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

Commission on Oil and Gas: Oil and Gas Law needs minor adjustments

The reporter for the oil and gas in the House of Representatives, Deputy Jaber Habib Jaber said the initial draft of the law of oil and gas and raised by the Committee last year and approved by the Kurdistan Alliance bloc, would be approval of the majority of the political blocs have different views of the law if it changes.

He said Jaber told the independent press (Iba) today, Tuesday, that the oil and gas law is to regulate the national wealth of Iraq, not Tqazvha the interests of parties and political parties among themselves, he said: "It is unacceptable for these parties to keep the wealth of laws governing the disbursement method of extraction, including In the interest of the Iraqi people.

Stressing that Iraq needs to enter the international companies for investment and massive extraction of oil and other natural resources other than Iraq.

He warned Jabermn delay enactment and the decline in oil prices, global markets and the weakness of export capability of Iraq, saying: "due to threats of economic crisis have a negative impact on the public budget of the country in which we want it to remain at levels well so that we can meet the requirements of construction and reconstruction. The Differences between the central government and Kurdistan is due to the different views in interpreting a number of constitutional articles related to the management of oil wealth.

http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...AUr-szDUGIQ9DQ

American cultural attaché: Iraq got good, but a Security Agreement signed by the Iraqi Gov

The media and cultural attaché at the U.S. embassy in Iraq, Ambassador Adam Ereli that "Iraq had a very good agreement with the United States, stressing that the decision to sign the Convention security" due to the Iraqi government itself ", he said.

The Airlie at a joint news conference with the deputy governor of Najaf, Abdul Hussain Abtan, today, Monday, and attended "Uzmatik" optimistic on the Security Agreement, which he described as "serving the interests of the Iraqi and American at the same time," because they share many things in their search for freedom And peace and stability, "he said.

Ereli called "The Iraqis need to conviction that the Convention in the interest of the parties and Iraq's relationship with the United States better relationships with others", and expressed his belief that "the Iraqis got a very good agreement with the United States."

The media and cultural attaché at the U.S. embassy in Iraq that "the question of signing the convention security, is due to the Iraqi government, the place is the right decision and rejected it."

The death raised the Convention between Iraq and the United States are still mixed reactions among the political blocs and parliamentary. Yet some political forces to reject out of hand Kalttiar Sadr held a demonstration against the possibility of signing to see the reduction of the sovereignty of Iraq. The Council of Ministers decided last week amendments to the draft agreement and called on ministers to submit proposals to make them enjoy the level of acceptance of the Iraqi national.

Ereli said that "his visit to Najaf at the head of the delegation of cultural and art came to achieve two main goals, the first discuss strengthening relations between American universities and the University of Kufa and the exchange of professors and students," adding that "The second reason to maintain discuss the development of socially, culturally and economically."

Ereli stressed that "there is a desire to establish and deepen the links between educational institutions in the United States and the University of Kufa."

In this context, the deputy governor of Najaf, Abdul Hussain Abtan that "the American delegation had a project in the education sector for the distribution of ****** computers to teach school students."

Abtan pointed out that "the civil administration in Najaf, the U.S. side demanded the establishment of special centers for the training of students and rural villages within the project", noting that "Najaf has good relations with everyone, including the U.S. embassy especially in the cultural field."

The American delegation held a lengthy meeting with the President of the University of Kufa and professors did not allow media coverage, before moving to City Hall, where he held a press conference there.

http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...JkWlUPNOD-wK9Q

President of Iraqi negotiating team: Our mission is over & we handed over security of the owners of Convention

Said the Iraqi Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and head of a delegation negotiating with the U.S. in the Security Agreement Mohammed Haj Hammoud, "The task of the Iraqi negotiating team, ended a week ago, and the Iraqi Prime Minister acknowledged that the final draft agreement reached between the Iraqi and American delegations, including observations and the American side."

Hammoud said in an interview with "Uzmatik," today, Tuesday, that "our task a delegation to negotiate over, and that a final decision with respect to the Convention due to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who received the latest draft of the Convention of the adjustments and changes had been made throughout the last negotiation."

Hammoud noted that he "did not expect the return of Iraqi and American teams to negotiate again, especially as other adjustments in addition to the draft terms of reference of the recent political leaders in the two countries," he said.

The Hammoud was still operate as an agent for legal and international organizations at the Foreign Ministry, where the Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh issued a statement that the government decided to refer a number of ambassadors and senior officials at the Iraqi Foreign Ministry to retire because of exceeding the legal age of 63 years . And the name of Mohammed al-Haj Hammoud, one of them.

But Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki denied after that news change the Iraqi delegation negotiating with the U.S. side headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Hajj Hamoud.

The Iraqi government will be held today, Tuesday, an emergency meeting to discuss the Security Agreement with the United States was postponed after the meeting, which was supposed to be held on the first Sunday.

The Convention sets out the security situation of U.S. forces in Iraq after the United Nations mandate expires the end of 2008. And the Convention and has continued to arouse mixed reactions among the political blocs and parliamentary. The Council of Ministers decided last week amendments to the draft agreement and called on ministers to submit proposals to make them enjoy the level of acceptance of the Iraqi national.

http://74.125.93.104/translate_c?hl=...KJ7T9kvm3V4nRQ

Council of Ministers Approve proposed Amendments to the Agreement with the United States

Said the spokesman for the Iraqi government Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh said the Cabinet had approved the necessary amendments and substantive and appropriate due to the withdrawal of the draft agreement of U.S. forces from Iraq and its presence as the provisional views and attitudes of the political blocs, and to authorize the President of the Council of Ministers introduced amendments to the U.S. To reach a draft agreement preserves the fundamental principles and the rule of Iraq and its supreme interests.

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl...DSLutbImObKMoA

Blue: draft oil & gas law is different from draft voted by the Council of Mins

President of the Committee for oil and gas in the lower house of Ali Hassan Blue that the committee did not agree on a draft law submitted by the government does not agree a number of members of the Council of Ministers.

The Blue told the independent press (Iba) today, Tuesday, committee members agreed after a meeting a few days ago not to approve the draft provided to them "because they had not received blanket approval from the Council of Ministers," he said.

The Blue to the oil ministry made changes to the first draft of the oil and gas law, which had a cabinet approved last year, making them the second draft submitted different from the first voted upon by the Council of Ministers, therefore, the committee of oil and gas can not accept, without specifying the nature of This change.

The oil and gas law is one of the main laws around because of different views will determine how the distribution of national wealth between the central government on the one hand and regions and provinces on the one hand again, especially with regard to the signing of leading oil investment without reference to the Government Center.

A row has happened between the Iraqi Oil Ministry and the Kurdistan regional government for signing the final on oil investment contracts with a number of international companies without the consent of the ministry or the federal government.

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl...SSKAcc2HX0xHvA

Trade Minister: There is the desire of Iraqi creation of the global trade in Baghdad

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Abdel Falah Hassan, the Sudanese government cost of running the file of economic relations with Turkey and Turkish companies are currently engaged in major investment in the Kurdistan region and other parts of Iraq.

He told the Sudanese press, said the companies had expressed willingness to enter into Iraq immediately and begin a different investment programs, noting at the same time a desire Iraqi B_ed global trading center in the Baghdad International Fair in addition to a plan for the development and rehabilitation of markets through the central Turkish companies For funding to markets and the modern and sophisticated Mullac find a place for the Iraqi comfort.

He said the Iraqi government was awaiting the approval of the Turkish government to further open the gates other than Ibrahim al-Khalil gate in addition to increasing the volume of trade between the two countries, which has seen steady growth over the past three years, a real indicator of the level seen in relations between the two countries.

He stressed that the coming period are seeing more progress and development of bilateral relations between the two countries for understanding and a common desire of the Iraqi and Turkish governments and help to further the bilateral agreements that serve the interests of fraternal peoples

For his part, Tuzmen revealed Korchad Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey's major investment projects carried out by Turkish companies in Iraq as part of the Turkish desire to increase witnessed significant trade balance between the two countries, which reached five billion U.S. dollars.

This came following the visit by Tuzmen, accompanied by Turkish Minister of Transport for the opening of Turkish Airlines office at Baghdad International Airport, adding that Turkey is the promise made by the Iraqis in front of the actual participation and compassionate for the construction and reconstruction in Iraq, where we have a serious desire to contribute to real investment projects Significant investment or coordination with the Iraqi private sector in partnership.

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl...GBr3Hi1FpID5kg

Discuss obstacles to the implementation of oil projects investment plan

The Office of the Inspector General at the Ministry of Petroleum seminar on obstacles to the implementation of projects investment plan, Jrykhalalha to discuss topics of projects and investment plan. The inspector general said that the role of the Office of the Inspector General and its policy of supporting companies and the oil services sector to make the right decisions to adopt the method of preventive treatment in the implementation of projects, services and urged companies not to fear of responsibility and decision-making, particularly members of the committees analysis and study of tenders.

During the symposium review of exchange rates and schedules of disbursements and the ministry of investment projects to which I decline the previous years and unreasonable delay in the assignment of up to two years involved a change in prices and the reluctance of the processor and thus r*****dering or cancellation of the Declaration and this led to delays in work.

http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?hl...tuYRIZS3UeMEcw

Originally Posted by Seaview

The Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee will meet Tuesday

This is from Ben Lando's Blog and is reported in UPI by him. Can't post the entire article because he complains - so here is a bit from his blog.

The Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee will meet Tuesday with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to determine the fate of the draft oil law, after a version of the long-awaited bill made a brief appearance in Iraq’s Parliament Sunday before being kicked back to the Council of Ministers.

Ben Lando and Alaa Majeed of United Press International spoke to committee members who, despite differing opinions of what the final oil law should look like, all say they want the Council of Ministers to sign off on the legislation and give it to Parliament once and for all.

The law has been — and remains — stuck in a dispute between segments of Iraqi society over two key issues: to what extent companies other than the Iraqi state oil companies should be allowed to enter the oil and gas sector, and to what extent control over the oil strategy will be decentralized to the local governments (oil-producing provinces and regions).

Read the some of the article here :-

http://www.iraqoilreport.com/2008/10/27/maliki-oil-and-gas-committee-to-meet-on-iraq-oil-law/

Or sign up to UPI and read the entire article there http://www.upi.com/

Al-Maliki to meet parliamentary delegation on oil-gas draft law

According to the official al-Sabah newspaper, the Iraqi Premier Nuri al-Maliki will meet a delegation from the oil-gas committee in the Iraqi Parliament in order to have the final word on oil-gas draft law.

Nor al-Den al-Hayani, the MP and member in the oil-gas committee said that the committee members and the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Dr. Mahmud al-Mashhadani made an agreement to form a delegation to meet al-Maliki and hand over him the final draft of the law.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=7234&Itemid=1

Iraqi Cabinet authorizes reopening of US talks

The Iraqi Cabinet on Tuesday authorized Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to reopen talks with the United States on a security pact that would allow U.S. troops to stay in Iraq for three more years after their U.N. mandate expires on Dec. 31.

With a week to go before the American presidential elections, the Iraqi decision could delay the key agreement that provides the legal basis for the U.S. to operate in Iraq past the end of the year.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said members of the Cabinet proposed unspecified "essential" amendments and gave them to al-Maliki to offer to American negotiators. Parliament must approve the agreement and al-Maliki is reluctant to submit the draft unless he is confident it will pass by an overwhelming majority.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the Bush administration hasn't seen the Iraqis amendments yet, so "it's not possible to say at this point" whether U.S. officials would be willing to re-open talks. But officials have said previously that the agreement represented Washington's last offer, and that its success now rests with the complex Iraqi political system — a signal that the White House would likely be unwilling to engage in additional negotiations.

In documents submitted to the Iraqi government, the U.S. military warned that it will have to shut down security and service operations in Iraq if the year ends without a security agreement or a renewed U.N. mandate for American forces, Iraqi officials said Monday.

Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman said the U.S. had submitted papers identifying a number of activities that would stop at the end of the year in the absence of a legal framework. These include not only security operations but also infrastructure improvements and assistance to ministries.

The Kurdish alliance, which holds 54 of the 275 parliament seats, supports the agreement. Followers of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who control 30 seats, have rejected any pact with the U.S.

Most of the other major parties, however, have not taken a formal position although several politicians have called for unspecified amendments.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=7249&Itemid=1

Talabani visits al-Maliki

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani today visited the Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad.

In a meeting the international economic crisis and its consequences on the Iraqi economy were discussed .They discussed the need for taking measures against the negative consequences of that issue on the Iraqi economy.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=7250&Itemid=1