraqi government under Saddam, mostly used for the benefit of the late dictator and his family and his close associates.

The other hand, Bailey spoke GIS Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of America, who served last year as deputy commander of the reconstruction team at the level of Erbil in northern Iraq, saying that the budget for the common three northern governorates, Dohuk, Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq , Were estimated at around 1.5 billion dollars.

Bailey said, "They did not have such a level of financial resources for the implementation of projects and operation services," has become officials in the province of Dohuk are now using the maintenance budget for the renewal of the municipal water system, for all the people of the city of Dohuk.

Smith returned once again to conclude: "We will stay here forever ... It has therefore become the Iraqis now, to learn the management of budget allocation of financial resources and management of the other State."

Translated version of http://www.iraqmc.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2583&mode=t hread&order=0&thold=0

Sadr urges Iraqi MPs to reject US security pact

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr urged Iraqi lawmakers on Saturday to reject a planned US-Iraqi security deal as tens of thousands of his followers poured on to the streets of Baghdad in a massive anti-American protest.

"When the agreement is in your hands, the destiny of Iraq and its people is also in your hands," Sadr said in a statement, speaking to MPs, whose approval is necessary once the deal is signed by leaders of the two countries.

"Do not vote for the agreement. If they tell you the agreement ends the occupation ... no, the occupier will still remain. If you are told that it would give sovereignty to Iraq, it is a lie."

Sadr, who is reputed to be living in Iran, is a strong opponent of the US presence in Iraq, and has consistently opposed the deal since it was proposed last year.

US and Iraqi negotiators have reached agreement on a draft deal that would govern the status of American forces in Iraq after the present UN mandate ends in December. The pact must be approved by leaders of both countries as well as the Iraqi parliament .

Details have not been made public but officials have said agreement was reached on a timeline for withdrawing all US combat troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.

A key point of contention in the months-long negotiations has been whether US troops would fall exclusively under US jurisdiction if accused of serious crimes in Iraq.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Saturday it was "time to take decisions" regarding the security deal.

"It is difficult to reopen the text. The parliament either ratifies or rejects it," he said, adding that the deal does not allow Washington to have a permanent military presence in Iraq.

"There is no hidden agenda ... the next few days are very crucial for Iraqi leaders to decide," he said.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Sadr supporters spat anger at US occupation and the proposed deal as they marched through the dusty streets of Baghdad.

Effigies of US President George W. Bush -- with bandaged head and fractured right arm -- and of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were set ablaze along with American flags.

Sadrist MP Nasser Al-Saadi claimed that more than one million people took part in the demonstrations, which could not be independently confirmed.

The march began in the cleric's Sadr City bastion in east Baghdad and ended at nearby Mustansiriyah Square, where the effigies were torched.

"No, No, to America! No, No to the devil!" shouted crowds of men, women and children as they walked the three kilometre (two mile) route.

Carrying Iraqi flags and banners of the Sadr movement, the demonstrators demanded an end to the US occupation.
"Get out occupier! We demand an end to the occupation!" they shouted.

Karim Kadhim, a Shiite from the holy city of Najaf, said "we are marching to reject the occupation.

"Would America like to be occupied by any other country? Would America like its sons to be attacked? Why are they occupying our country?" he asked.

"They have been lying for the past five years. They told us they are coming to free us and go. But they are still lying."

Demonstrators also chanted slogans praising Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.

"The Mahdi Army is still powerful and Sadr is still powerful," they chanted, referring to the cleric's 60,000-strong militia.

The protest was originally to be held on April 9 -- the anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. It was postponed due to clashes between Sadr's Mahdi Army militia and US and Iraqi forces.

The cleric launched two bloody rebellions in 2004 from Najaf which left hundreds of his militiamen dead but established him as a hardline leader of the masses.

Sadr urges Iraqi MPs to reject US security pact - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

Iraq, Britain to negotiate security deal: PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday that Baghdad and London would begin negotiating a security deal to decide the future of British forces in the country beyond 2008.

"Iraq will appoint a negotiating team to discuss the future of British forces in Iraq," Maliki said in a statement issued by his office after he met visiting British Defence Secretary John Hutton.

The statement said Maliki stressed the importance of reaching a deal between Baghdad and London before the end of this year, when the UN mandate that provides a legal framework for foreign troops in Iraq will expire.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidAN...20deal%3A%20PM

Barham Salih: Promising future lies ahead

The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Barham Ahmed Salih said that Iraq has passed the stage of danger and that all parties are busy with building the state and settling the disputes. He expressed his optimistic towards the future of Iraq.

That came during Salih’s participation in a TV show broadcasted by Alsumaria S.a.t.e.llite channel. He stressed on the government’s interest to the section of youth and preparing the suitable ground for them to serve Iraq.

Salih emphasized that a promising future is waiting the youth and that the problems they suffered from during Saddam’s Regime are not exist anymore.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=7062&Itemid=1

Finance is preparing to open 20 branches in Baghdad competent smart card project

Preparing financial visited Iraq to open 20 branches in Baghdad competent smart card project to overcome the momentum of some banks, post offices and for the transition to the second phase to cover the rest of the governorates of Iraq project. The Finance Minister Bayan Jabr met with Director General of the Rafidain and Rasheed banks and professionals working in the smart card project and representatives of the world's smart card.

The source explained, "Zubaidi stressed that the adoption of precision in the work for the establishment of a correct data contribute to the large flow in the process of granting smart card in addition to resolving the issue of establishing a ground station for the project contribute to the speed of communication between the centers with the need to update the information on retirees and the social protection network And the adoption of accuracy and transparency in the work.

Translated version of http://almalafpress.net/index.php?m=39

Processors to the challenges of bad debts and credit loser

Chief Commissioner of the Gulf Commercial Bank Allaoi appearance that the importance of banking operations in Iraq will require ongoing discussion with the Central Bank in order to resolve the many difficulties, and we have to unite our efforts with Central to end this problem, and explained the difficulties experienced by the Iraqi banking sector is faltering and doubtful debt Collection, which began affecting the banking work, according to the indicative list introduced in the private banking sector, said during the symposium was sponsored by specialist Central Bank of Iraq at the headquarters of the Gulf Commercial Bank took the title (bad debts and credit losses when the Iraqi banking system And remedies).

And Dr. Walid Abdulnabi expert at the Central Bank of Iraq in a lecture on the value placed (bad debts and credit losses when the Iraqi banking system and remedies), said that credit plays an important role in guiding economic activity as banks played a major role in this activity by providing loans And advances as well as seeking to provide a suitable vehicle for transfer of capital from surplus units to deficit units for the purpose of use in the development of production and distribution. Abdel Nabi urged private banks to extend credit quality and sectoral through the elimination of the annual credit plan prepared by the Central, which required the Private banking before 2004, the granting of bank credits, and that the application of the indicative list of credit rating and allocation of each type is consistent with its own degree of risk, which began application by the year 2007 revealed many of the bad debts that questionable Basthsalha the other hand, but we found some banks sought Possible to end this debt and high rates reflected on its financial position and taxonomic in private banks.

The Abdulnabi that the cash balance of credit and promissory provided by the Iraqi banks rose from 4927 billion dinars in 1991 to 320,448 billion in 2001, bringing the year-end 2007, 20 billion and 989 million dinars, also contributed to banks, by 69% of which, compared to 31% of banks The private sector.

Abdel Nabi said that in view of the association of credit and deposit rates interest rates have averaged gap between interest rates granted to credit, interest on deposits updated 8 points reflecting the weak strength of the banking system of government and private, requires developed and strengthened financially. Promised to the cause of the low percentage of contribution by private banks to provide credit promissory provisions of documentary letters of guarantee and the limited capital of the vulnerability of foreign relations, lack of modern means of communication with some (such as SWIFT), which requires private banks to exceed that in the light of guidance Central Bank of Iraq and reported it.

Abdulnabi noted that the available statistics indicate low credit deposit ratio from 26% in 1991 to 15% in 2001 but rise again to reach 77.5% in the year 2007, including deposits and investment to the Central Bank of Iraq. Baltfezp promise of private banks in granting credit, the reservation was reflected in the rates of liquidity, which averaged around 60% and more than doubled the standard ratio of 30%.

Identified concentrations of credit to the private banks higher than that specified in the provisions of Article 30 of the Banking Act and four times the amount of capital and balance between the volume of credit to the banks, promissory b 17,257 billion dinars, representing the proportion of 93% of the total credit extended to 207, and mostly concentrated at the Bank Iraq, with 17,254 billion and a ratio of 99.8% of the total credit promissory granted by the banks, noting that the majority of debts are inherited by the year 2003. Abdulnabi said, the total payment overdue debts to the banking system, 191 billion dinars of which 92 billion dinars, or 48% of government banks, 99 billion dinars, up 52% of private banks, and several very large amount requires prompt treatment. The other, expresses Abdul Razzaq said bank adviser: The Central Bank calls for the circulation of credit according to the annual plan for private banks, and the other because of our need to Basthsalha doubtful debts, the central ad hoc and suspension of the benefits of this question and we affect the position and arrange private banks at the Central Bank.

Fadel thorns expert in bank credit between the indicative list of instructions to be applied in a normal atmosphere and equipped with all the circumstances, and this effect on Iraq now despite the security improvements, but private banks have so far remained some risks because we credit ratios from very few before.

Director of the Commercial Bank of Iraq, Hellbon Hamza, he said: I call upon the Central Bank not to allocate profits to fill the vacuum of bad debts Basthsalha money, we did not get so far only 10% of this debt, and when contact Balhaizin credit they have properties (described) We can not act now, under these circumstances, and taking credit put in after the sale of real estate we have, and this is a sign that the application of the indicative list still needs to normal conditions for the application.

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It is too early to determine the position of agreement with the United States

Secretary-General of the Islamic Virtue Party Hashem al-Hashemi, the party considers it premature to determine the position of the Convention to be signed with the United States, before a thorough examination of each element, and find a suitable replacement in The absence of approval.

He said in an interview with "morning", published in the pages of Parliament later, the Fadhila party, recognizes the text of the convention two days ago, expressing his belief that the Convention is supposed to go through a series of legal and constitutional, through approval by the government and then the House of Representatives, referring to the Party with the Convention on the discussion at the meeting of the Political Council for National Security. Al Hashmi, who was former Minister of State for Tourism and Antiquities in the government of Ibrahim al-Jaafari, said the multinational forces in Iraq is currently passing through a critical position, the fact that the continued existence of the need to extend the UN mandate, which expires at the end of the year, adding that the extension decision for this year will probably Difficulties in the United Nations in case the differences between various members of the permanent In the midst of the problems between these countries.

Secretary-General of the party, he held a series of meetings with each of the Alliance leader Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, head of the House of Representatives, Dr. Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the President of Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani, the head of the Iraqi Minister Iyad Allawi, during which he discussed And documented strengthen ties and discuss the latest developments of the political situation and keep abreast of security and success in completing investment projects and service delivery, saying that the political process in the country entered a new phase that could establish a healthy and out of context, the block party and the bloc, noting in this regard to coordination parliamentary assembly, known The "forces of July 22 was" evidence of this development, he expressed the position of the whole of the parts in a variety of different parliamentary particular case away from all other affiliations, as he put it.

Hashemi promised to statements made by the U.S. military command in the presence of members of Parliament receiving bribes from regional countries in return for refusing to sign the Convention, as a kind of pressure by the United States to ensure the signing of the agreement, describing his remarks as "dangerous" due to question the integrity of the House of Representatives.

He stressed the importance of broad participation in the forthcoming provincial elections, and benefit from opportunities to identify the names of the candidates directly, returned increasing numbers of voters reduce the chances of fraud.

He said the Fadhila party would participate in the elections list independently. The General Secretariat of the Fadhila party, al-Hashemi was elected secretary-general of the party in mid-September.

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Iraq intends to participate in the Kuwait Economic Summit

Talabani's visit underlines the importance of the upcoming Sabah and Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Hashemi and called for resolving the debt issue

Said President Jalal Talabani, Iraq's intention to participate in Arab economic summit to be held in Kuwait next January. This came during a meeting with the delegation of the Kuwaiti Journalists Association, which stressed the importance of this visit to strengthen relations between the two countries and two peoples, calling for repeated at several levels of media, cultural and parliamentary. The President stressed the importance of the expected visit of Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Expected to Iraq, expressing hope that the visit be expanded. Talabani greetings and the transfer of Iraq's political leadership and the Iraqi people to the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Kharafi and Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti people. The designation of Iraq near the ambassador in Kuwait, pointing out that the list of ambassadors in the parliament for ratification...................................... .

Talabani expressed optimism about the future of their relations, and called for providing the necessary requirements to make the relations Iraqi - Kuwaiti relations model.............President Talabani stressed the importance of the role of the media in the transfer and clarify the facts on the Iraqi arena, saying: Our problem is that events and developments carried on reality and therefore we need to transfer the facts and the facts positive and negative aspects to the Arab public opinion, especially at this stage, as we magnify Negatives and positives of marginalization by many foreign media outlets...................................

The Vice President reviewed the aspects and suffering experienced by Iraqis at the Alambad mindless wars on Iraq to start re-way economic and physical and service, which also affected its relations with the international world, pointing to the current situation in the country and the Government's efforts to correct the tracks of the national economy and providing a secure investment environment To international companies to work in Iraq and provide various facilities to them.

Mahdi said a presidential statement, the importance of finding solutions to the issue of Iraq's debt compatible with a payment of investment brings profits to both sides.

For his part, the Kuwaiti delegation members were pleased to visit Iraq and see the experience of democracy, stressing the necessity of building bilateral relations between Iraq and Kuwait based on mutual respect and mutual interest. In the same context, the Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi, Republican optimism about the future of bilateral relations between the two countries.

And during his meeting with the Kuwaiti delegation that "we must move urgently to consider all outstanding issues and normalize relations with Kuwait in order to develop between the two countries," he said, adding that "the Kuwaiti delegation's visit is evidence of a genuine desire and the Government of Kuwait Caballanfattah on Iraq." Hashemi Saying: "I will lift the delegation's observations and take them to the Presidency and the ****utive Board to speed up the designation of the Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait and the second issue to identify the points of contention that still exist between the two countries to meet an acceptable solution for both parties." Vice-President stressed during the meeting that "the visit comes at an appropriate time and Iraq is currently investigating ways to revitalize the relations between the two countries. Indicating that this visit will be good offices to speed up the sit to the negotiating table.

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