Thread: Archive - Latest News Think Tank - 15/01/09 - 04/05/09

Ki-Moon to President Talabani: You are the father for your nation

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani received the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon and his accompanied delegation, which included Mr. Steffan Di Mistura, Lynn Pascoe and Vijay Nambiar, today in al-Salam presidential palace in Baghdad in the presence of the head of presidency divan Nassir al-Aani, head of President’s Talabani office Nazar Mohammed Saieed and a number of officials.

They discussed the latest developments in Iraq, especially the success of the provincial elections, the UN’s efforts to help the Iraqi people and the necessity of the continuous support of UN in Iraq.

Following the meeting, President Talabani and secretary-general Ki-Moon held a joint press conference. President Talabani expressed his happiness for Mr. Ki-Moon’s visit to Iraq as a friend for the Iraqi people.

President Talabani mentioned that the secretary-general stressed the UN support for the Iraqi people to solve all the internal and regional issues.

President Talabani said “we expressed our thanks and gratitude to the UN and its sacrifices for Iraq. We also like to thank the UN envoy to Iraq Mr. Steffan Di Mistura. I would like to stress that our cooperation with the UN will continue.”

Finally, President Talabani spoke on the positive developments, which were achieved in Iraq’s relations with the neighboring countries, especially the Arab countries. He expressed his hope that the secretary-general will help in developing these relations.

On his part, Mr. Ki-Moon expressed his happiness for visiting Iraq and meeting President Talabani. He said “I’m here in Iraq to congratulate the Iraqi people and Iraqi politicians on behalf of the UN for the success and achievements that took place in the provincial elections. I am proud for your achievements and you must be proud of what have you done.”

He emphasized the UN support for Iraq by giving any technical and political support. He added “I believe that you have crossed a long distance, but you still have a long way ahead to achieve the freedom, security and development in a complete way.”

He praised President Talabani’s role by saying “I appreciate your leadership. You are the moderate force of your country and a father for your nation. You ruled the country with moderation, wisdom and vitality. Iraq can run a true national reconciliation process and continue the talks between the different ideas under your leadership. That is what the international community is waiting from the Iraqi people and its leadership to do.”

At the end of his speech, Ki-Moon renewed the UN’s support to Iraq and hoped for President Talabani more success and Iraq with more developments. He thanked President Talabani for his warm receiving.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9172&Itemid=1

Revival of Iraq National Oil Co 'key to output boost'
2 days ago

Plans to revive the Iraqi National Oil company more than a decade after it was scrapped by Saddam Hussein would give a big boost to the flagging oil sector, South Oil chief Kifah Numan said.

The reinstated national group would act as the parent of South Oil, Iraq's largest petroleum company, and the country's other two major oil operators, Numan told AFP in an interview at company headquarters in Basra. "The National Oil company will get more flexibility and have better understanding and planning for the operation of the companies so they can act within the authority of their board of directors," said Numan, a 36-year veteran of the firm.

Iraqi output is still below pre-2003 levels but could climb "dramatically" if plans for the industry are fully implemented, he said. Legislation on the national company and an overall hydrocarbons law has been long delayed by a bitter dispute among the assembly's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factions over the sharing of Iraqi's oil wealth. But Numan said that once results are announced from the weekend provincial elections, MPs could take another crack at the controversial bill to get the conflict-battered production schedule back on track. "We are hoping to receive quite a few decisions in the beginning of February," said Numan, who was installed last year as head of South Oil after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had Abdeljabbar al-Luaybi removed. "We are hoping to get more authority to be able to act away from the centralisation that is taking place now within in the oil ministry and the government," he said.

Iraq sits atop the world's third largest proven crude reserves after Saudi Arabia and Iran, but is desperate for oil revenue to rebuild its war-shattered economy, especially with global prices sharply down.
The pre-US invasion export ceiling was about three million barrels per day, but it now produces only 2.18 million bpd, of which 1.6 million is for export, according to figures on the OPEC website.

Crucial to improving its broken infrastructure and returning production to pre-2003 levels are security guarantees that major international oil firms will not be disrupted by sectarian power struggles, said Numan. Local politicians in oil-rich Basra are fighting for a greater share of oil revenues being funnelled directly to Baghdad, an issue that has triggered sabotage and other security problems.

"Until now it has been the security problem that has stopped these companies from moving forward... Now the security situation is rather good but we hope it is going to be better," Numan said. Basra is considered the country's financial hub. More than 70 percent of Iraq's oil is produced in the region and its port -- the only one in Iraq -- is used for 80 percent of crude exports. Numan said that within four to five years South Oil could raise production to 3.5 million barrels a day, but to meet such targets Iraq needs foreign expertise.

Iraq last year launched its first international tender for development of nearly 20 oil and gas fields in a bid to ramp up its output ratio compared to its massive estimated reserves of 115 billion barrels. More than 35 foreign companies have taken part in the first round of bidding, although hopes of a lucrative equity stake in Iraqi fields were dashed when the oil ministry only proffered service contracts. "There will be no production sharing agreements. All these licensing rounds are based on service type contracts," Numan said, adding that privatisation of upstream activities is unlikely to ever happen. The current tenders will move to a second round of bidding in June and September, while the oil ministry is expected to announce further international tenders this month.

Numan said he hoped to increase production by 300,000-400,000 bpd this year by squeezing current operations. "We are hoping to implement quick solutions whereby a minimum amount of drilling will be required," he said. In 2010, Numan wants to drill up to 400 wells with the help of foreign firms. As tender offers turn into actual contracts, Iraq's output could climb much higher than current production targets.

"As we finalise these awards of the licences these figures are likely to change dramatically."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...EfF_isobY7HN2g

Central to sell 566 million dollars during the week

the volume of total demand for the dollar in the meetings of the Central Bank of Iraq this week to 566 million dollars, and a stable exchange rate for the third consecutive week at 1170 dinars per dollar.

The total sales during this week, the central 566 million and 635 thousand dollars, was the basis of the exchange rate of 1170 dinars per dollar, through the holding of four meetings of the auction only five of the weekly, due to the suspension of the auction on Sunday (2-1) because of local elections, holiday .

With sales in the Central last week was 585 million dollars at the exchange rate was 1170 dinars per dollar.

And distributed on demand cash sales total of $ 144 million and 100 thousand dollars at the exchange rate was 1176 dinars per dollar, which includes the commission of the Central Bank amounting to six dinars per dollar.

While foreign remittances recorded a size of the request amounted to 422 million and 535 thousand dollars, and the exchange rate was 1173 dinars per dollar, inclusive of the commission of the Central Bank amounting to three dinars per dollar.

The adviser said the central bank for the benefit of the appearance of Muhammad (Voices of Iraq) that "the policy of the Central Bank in the canteen for the sale of foreign currency is concentrated in the three points is a significant stabilization of the price of local currency against foreign currency", as well as "financing of foreign trade to the private sector exclusively, and to maintain liquidity Cash. "

Saleh added that "the policy of the central raised the value of the dinar is Baltdregip, is whenever we find a margin between the volume of foreign currency reserves and the level of inflation," saying that "it is unlikely that there will be high rates of inflation could lead to the lifting of the exchange rate, due to the lower world price, which will be its effects are clear in the next few months. "

The average daily demand on the rise last week, reaching 141 million and 658 thousand dollars against 117 million and 95 thousand dollars last week.

The week witnessed the disparity in the volume of applications to buy the dollar during the course of the auction, which reported a meeting on Monday (2-2) less the volume of demand during one meeting at 47 million and 925 thousand dollars, while meeting Wednesday (2-4) during the peak demand one meeting was 195 million and 690 thousand dollars, and there is no record of the meetings this week of the auction bids for the sale of the dollar by the banks to contribute to the auction.

The central bank held an auction of five meetings a week from Sunday to Thursday for the sale and purchase of foreign currencies, and receive a cash commission on the sale of six dinars per dollar, and receive a commission of three dinars per dollar on the sale of remittances outside the country.

http://ar.aswataliraq.info/?p=126016

UN chief, Maliki discuss lifting Iraq sanctions

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday that the United Nations is considering scrapping sanctions imposed on Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s regime before the 2003 US-led invasion.

Ban, on a surprise visit to Iraq, met with Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and senior officials to discuss the issue, one day after allies of the Shia premier swept to victory in provincial elections.

“The UN is in the process of reviewing all the resolutions and on my return I will discuss this issue with the Security Council,” Ban said at a joint press conference with the prime minister.

Maliki said: “We discussed the ending of UN sanctions on Iraq, which were (imposed) after the aggression of the previous regime. We asked for a review of all the resolutions imposed on Iraq so we can return to the rank of normal nations.”

The United Nations slapped comprehensive sanctions on Iraq after Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Many were lifted after 2003, but an arms embargo and some financial restrictions were left in place.

Up to 1.7 million Iraqis may have died as a result of the penalties, which savaged the economy and crippled the country’s health care system, according to a previous UN report. Ban met President Jalal Talabani soon after his arrival in the Iraqi capital. “I came to Iraq today in order to congratulate the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government after last Saturday’s provincial elections,” he said. “The success of election day augurs well for the transition process and the solidifying of Iraq’s national reconciliation,” Ban added.

His visit came after preliminary results of last Saturday’s election showed that candidates backed by Maliki dominated a poll that is expected to reshape Iraq’s fractured political landscape.

Maliki described the poll result as “a success for all Iraqis.”

“Sure, there are changes to the political map, because the citizens voted to see the changes,” said the Shiite prime minister, who has adopted a notably secular political outlook. Maliki did not stand in the elections but threw his backing behind candidates from the country’s State of Law Coalition, which polled highly in Baghdad and in eight of Iraq’s nine Shiite provinces. The coalition’s win lays the early groundwork ahead of parliamentary polls in about a year’s time.

The United Nations provided the Independent High Electoral Commission with assistance in organising the poll which was held in 14 of 18 provinces. Just over half of the Iraqi electorate voted in the ballot, which was seen as a vital test of the country’s progress since the US-led invasion ousted Saddam from power almost six years ago.

The poll was seen as a sign of progress as they passed off without major violence. Voting in Iraq’s last election in 2005 was staged against the background of a brutal insurgency against US and government forces and sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni communities. It was also marred by a Sunni Arab boycott.

The United Nations greatly reduced its presence in Iraq after a suicide truck bombing against its Baghdad headquarters in 2003 killed 22 people, including its top Iraq envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello. Ban’s visit was also his first since the expiry at the end of last year of a UN mandate that was put in place soon after the March 2003 invasion and was hailed as a major step towards Iraq regaining full sovereignty.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Gul f%2C+Middle+East+%26+Africa&month=February2009&fil e=World_New****9020751824.xml

Securities market in connection with electronic trading of corporate

According to an official source in the Iraqi market for securities market in connection with the start of electronic trading on the shareholding companies in the market.

The source said in a press release published on Saturday that he was selected a number of companies to be the first companies to be deposited by the Register of Shareholders at the center of the Iraqi deposit agreement was signed contracts with them to facilitate the transfer and loading of the records.

The source explained that the twenty-second day of this month will be the last trading session of the shares of these companies.

The source added that the companies will begin to download the electronic systems market is the Investment Bank of Iraq and the Iraqi Islamic Bank and the Bank of the UNESCO's International Bank and Al-Mansour Al-Mansour Hotel.

He said he will accept the companies contributing to the other sequentially, for the purpose of the transfer of all firms to electronic trading.

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Shahristani reiterates the illegality of Kurdistan's oil contracts

New al-Shahristani confirmed that the central government refuses to contracts the Kurdistan region and the companies will be contracted with the province of legal responsibility.

He said in a symposium hosted by the Iraqi Center for economic reform today and attended the Independent Press Agency (EYBENS) continue to stress the illegality of the contracts, where the part can not act in isolation from all this wealth does not belong to one region or province, or group of people, even those, whoever they are acting on behalf of the the Iraqi people.

He said al-Shahristani, to hold meetings with officials in the province recently to resolve the differences on this subject.

Said to be agreement on the standardization of oil exported from the region Turkey's Ceyhan pipeline, which are issued through the government of Aruba to the crude oil and the amounts funded for putting the State budget.

Alluding to the existence of an agreement in principle to link the pipeline from the field near Zakho Tauki and linking strategic pipeline which carries oil to the Turkish line.

By another pregnancy and Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, the policy of some blocs in the House of Representatives not to approve the re-establishment of the national oil company.

"There are some political parties refused to agree to re-establish the company and link this to the ratification of the Law of the Iraqi oil and gas, despite the importance of the company in the development sector as an Iraqi national. Stressing that turn the oil sector can not be a prisoner of political calculation.

With regard to the implementation of contracts with international companies and the Ministry of processing equipment and machinery for the oil sector,

Shahristani said that the administrative red tape and bureaucracy in government departments working in the Almwani delayed the arrival of the equipment agreed upon with the companies for the development of oil terminals.

He added that financial and administrative procedures followed in Almwani blocked access to equipment imported by the Ministry of the international companies specialized in the oil sector, there are a large number of them still exist in Mwani Basra.

Maasmah criticizing the conditions of the Ministry of Planning with respect to contracting procedures.

He can not be disabled because of other measures of the law, despite its importance, because we believe that the restructuring of the company will establish a base for the distribution of oil wealth and confirmation of the principle of rights for every citizen, to any remarkable Takermqubl would damage the national interest of Iraq - as he put it.

http://74.125.79.102/translate_c?hl=...INGupUDRO6G2UA

Iraqi Oil Minister is likely to reduce OPEC production in March

Likely, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, to decide on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, to reduce its production ceiling at its meeting scheduled for next March in order to push oil prices to rise gradually over what the organization deems a fair price for a barrel at $ 70.

With regard to Iraq, Shahristani said he would seek to give greater powers to officials of the oil sector for the conclusion of major agreements without the need to obtain the consent of the Council of Ministers,

He pointed out that efforts to increase production is hampered by the slow pace of adoption of budgets.

Shahristani said in an interview in front of an oil conference in Baghdad that "2009 will be a difficult year for the economy. It is expected that the decline in the demand for oil. OPEC will meet in March, and there is a tendency for a further reduction of production to raise prices."

It should be noted that Iraq, and is a founding member of OPEC, held on the third-largest oil reserves in the world, non-binding system of production quotas applied by the organization, however, that Iraq is facing difficulties in maintaining the production capacity due to the sabotage of oil installations.

He predicted that al-Shahristani, the oil prices due to high levels of $ 70 a barrel, but he said that would not happen during the period of months, but will happen gradually.

Shahristani voiced the hope of expediting the work of reconstruction of the oil sector through the establishment of a national delegate the signing of oil contracts without the need for the adoption of the Council of Ministers, which is the condition, which was dictated by the political process in Iraq.

He was surprised at al-Shahristani, the existence of obstacles to the arrival of equipment needed by the oil sector from abroad.

He said, "I think it is strange that with ***** and explosives across the Iraqi border, and the obstacles encountered in the delivery of equipment needed by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. Oil pipelines have been sabotaged, the presentation of the production processes of the breakdown. We are so far, have not been able to buy a new tube because of our lack of funds , as has been the adoption of the budget after 2009. "

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On the first round of vote on candidates of the office of President of the House of Representative

First Deputy Speaker Sheikh Khaled al-Attiyah, on Saturday, said the Presidency of the Parliament decided to postpone the vote on the candidates for the presidency of the Council on Sunday as part of the first round of the vote.

He said Al Attiyah told the independent press (Iba) on Saturday: "The vote will be withdrawn after a number of candidates, and now things Aktheraydaha to choose one of them.

Al-Attiyah said the parliamentary blocs to negotiate among themselves on Monday evening for the selection of candidates for the presidency of the parliament.

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We have a budget for the fiscal revenue of more than 138% of the plan to the Ministry of Oil

Iraq's Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, the oil ministry revenues of the budget of Iraq during the year 2008, amounting to more than 138% of the plan and that, pointing to a gradual improvement in crude oil prices globally.

Shahristani said during a seminar held by the Iraqi Center for economic reform on Saturday, in Baghdad, on the requirements of the development of oil and gas industry in Iraq, and attended "Uzmatik", "The Ministry of Oil revenues last financial year 2008 amounted to 61 billion and 883 million dollars, was placed in an account Development Fund of Iraq, at the time was planned for the oil ministry to achieve 46 billion and 510 million dollars, "adding that" The ministry has thus the proportion of 138% of the planned and surplus reached 15 billion dollars. "

Shahristani added that "the budget surplus of 15 billion dollars of Iraq will be appointed to cover the shortfall for 2009 due to the decline of global oil prices."

He's oil minister said his ministry and to avoid reduction in income for 2009, it "will raise the export of crude oil to two million barrels per day, and at 50 dollars," and noted that "the month of January last has reached the rate of export of one million and 850 thousand barrels per day and at 37 dollars and 31 cents, "He stressed" the ministry sought to export two million barrels per day during the month of February, "he said.

The other hand, oil minister said that "there is a gradual improvement in oil prices globally, especially after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to reduce production to more than four million barrels per day and the commitment of Member States in this reduction."

Shahristani added that "oil prices started to rise with the month of January has now reached more than $ 40 a barrel," predicted that "The global oil prices to more than $ 70 a barrel is not in the next few months, but gradually."

The Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said in an interview with Al "Uzmatik" that the last OPEC meeting in Vienna in the month of March will be considered to reduce production further if global oil prices remain low, after it conducted a reduction of the organization to produce oil During the meetings in Algiers in December of last year, 2008.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is a global organization that includes 12 countries, and Member States have in this organization between two-thirds to three-quarters of global reserves of oil. The organization was founded in Baghdad in 1960 by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Venezuela, based in Vienna.

http://74.125.79.101/translate_c?hl=...ZwIi6nS28ywmhw

Kirkuk received offers of investment from international companies and Arab

Kirkuk Investment Authority received official requests from the company (Nukan) U.S. competent real estate investment in order to build 150 housing units, in addition to investing in the housing sector.

And confirmed the receipt of official requests from U.S. companies and Iraqi and Arab tourism investment, industrial and real estate in the city.

The head of the investment in Kirkuk Falah Abdul Rahman told a news briefing on Saturday that the company land the Jordanian wedding had confirmed their willingness to tourist investment, especially in relation to the construction of tourist bungalows in the district of Dibs.

Rahman said that the American Nevada Company is seeking to invest in energy companies and the Iraqi Delanea competent teacher in the building of restaurants with international standards, in addition to the company Nozn Lebanese working in the building of tourist cities on the river within its terms of reference of the investment in Kirkuk.

He said the company decided to respond to within 50 day after the completion of the study body, consisting of 9 members.

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