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

Iraq-US committees to accelerate withdrawal

In the wake of US President Barack Obama’s announcement of the withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq in August 2010 while 35 to 50 thousand troops would remain in the country to advise Iraqi forces and carry out other security missions, US and Iraqi committees in charge of implementing the Status of Forces agreement have intensified their meetings to ****ute timelines of US Forces withdrawal.

In this context, senior officials told Al Sabah Newspaper that Iraqi and US committees will hold 12 meetings in order to regulate mechanisms of US troops withdrawal from Iraq cities and villages, take over security from the US military and agree on the nature of support and arms back up to security forces as well as to upgrade training of national forces.

For his part, Defense and Security committee member in Parliament Abbas Al Bayati told the Newspaper that 15 competent committees in charge of implementing the withdrawal pact and five to six committees in charge of implementing the multilateral framework agreement will accelerate plans in line with the timelines. Al Bayati noted that the committees are working hard to accelerate the implementation of agreements according to which US Forces must start withdrawing in June. They are considering as well the facilities in which these forces will be stationed and seeking to respect deadlines.

Al Bayati denied reports of establishing US military bases in Iraq affirming that US Forces will be stationed in temporary camps until withdrawal is final. It will be agreed as well on the nature of US residual force in training, support and consultancy fields.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News...ithdrawal.html

International companies are competing to invest in the markets of Central

Company received offers from supermarkets and companies, European, Turkish and U.S. Gulf for the purpose of investment and market Almansoor Mustansiriya in Baghdad.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce has received a copy of the Tigris Radio on Tuesday, general manager of supermarkets Jadoua Hadi said that his company has completed all legal and administrative procedures after receiving bids for the purpose of this action and considered by the Commission was formed and the direction of the Minister of Commerce.

He added that the company raised Jadoua markets FAO and Zubair Square or bromine in the province of Basra to the investment by the private sector and Arab and foreign investors.

On the other hand Jadoua said that his company has made remarkable achievements over the past few months have been sales of large markets in Baghdad and the provinces.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...1EEtWl7vXiO17Q

Sorry if already posted....

Central Bank denies the restriction of foreign-exchange transactions and foreign currency

Denied, an official in the Central Bank of Iraq on the news of the alleged intention of the Bank and the restriction of foreign-exchange trading of foreign currency.

He said in a press release that the goal of the reports were not correct to gain some real-time speculators, and damage to the stability of the national economy.

He added that the freedom of foreign transfers are a cornerstone of the economic rights of citizens guaranteed by law and consistent with the objectives of monetary policy aimed at imposing stability and promote development and economic well-being, provided he does not intersect with the law on combating money laundering and funding crime and terrorism financing, No. 93 of 2004. "

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...dDhXAO09S9QRZg

Commerce extend the distribution of ration cards to 15 March this

Order of the Minister of Trade Abd al-Falah Sudan to extend the distribution of new ration cards in 2009 to 15 March of the current.

An official statement said that the extension decision was made to the Minister for the purpose of giving the opportunity for citizens who did not look at the distribution centers to receive the cards and the suffering of displaced families as well as of the domicile of origin and facilitate the proceedings by giving them ample time to receive their own cards.

On the other hand, called the Supply and Planning in the Ministry of Commerce of citizens across the country to speed up the review of distribution centers in their areas to receive their ration of 2009 on the new date has been extended until the fifteenth of March, the current deadline and otherwise would be withheld from the ration card which families to retract.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...6i5VojLNPtz8Zg

De Mistura to present report on disputed areas in April

According to al-Sabah newspaper, U.N Special Envoy in Iraq Staffan De Mistura will present his report on the disputed areas in Kirkuk in the middle of next April.

Al-Sabah also said that international experts are continuing meetings with the representatives of Kirkuk’s components in order to reach a political consensus on Kirkuk issue.

Bearing in mind, a U.N political advisers’ delegation arrived in Kirkuk on Monday, March2, in order to prepare the international report on the disputed areas and authority sharing in the province.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9636&Itemid=1

Once again voting on Iraqi 2009 general budget draft law postponed

Iraqi parliament postponed voting on draft law of Iraq’s budget for 2009 on Tuesday March the 3rd, Iraqi lawmaker told PUKmedia.

“The Iraqi parliament postponed the voting to the next Thursday to let the Iraqi finance minister prepare his report,” Sami Atrushi, Iraqi lawmaker from the Kurdistan Islamic Union bloc inside the Iraqi parliament told PUKmedia.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9648&Itemid=1

Originally Posted by Seaview

Once again voting on Iraqi 2009 general budget draft law postponed

Iraqi parliament postponed voting on draft law of Iraq’s budget for 2009 on Tuesday March the 3rd, Iraqi lawmaker told PUKmedia.

“The Iraqi parliament postponed the voting to the next Thursday to let the Iraqi finance minister prepare his report,” Sami Atrushi, Iraqi lawmaker from the Kurdistan Islamic Union bloc inside the Iraqi parliament told PUKmedia.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9648&Itemid=1

here we go again...lets hurry up and wait on the budget....lol...this parliament is bleeding it for all they can in my opinion....apparently they have not robbed or stolen enuff dinars as of yet.....lol....Pat

Originally Posted by bigopie

....apparently they have not robbed or stolen enuff dinars as of yet.....lol....Pat

You got that right!

Ahdab equipment expected to arrive in the Chinese company to start oil extraction

The official Division Ahdab in Kut, Ahmed Mohammed Abdul Ridha, the completion of the initial preparations that precede the start of oil exploration in the field mentioned by 90%.

Mohammed explained in an interview with "Radio Sawa" that ended the civil works, and is currently working to ensure the security fence in the area of the field in preparation for the start of Husseinieh the exploration of the 10 of April next:

Mohammed said that the work related to the extraction of oil has not yet begun, noting that the preparatory work was first completed in the current stage:

Mohamed also confirmed that the excavation work will begin Bmejr Chinese access equipment required for the extraction of oil, which has not yet reached by the Chinese side is sentenced to a timetable, as he put it:
Mohammed indicated that the contract between the North Oil Company and the Chinese company is one of the type of service rather than investment, whereby the latter to develop oil exploration assistance of cadres belonging to the North Oil Company:

And the percentage received by the Chinese company from the oil extracted, the Mohammed as the ratio of very low value not in excess of three billion dollars, and it will be a three per cent of the price per barrel:

Mohamed also announced the existence of some of the challenges facing the completion of this project because of the high cost and dependence on a foreign company, pointing out that the Ministry of Oil and Wasit province is ready to move beyond the constraints at this level:

http://74.125.93.132/translate_c?hl=...-7D9pKSHglEs5A

Talabani, Shahrastani and business deal with South Korea

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani signed a $3.33bn business deal with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak on 24/2/09 in Seoul. The deal, which provides South Korean companies the possibility of investing in oil projects in southern Iraq, has drawn a reaction from Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Al-Shahrastani.

The following 306-word report focuses on the issue and tells what Al-Shahrastani’s reaction is. It also tells what the position in Baghdad towards cooperation with South Korean companies. Note that the most active South Korean companies in Iraq incliude SK Energy, Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) and Korea Gas Corporation (Kogas).

http://www.tacticalreport.com/articl...d=3&art_id=535