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

Provincial elections seen as Maliki test

Upcoming provincial elections in Iraq will likely turn into a referendum on the rule of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, political observers say.

Even though he's not on the ballot, Maliki's high-profile endorsement of members of his Coalition of the State of Law has in effect turned the vote into a test of his attempts to bolster the central government's authority, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

Set for Jan. 31, a win by Maliki's backers would give him a nationwide base of local politicians ready to support a strong centralized government and cement his emergence from a little-known lawmaker to the most powerful Iraqi leader since Saddam Hussein, analysts told the newspaper.

The Post said its interviews with more than 100 Iraqis across the country showed broad support for Maliki, sometimes precisely because of the strong-arm tactics that most trouble his detractors. Not surprisingly, the newspaper found that Shiites back him -- but so did many Sunnis, who say they view Maliki as a nonsectarian leader.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/...3481232206432/

Oil: expected to rise in world oil prices during the coming period

The Ministry of Oil of the action OPEC to raise oil prices has not reduced global demand for oil.

He said the information ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said experts in the field of oil expected high oil prices, to the extent of the (70) dollars in the coming period. Jihad and the expected changes this year in Iraq's economy, he is not reduced global demand for oil because the Matantjp OPEC oil to Russia from 50 Aigti% of global need. He pointed out that Iraq has exported oil out of the quotas allocated by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, reiterated the ministry's intention to increase production over the plans by the ministry.

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Zubeidi, Saudi Arabia and calls الکویت extinguish debts on Iraq

The Finance Minister Bayan Jabr الکویت to Saudi Arabia, to follow the example of the UAE to extinguish the debt owed by Iraq by a hundred percent.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Finance today, "said Zubaidi, received a delegation from the World Affairs Council الأمریکی include university professors, businessmen and شرکات owners and researchers interested in international affairs."

He added, "Zubeidi said he had not left Saudi Arabia, the debt only after الکویت extinguished the UAE foreign debt by 100 percent."

Going statement: "The Iraq-Zubaidi reviewed إکمال support agreements with the International Monetary Fund and the success with which Iraq was trying to extinguish the remaining 20 percent of the remainder of the foreign debt reduction of 80 percent."

"The al-Zubeidi pointed to success in raising support Alambeshran petroleum products by increasing prices, which have helped to eliminate the smuggling of these products, and ease the burden on the budget. کان Iraq as providing direct support to approximately five billion dollars annually for the products imported for the purpose of bridging the local need ".

The statement quoted the Minister of Finance as saying that "the practice of monetary policy and increase the value of Iraqi dinar to more than 20 percent and raise interest rates, helped in the face of inflation, which reached 66 percent in 2006 and currently stands at 12 percent."

Zubeidi said: "The global financial crisis has affected the Iraqi economy and the decline in oil prices and the lack of production and export of crude oil in Iraq کان are الکبیر impact in the decline of Iraq's state revenues, which forced us to re-examine the budget for 2009."

He called on the ministries of oil and electricity to go to investment rather than relying on the budget. "The gifts will help to reduce the nearly five billion dollars of the burden on the budget."

کما called for strengthening the private sector and support, especially industry and agriculture, and البتروکیمیاویات sector الاسکان, کذلک and the need to revitalize the tourism sector in Iraq, he has a کثرة holy religious and archaeological and tourist areas.

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House of Representatives to propose to government to increase to $2 billion on the budget

Hosted by the House of Representatives and Finance Minister Bayan Jabr and Deputy Minister of Planning Mahdi Alaak doors to discuss the budget in 2009 without giving details.

The MP said on the mass of the United Iraqi Alliance Abbas al-Bayati told a news briefing Saturday that the Board propose to the government to increase to two billion dollars on the budget, indicating that the proposal falls within the authority of Parliament.

Al-Bayati expressed his belief that the Council will hold a meeting on Sunday or Tuesday to consider the subject.

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Bulletin Economist »: Is Iraq regained its sovereignty?
Elman flag fly over the Green Zone, on the west bank of the Tigris in Baghdad. In that expression of the transfer of sovereignty from the United States to Iraq with the beginning of this year.

Once again, flying the Iraqi flag outside the presidential palace of Saddam, who has been around 6 years, served as the headquarters of the coalition forces led by the United States.

In the same region, the American flag still flies the largest U.S. embassy in the world. With the beginning of this year, and the end of the mandate of the Security Council of the United Nations authorization for U.S. forces, these forces are also subject to the authority of the Iraqi government, for the first time since the U.S. invasion in 2003.

Under the agreement between Iraq and the security of America, U.S. forces must withdraw from Iraqi cities by the middle of this year, and withdraw from Iraq entirely by the end of 2011. To mark what has been achieved, it was suggested that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the first of January (January) a national holiday to mark the sovereignty restored.

But many Iraqis say that things have changed on the ground, much less than that makes them feel that their country already sovereign. say that this will not happen, only when the last U.S. troops leave. American soldiers are still supervising the main checkpoints between Baghdad and the rest of the Green Zone, in spite of the increasing number of Iraqi soldiers. Now is also the road outside the presidential palace closed, and supervised by the Americans; interview and parking is still free from the cars.

The Iraqi government has insisted that all officials of the allied countries, including U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the Administrator, to vacate the presidential palace in whole, by December 31 (December), in order to accelerate the transfer of files and equipment in a timely manner.

But so far has not moved any of the Iraqis to the palace, indicating to the difference between the Iraqis. Both the Prime Minister and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, the right to move to the luxurious Grand Palace, which was after the Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said «This is the policy, and this is Iraq».

In military terms, it is the transfer of power to counter-insurgency operations, nominally, from the hands of the Americans to the Iraqis, who were in the province after the other over the past two years, and they need to make many changes on the ground. American troops still believe in the crucial air support, communications and logistics, to resolve the military action in areas where the fighting going on, particularly in the north of Nineveh. But there is a steady improvement in the quality of Iraqi forces, now numbering more than 267,000 to 262,000, as well as police and border guards 37000.

There are also more than 100,000 from (the people of Iraq) or (the awakening), who had a large number of them former rebels in the Sunni tribal militias, and now some of them are recruited in the army and the police.

There are also confusing the issue again, the b 18000 prisoners, are still in the hands of Americans. Under the US-Iraqi security, these should be subject to judicial proceedings of Iraq, note that there is now a new committee to evaluate each case individually. In theory, they must be either released or tried in the case of the availability of sufficient evidence. But there are hundreds of them foreigners, believed to be jihadists, it is unlikely to give the Americans or the Iraqis to release them, regardless of whether or not there was insufficient evidence to convict.

Even the accused, (the people of Iraq), can not be expected to release them in large numbers, as required by the Iraqi politicians of the year, because most of the year. And therefore fear the Shi'ite clerical establishment in Iraq, which could do, even in the enjoyment of sovereignty over the country.

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Maliki announced a partnership agreement between Iraq and the European Union

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on the agreement between Iraq and the European Union to establish partnership relations between the two sides. Al-Maliki during a meeting yesterday chaired by the delegation of the European Parliament, Baroness Emma Nicholson Government's desire to involve business in the European construction projects, reconstruction and revitalization of the work of the private sector in this aspect.

The positions of Prime Minister Baroness Emma Nicholson in support of Iraq and its people since the era of dictatorship and so far, and expressed the hope that the visit, members of the European delegation in the promotion of relations and closer ties. prime minister said: "Baghdad today to enjoy security and stability, and roads cleared of all the provinces, after it was paralyzed by terrorism, and its streets, where dozens of dismembered bodies, against the backdrop of sectarian strife that almost no country to civil war," he said, adding that "the situation improved security throughout Iraq, we adopted a national reconciliation, because the government has dealt with the people on the basis of citizenship and not on sectarian and our response to terrorism in all regions inhabited by Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds alike, without discrimination. "

He continued: "It was an Iraqi civilian carrying two conditions, one when he goes to the Sunni areas and the other while going to the Shiite areas, but every day the Iraqis to move freely, regardless of their sectarian and live together in harmony and love," he said: "We have rid Iraq of dictatorship and terrorism recovered freedoms, including freedom of the press and media and has become possible to criticize a top official in the State and identify the perpetrators of corruption, whatever their positions, and improve the Iraqi economy, and the reduction of unemployment and inflation, in addition to addressing the strategic error committed by the former civil administrator (Bremer) the right of the army and police, The clearance of these two institutions, along with the completion of gangs, many of the oil and construction projects in the past year, and we will work in 2009 to improve services. "The prime minister noted that the political isolation experienced by Iraq, saying:" Iraq has been isolated from its Arab and international levels was not in the country of one, but we are now seeing many as a diplomatic opening, many countries sent ambassadors to Baghdad and our relations with neighboring countries and the world is witnessing rapid progress and global companies began operating in Iraq and more of them on the way to contribute to the process of construction and reconstruction. "

He announced the agreement on the establishment of partnership relations between Iraq and the European countries, especially linking the gas which he said "will have good returns." The prime minister stressed that "the pride and Hmokhana and between our countries in the world built on the basis of national unity and faith in a justice, equality and non-discrimination between the sons of the Iraqi people. This came during a speech at the clans southeast of Baghdad, which was held yesterday at the Rashid Hotel said. Maliki: The sedition against Iraq and caused the bloodshed and the killing of innocent people and the emigration of thousands of his sons were designed to put Iraq on the morgue sectarian and ethnic division, and the simple citizens who had been unable to because of security conditions to work and earn a living has become the fuel for sedition, although he did not cause them, stressing that the contrast of this picture is the reaction to the tragic national united all social components to bury this sedition and the eradication of terrorism and outlaws.

He added that "the improvement in the security situation and the return of stability is one of the results of national unity that coalesced with the tribal government and the political forces, as Iraq returns to its position and began competing companies in which to work, he said, pointing to the importance of meaningful dialogue and the proof and evidence to resolve differences, and that major crime turn the dispute to the conflict and dispute, murder and violation of the basic human rights.

Prime Minister pointed out that "the process of construction and reconstruction as the process of improving the security situation needs to be cooperation and unity and concerted efforts of all sons of the Iraqi people, and we need such a unit for the application of the withdrawal of foreign forces in accordance with the timetables, and we need to this unit in every detail of the joints of life. "

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Talabani calls on Arab leaders to meet in Baghdad

Kuwait adds that the first economic summit to drop the debt claims on Iraq

Intends to President Jalal Talabani, extend invitations to the leaders and the leaders of the Arabs to visit Baghdad and held meetings where the stability of the security situation in the country. Revealed that the "morning" informed source, adding that Talabani will meet in the coming hours with a number of kings and presidents On the sidelines of the Arab economic summit to be held in Kuwait on Monday and will last for two days.

The President of the Republic have arrived in Kuwait yesterday, where he was received by Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and a number of Kuwaiti officials, the two sides held a brief meeting during which a number of issues. The source said: Talabani will discuss with Arab leaders the situation in Iraq in particular and the Arab region in general, pointing out that he would invite leaders to visit Iraq for the security and political progress in the country, and the holding of meetings or mini-summits in the capital, Baghdad.

He said the Iraqi delegation will be on the movements of the Arab delegations to persuade them to set up the next economic summit in the country, noting the existence of positive signals to the approval of the Arab countries on the proposal said.

The well-informed sources of the "morning" that the summit would discuss Kuwait files related to Iraq reconstruction and the country's cooperation in the areas of energy and investment, in addition to the debts of Arab countries, the President will also address themes of the summit includes a number of areas "to build a Kmarki Union and the Arab Convention on Trade in Services, and a card that allows the investor easily move between the businessmen of Arab States, as well as discuss issues of trade and economic integration and transport system link between the Arab States of the railway and sea routes and the issues of education, health, poverty, reduce unemployment and future challenges and requirements of food security and climate change.

For his part, said Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti Minister of Information, said that the relationship between Iraq and Kuwait have become "very good", adding that the stability of Kuwait's security is closely linked to the security of Iraq. Sabah said in an exclusive statement of the "morning": that the two countries, transcending the wounds of the past and brought about Saddam's invasion, saying that Kuwait supports Iraq to become a strong, stable and secure.

He pointed out that the issue of Iraq's reconstruction and investment among the important issues raised on the agenda of the summit, Kuwait, Iraq, indicating that the powerful countries and the task, especially since it has the great potential of human distributed among the various nations of the world must benefit from them.

For their part, called for a number of parliamentarians in the remarks of the "morning", the Arab states to extinguish the debt owed by Iraq during the Kuwait Economic Summit.

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Minister of Finance will meet government officials, banks

Met with Finance Minister Bayan Jabr this morning with officials of government banks. The media source in the ministry of the reporter (news agency, Iraqi Information / INA) said the meeting included Discuss the role of banks in improving the performance of government ministry and the banking system and the destruction reached the Rafidain Bank in addition to the steps to be completed urged the Bank of good to start as a step to enhance the sophisticated Iraqi banks. Almsdran and the transfer of saying Zubeidi "The priority of our work during the next phase to continue efforts to enhance the performance of the Ministry of Finance in all the services and performance of the banking sector, government and private sectors through restructuring and rehabilitation of employees and keep up with economic and financial development in the world"

Saying ... "we will not allow the replacement of corruption in the ministry and the banks in particular, will take more legal action against the offenders so that the image of the ministry and the chronicles of our foundation is to provide better services to citizens through the daily performance of the banks," he said ...

"The ministry has opened new channels of communication with citizens to find out the complaints and feedback on the performance of banks, the ministry because it is the Ministry of all Iraqis." Noted "that the responsibility lies directly to the Director-General in the case of any financial or administrative corruption, stressing" the importance of creating a culture to staff to deal with the citizen and the integrity of the legal proceedings will have any official corruptly in his work. "

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CBI sells $120m, lowers exchange rate by 1 point

The Central Bank of Iraq’s dollar sales went down at its auction on Sunday to $120.165 million at an exchange rate of 1,170 Iraqi dinars, lower by one point compared to the previous session, according to a CBI bulletin.

“Total demand on the dollar reached $120.165 million from $221.860 million in the previous session,” read the bulletin as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The dollar demand was distributed as $25.165 million in cash covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,176 Iraqi dinars per one dollar, including the CBI’s commission of six dinars per each dollar, and $95 million in foreign transfers covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,173 Iraqi dinars per one dollar,” it added.

The CBI holds five foreign exchange buying and selling sessions on a weekly basis from Sunday to Thursday.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=106534

Economic expected delay in the implementation of projects due to delay ratification of the budget

The economist warned that the lack of approval of the House of Representatives recently on the financial budget for the 2009 State of the foot-dragging in implementing the projects.

Said Dr. Nabil al-Saidi, professor at the Faculty of administration and economy, told the independent press (EYBENS) said Sunday that the delay in the vote on the budget this year was not the last, which was preceded by the delay in the previous budgets, for several reasons related to the House of Representatives the same, whether the absence of its members or opinion on certain rule and a point of it and thus be attributed to the budget of the Ministry of Finance and the prime minister, and in that time reflected the depletion of the implementation of projects nationwide.

He added that Maachth of Iraq's provinces and cities of the administrative and financial corruption in the economic life of facilities due to the lack of organization funds that are earmarked for projects and development plans for each province, and affected citizens, which is expected after the last day for economic growth and comprehensive implementation of services. He asked those responsible to bear the responsibilities of national and constitutional, and approval of the budget bill.

He said that the adoption of the ratio of the population in the distribution of the balance between provinces should be parallel to the needs of the projects, whether provincial or service infrastructure in addition to Mataattalbh investment programs. He stressed on the development of the work of the regulatory body of integrity and the Inspector General's Chambers to tighten control on the phenomenon of administrative corruption.

Saidi stressed the need for budgetary sphere to give the public a clear strategy for the eradication of poverty and unemployment and interest in housing projects and to return life to the productive sectors.

The House of Representatives returned to the Ministry of Finance a draft federal budget for the Iraqi State for the year (2009) on Wednesday, and it was explained vice-chairman of the Finance Committee in the House of Representatives that a Ismail thanked "for the existence of significant errors and discrepancies in the figures contained," he said.

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