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

Parliamentary calls for the creation of free trade areas between Iraq and neighboring countries

called a member of the Committee and Services of the House of Representatives Boshra Kinani to expedite the establishment of free trade areas between Iraq and neighboring countries.

The Kinani told the independent press (Iba) today, Tuesday, that the establishment of free trade zones will push for the establishment of projects with economic returns, as it is a valid strategy in all countries of the world to move the trade and transport of goods, noting that Iraq has suffered over the years from a lack of development programs and commercial development together with the neighboring countries.

She said the moves would strengthen this aspect demands Iraq to join the World Trade Organization and the private sector support in the areas of manufacturing, packaging, agriculture hubs as President to raise the level of development and trade of Iraq, calling for the implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements with countries that have declared their willingness to establish such zones and the development of economic relations with them.

Kinani predicted that Iraq's role in the development of industry and reducing dependence on neighboring countries to the establishment of trade areas through open space for the sectors for the supply of raw materials and machinery and materials related to agriculture and industry.

She stressed the need to support the company suspended work on the material and make way for investment with emphasis on the rights of labor and technical cadres. There was a vocal critic of the companies former civilian and military, "MIC" that can be back to work and revitalization - to what she said.

Noted that these areas can help economic growth through the provision of many of the benefits to investors such as exemption from taxes and the rights of full ownership of foreign companies.

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Tariq Aziz's lawyer denies his client's request for political asylum in Britain

Badi Aref's lawyer, denied Tariq Aziz reports about his client's claim of direct political asylum to the United Kingdom.

He said that Aziz had not requested asylum in Britain, not the other because he has no freedom in prison and could decide where the want to be able to stay after the freedom and release.

Arif stressed that "the reconciliation proposed by Obama on the Iraqi government could not have matured without the release of an innocent person the size of Tariq Aziz, he said.

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Baghdad calls for Trade Czech companies to invest in Iraq

Baghdad Chamber of Commerce invited Czech companies to invest in Iraq and the exchange of visits between the traders and businessmen of the two countries.

An official source at a press briefing that the call came to the San Jubouri Amjad, Chairman of the Chamber during his meeting with Czech Ambassador in Baghdad.

He stressed the benefit from the advantages granted by the Iraqi investment law to enter the Iraqi market.

The source noted the need for Iraq to build and rebuild infrastructure destroyed by war and learn from the experiences of companies and businessmen in the Czech area.

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Exxon says Iraq must 'create conditions' to attract foreign investment

Exxon Mobil is in constant dialogue with Baghdad to create the investment climate that would allow it to become a significant player in the Iraqi energy sector, its chief ****utive, Rex Tillerson, said Monday.

Exxon, the world's largest publicly traded company, is among the entrants in the race for contracts to work on the biggest Iraqi oil fields.

Iraq, which sits on some of the world's largest oil reserves, needs billions of dollars of foreign investment to overhaul its oil sector and increase output after years of sanctions and war.

"I hope Iraq creates the conditions that will allow a company like Exxon Mobil to be a participant in a significant way," Tillerson said during an interview before an energy conference in Qatar.

He said Exxon was discussing with Iraq the conditions that would be necessary for the company "to take risk with our capital and have the opportunity to be successful over the long term."

Iraq is drawing up the contract terms for a round of bidding on six large fields, which together hold more than a third of Iraqi reserves. Baghdad has sweetened the terms, but international oil firms remain concerned about assuming huge risk for little reward.

Tillerson pointed to Qatar as an investment model that attracts international oil companies. Exxon is the largest foreign investor in the Gulf Arab state and projects scheduled to start there make up the bulk of the oil company's planned global production growth in 2009.

Exxon has stakes in projects that are set to double Qatar's production capacity of liquefied natural gas in 2009 to 62 million tons. Qatar is already the world's largest producer of the gas cooled to liquid form for export.

Despite the huge volume of new production capacity, Qatar as a cheap producer was well placed to adapt to an LNG market suffering as the economic downturn eats into demand, Tillerson said.

"Today the LNG market is relatively balanced, but I think it is going to be soft. It is going to be a bit challenging in the next year or so," he said. "But Qatar can deliver LNG at a cost of supply below any other LNG source in the world. So their ability to withstand downward pressure on prices is much greater than other sources of LNG."

In Britain, the South Hook LNG terminal that Exxon and Qatar Petroleum have built together to receive Qatari gas will start up within a few weeks, he said.

In Italy, another port that will receive Qatari gas should take its first load of LNG before the end of June, Tillerson said. The Adriatic LNG terminal was under testing, he said.

Exxon was also developing two projects to increase Qatar's domestic natural gas supply and remained in talks to build a petrochemical plant in the country, Tillerson said.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/...ness/exxon.php

Zebari: Arab foreign ministers will meet in Baghdad soon, the presence of Clinton

"Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the Arab foreign ministers will meet in Baghdad soon, the presence of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss all issues in the Middle East.

The minister said he "sensed from Hillary Clinton's conviction of the usefulness and feasibility of the meeting and this new mechanism and agreed to hold the next meeting of the group in Iraq and in the presence of the Minister Clinton. During the coming period we will begin to make preparations, and preparations necessary to convene such a meeting in Baghdad." And that "there is a need to hold the next meeting in Iraq in solidarity with him during the next spring, and it would place a political message of solidarity to the Arab and American management of the new, strong, with regard to stability and democracy in Iraq."

Zebari said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper published on Tuesday that the meeting held on the sidelines of the Sharm el-Sheikh International "gathered to discuss all issues in the region have joined to Iraq for the same reason, any discussion of terrorism and the cause of peace and stability of Iraq and the Iranian situation and the situation in the Gulf."

Dialogue and the U.S. - Iran said, "as she put Clinton and Obama as the management with the opening of dialogue and support that we are in Iraq because we believe that the interests of, and what will result from this dialogue and what will it to be premature, but turned through our contacts that the new administration a genuine desire to achieve the American Iranian dialogue on various issues."

Regarding the decision of U.S. President Barack Obama to withdraw troops early from Iraq, Zebari said that "is consistent with the Convention on the withdrawal of troops that we signed with the previous administration, the date in 2011 is the deadline for the departure of all troops and the new plan included some adjustments in the timing of time but I do not think it will affect the overall situation." "There's a concern, do not hide this fact, that some groups or parties is that this withdrawal may create a vacuum filled by other parties, or may lead to the rise of extremists and terrorists and insurgents, and the restoration of activity again."

"But in my opinion, that 2009 will be crucial and decisive in the history of Iraq. We had had the experience of provincial councils with great success and enormous and renowned Arab and international levels, but the election districts, then we have the parliamentary elections, which will be one of the most election for the future of the new Iraq and its identity and, therefore, I believe that Obama's plan would not affect the political process during the course of 2009." The minister expressed his belief that until the summer of 2010, the "situation will be stable ... We are counting heavily on the ability of Iraqi security forces and military to fill this void and will not allow any party or any intervention, but each will control to Iraqi forces." And delayed the election of the Speaker of the Parliament, he said, "there are disagreements, problems and controversy over the elections that took place and the legal and constitutional debate and it is natural to resolve the issue of the Speaker of Parliament, because the fundamental issues, such as in front of the public budget and the constitutional review and many of the issues ... It is important to resolve this matter." On the nature of these differences, he said, "is any political difference between the masses and their right to any problem in this position and as the custom component to the Iraqi Sunni different on this issue, and we are waiting for a consensus position on this sensitive and vital, particularly in the next stage."

And the reasons for the dispute over the reduction of the budget of 2009 said, "because of lower oil prices and the global financial crisis, has been reduced to the rate of $ 20 billion, and we believe that the impact of this decline slightly this year, but if the same figure to the year 2010 - 2011 will affect development plans." The other hand, Zebari said, "discussed with the Secretary-General of the Arab States Jtmap during this session, the subject of his next visit to Iraq and is looking forward to this visit, the fact is put forward some time ago and we have agreed on a timetable and a program of the visit will be in the middle of this month, is scheduled to meet with the majority of Iraqi leaders." "We will also visit the religious authorities in Najaf, will also visit the Kurdistan Region. I think that the visit would be very important, particularly as there is a breakthrough in security and political situation, and also there is an agreement and coordination on international and Arab Iraq, and is not reasonable to lag behind the university and the Secretary-General on the visit to Iraq."

Iraqi-Iranian relations and said it was an "advanced ... there is an exchange of visits between the two countries and these visits have become routine and normal and, more recently, Baghdad has been hit by a series of visits by Iranian officials (such as Ali Akbar Velayati and former foreign minister and advisor to Supreme Leader, and then came before the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Since the days of the visit of former President Hashemi Rafsanjani." And that "these visits send the message that the Iraqi-Iranian relations sophisticated and advanced, and there are visits from the Iraqi side in Tehran, and recently visited President Jalal Talabani, and Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and also there will be other meetings are taking place."

He pointed out that "there is a genuine desire for mutual assurance that normal relations will not be affected after the signing of the Iraqi government of its decision independent of the Convention on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, despite Iran's protest and rejection of this agreement." He pointed out that such visits "followed by the Iraqi government that Iraq eventually will take the decision away from the national independent of any influences, pressures or interferences, because the question of adoption of the Convention is the decision of a sovereign Iraqi national, and we do not accept any one or any party to interfere in our affairs ". And opposition to Rafsanjani to visit Iraq, he said, "We have heard from media reports that there is opposition to this visit and there are supporters, but former President Rafsanjani, has an official invitation to visit Iraq, and we believe that as long as the Iraqi government agreed to this visit, it is committed to the ethics of political and diplomatic behavior."

He pointed out that "The visit also raised strong objections from groups in Iraqi society. Today there were demonstrations in Al-Anbar, and the reason that former President Hashemi Rafsanjani is the head of the Expediency Council, has been associated with his name during the Iran-Iraq war that he was one of the key leaders from the Iranian side in the management of this war." He continued, saying "there is a long-standing disputes in the emotions and feelings of the old categories of Iraqis believe that what happened from the dead and wounded during the war was linked to the character of Iran, while the war was that the decision of the two countries and two leaderships decision, not a personal decision, and we all know how the war started is responsible. "

And meet the Iranian challenge in the region said: "We discussed and argued that the idea will not give Iran a regional issue is not realistic, because Iran has existed in practice (in the Gulf - Iraq - Lebanon - Gaza - Palestine), so we talked and that it is necessary to examine the subject and we jointly and collectively. "

And that "there is a perception among some (the Foreign Ministers of State (s) and Arabic) that they do not tend to open up the region and legitimize this role or presence", noting that the debate on Iran concluded that the "keep this issue open in the coming period. We have not taken any decision on it yet. "

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The accession of Yemen and Iraq's return to the membership of the Federation of GCC Chambers

Told the Union of Chambers of the GCC General Secretariat of the GCC countries agreed to restore Iraq's membership in the Union of Chambers and the accession of Yemen as a new member of the union. This came at the end of the fourth joint meeting between officials from the twenty-General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the chairpersons and members of the Federation of Chambers of the GCC, which was held today.

And Mr. Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Trade and Industry of Oman made a speech which reviewed the challenges facing GCC private sector in the coming period, said the most important of the diversification of income and human development, inflation and food security and the financial crisis.

He stressed the importance of the concerted efforts of public and private sectors in various countries of the Cooperation Council to address those challenges and overcome.

For his part, spoke highly of Dr. Esam bin Abdulla Fakhro, President of the Federation of Chambers of the Gulf Cooperation Council states at the beginning of the meeting, the role played by the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council of the efforts to achieve integration among the GCC countries and supporting their positions to promote cooperation between the two secretariats, in particular, and the private sector in general, pointing to the role played by the GCC chambers of the success of the march of the GCC and the economies of the members.

As Mr. Mohammed bin Obaid Al Mazroui the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council speech in which he referred to the achievement made in the march of the GCC in different sectors .. He pointed out the contributions in support of the Federation of Chambers of the wheel of development led by Gulf governments.

The meeting discussed the issues and agenda files listed the most important stages of the discussion and proposed solutions to accelerate the removal of obstacles that obstruct the march of the work of a GCC common market and monetary union and customs.

Also addressed the meeting to discuss the economic importance of expanding the role of the private sector in economic decision-making in member States and the activation of the GCC common resolve obstacles to investment, trade and economic citizenship .. Referring also to discuss the economy, the Gulf after the global financial crisis.

http://translate.google.com/translat...%26Itemid%3D18

Maliki seeks forgiveness and reconciliation

Media Advisor of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki affirmed that the principle of forgiveness and reconciliation called for by Prime Minister Al Maliki is a call to open a new chapter with whoever is not implicated in Iraqi bloodsheds and not involved in defunct Baath Party.

Majid told Alsumaria that this principle includes people who have laid down their weapons and have not been involved in Iraqi killings provided that they are not part of chauvinist, dictatorship and sectarian parties. Majid denied being aware of a Baath and opposition conference to be held in April. However, he noted that many Iraqis have belonged to the Baath Party while they are not advocates of dictatorship but only to avoid being attacked.

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

Attempts to recover billions of dollars in corruption cases

Seek a parliamentary government and to recover billions of dollars by resolving the issues of administrative and financial corruption within the period ahead, in a move designed to get rid of this dangerous phenomenon which engulfed the country since the era of the Alambad.

It is the Integrity Committee in the House of Representatives and the integrity to focus on big corruption cases, according to the detection of the "morning," a member of the Integrity Commission Parliamentary Deputy Mohamed Naji, adding that meetings and discussions between the relevant officials to fight corruption. Naji said: "The Integrity Commission in the Parliament have files are subject to continuous follow-up in the various ministries of the State, especially, the committee has developed a new plan of action is Btadhaev ministers and officials and staff in the integrity of the follow-up and resolution of existing issues and to make observations on some of the Ministers of the measures in this regard ", indicating that a meeting was held recently with the trade ministers and officials and to work in the integrity, of which he was to make proposals for developing the performance of ministries in the various fields.

"The prime minister Nuri al-Maliki said during a meeting with a number of directors of the Iraqi S.atellite T.elevision yesterday, said that administrative corruption wanted by the State regulatory agencies that was left of the spoilers, but little, pointing out that amnesty decision, issued by the Government as one of the vocabulary of national reconciliation included many of those regrettable ", saying at the same time there were four institutions of central planning in the fight against all manifestations of corruption inherited from the former regime, Iraq is the stage that came directly after the fall." He continued a member of the Committee Deputies: "The files of corruption began to eat the large public funds and the rights of the people and harms the interests of the state and the general direction in the coming stage will, rather than waste time in dealing with the files of simple issues that do not exceed a few thousand dinars, or individual cases to address the huge files," and expressed his hope "The current year would witness the activation of the fight against corruption and work to drive forward the issues forgotten." He pointed out that "provide tangible evidence to resolve the corruption files, as are the relevant institutions information and reports on many of the ministers and officials do not live up to the accusation is difficult to put the files without a legal basis and prove sufficient, "stressing that" the Parliamentary Committee, in cooperation with the integrity of these issues will be up to the billions of dollars Akiemha immediately after the completion of all proof and evidence.

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Foreign banks outside of Iraq almost five million dollars a week

Expert warned bank ex****bate the real problems facing the banking sector due to the entry of foreign banks and Arabic to Iraq illegally without a license and the Central Bank of Iraq And controls in place.

The expert, who asked not to be named, said the three Arab banks entered into Iraqi Kurdistan to work for development, but its shift to the funded projects belong to their interests outside of Iraq, so the real message out to support development programs in Iraq. He said the Lebanese banks nationality Alkontantl and Byblos, and Frist had entered Iraq without a license and the Central Bank of Iraq operate outside the regulations, instructions, and thus become a real competition, or just with the exception of Iraqi banks, and deliver efficient elements outside the controls in place relating to the terms of the contract.

And that these three banks, including Alkontantl is currently out of at least 5 million dollars a week as a threat to financial security and liquidity through the financial transfer of money through the banking and corporate finance highway. And said: "The aim of allowing them to operate inside Iraq, including Kurdistan province is funding + project implementation and support of the Iraqi private sector, but are beyond the exercise of this activity. And the bank warned that these banks have entered the capital of 7 million dollars have been dealing with tens of times these amounts is a matter of concern in the absence of real guarantees of the problem before and that the other banks are tempted to become qualified to work with Iraqi and contrary to the Charter of professional activity in the banking sector. He called the bank the Central Bank of Iraq to limit the activity and not to deal with it and put it in black list a similar decision taken by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to the oil companies which do not abide by the instructions and the laws in force.

The expert said the banking controls and the conditions for establishing banks in the Iraqi neighboring countries and the world, he said that he be treated as the central entry and establishment of foreign banks the same. As the government sought to search for alternatives to the development and funding for the rebuilding of Iraq by these banks, however, formally approved by the Central Bank of Iraq to derail the nearly 5 million dollars a week through a legitimate question, however, the pain is under the title of this activity (money laundering, to draw attention?

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President Talabani speaks to reporters before heading to Tehran

Before his departure from Sulaimani International Airport to Tehran to participate in the high-level meeting of the 10-nation Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Tuesday March the 10th, 2009 shed light on his visit in a press conference where PUKmedia corresponds were attended.

“Iraq is participating as an honor guest in the meetings o f the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) since Iraq is not a member state.” President Talabani told the reports at the Sulaimani International Airport.

President Talabani indicated that he would then visit Doha to participate in the Arab summit, expected to take place on March 29 and 30.

Regarding the PUK internal issues, Talabani said %70-80 of the issues have been resolved, indicating that he would return to Sulaimani in the few coming days to deal with all the issues.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9791&Itemid=1