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

CBI’s dollar sales up to 167m on Tuesday

Demand for the dollar was higher in the Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) auction on Tuesday, reaching $167.694 million compared to $142,314 million in the previous session.

“The demand hit $33.240 million in cash, covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,176 Iraqi dinars, and $134.454 million in foreign transfers outside the country, covered by the bank at an exchange rate of 1,173 Iraqi dinars per dollar,” according to a CBI news bulletin received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

None of the 16 banks that participated in today’s session offered to sell dollars.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=111159

Rafidain ...Initiate the second phase of the overall banking system

On behalf of His Excellency the Minister of Finance Baqir Jabr Al-Zubaidi, was opened by Mr. Abdul-Hussein al-Yasiri, director of Rafidain the second phase of the overall system where the first phase has been completed on schedule.

Which include the link in the overseas branches of Bank of public administration also includes the second phase linked to the bank, where President General Administration will have the implementation of the banking system In performing the work Rafidain banks are equivalent to the global, international experience is of an advanced and highly technical process and facilitate the citizen with all its branches in the withdrawal, deposit, savings and other banking operations.

A ceremony was held on this occasion was attended by a number of bank staff and the various media.

http://209.85.229.132/translate_c?hl...KCuZnu7Kp295kA

Oil Minister of the Radio Dijla the government's refusal to renew any contract signed without the approval of oil

New Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, the central government's refusal to sign any contract without the approval of oil in any part of Iraqi territory.

The al-Shahristani told Radio Dijla on the importance of foreign companies are not contracted with any party without the consent of the central government because they could lose the right to invest in the oil sector.

http://209.85.227.132/translate_c?hl...TnZbI9k6p1db-Q

President Obama arrives Baghdad

A source in the Presidency of the U.S. President Barack Obama to Iraq on an official visit.

The source told the independent press (Iba) today, Tuesday: "President Obama arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday afternoon to visit one day.

The source noted that Obama will meet with President Jalal Talabani, Republic, and a number of Iraqi officials.

The source said that Obama will meet with the leaders of the U.S. military in Iraq.

http://209.85.229.132/translate_c?hl...o7xk-EXKPmEWKw

I tried to visit cbi.iq and a pop up comes up and tells me that I cannot access this. I tried all of the computers that I have access to and they all say this????? Have the Central Bank of Iraq changed their website or am I doing something wrong or maybe it is just temperary?????? Can anybody help me??

Originally Posted by michael graham

I tried to visit cbi.iq and a pop up comes up and tells me that I cannot access this. I tried all of the computers that I have access to and they all say this????? Have the Central Bank of Iraq changed their website or am I doing something wrong or maybe it is just temperary?????? Can anybody help me??

I am having trouble also. The site looks to have been rebuilt and contains much more information. My computer is having trouble downloading everything.

I'm not having any trouble entering it, but I am aware that some are having problems.

http://www.cbi.iq/index2.htm

Sudan: the strength of our argument, experience and efficiency of the Iraqi negotiator behind the joining of the World Trade Organization

Dr Abdel Falah Hassan, the Sudanese Minister of Trade, "The negotiating machinery, efficient and progressive experience and awareness of the Iraqi negotiator should take a more visible role in Iraq's relentless quest to join the World Trade Organization (WOT) and even other international organizations.

"The experience in the negotiation and the efficiency of the Iraqi negotiator and awareness and knowledge of the laws of the World Organization is a key priority in the concerns of Iraq and its quest for full membership of the Organization (WOT).

This came through the presence of the Sudanese minister and his discussion of the Commission to the letter of the university academic ******* student applies Amer Abdul Karim tagged (following the administration to negotiate in the leadership of the negotiations on Iraq's accession to the WTO), which took place in the main hall of the Ministry of Commerce.

The Minister was pleased that the debate is taking place in a university academic halls of the Ministry of Commerce to mix work and strive to be one of the scientific outlook and academic studies as they are twins needed studies and professional work of the ****utive organs of the Ministry.

The Sudanese minister stressed that the issue of accession of the Iraqi negotiator requires awareness and a large space in the new experience in this area, experience and knowledge of and follow-up and efficiency in key aspects of achieving the goal of accession, noting the impact of the economic blockade, which lasted for many years at all joints, the community and its institutions, he said ..We went out in our country, of the wrong policies adopted caused damage to the country's economic and political progress and to be an important part of the world, the case would require the payment of the price and sacrifice for the Iraqi negotiator said the same token, knowledge and awareness of culture and gradually to have this experience, especially the large and the National Commission on Admission of Iraq, headed by the Ministry of Commerce and the membership of the relevant Iraqi ministries, consisting of experts and professionals engaged in the process of very accurate because Accession to this organization requires great accuracy, the legislation needs to be a lot of laws and regulations associated with the World Trade Organization rules.

It also requires access and benefit from the experiences of countries in their quest for full membership to the WTO, Saudi Arabia, which lasted Kaltejrebp ((11 years)), Vietnamese and Chinese, which took more than ten years, although it has not suffered like the Iraqi economy has suffered, and described the minister as well as to the progress made achieved in the issue of accession has accepted as observer in the WTO and the concrete and substantial progress in the negotiations made by Iraq and that the most important of the two rounds of negotiations in Geneva in the year 2007 and year 2008.

The minister concluded his intervention by saying, "There is an emerging and important to be taken into account in the set to join the global financial crisis, which negatively affected the foundations of the global economic construction, and the magnitude of this crisis have affected the movement of the member states of the World Trade Organization's ((152 members) ), as well as countries seeking to join, stressing that the strength of the argument, methods and expertise about how to use the best, the legislation remains one of the most important laws in the process of our concerns to join the world body.

After the student made a detailed presentation on various aspects of its message and themes, which included the pros and cons of accession, have reached a number of conclusions concerning the need to join this great organization, particularly as they become the focus of attention of everyone from ordinary citizens and even politicians supported its argument by the questionnaire with sections different views of the majority of society, the need to join in the medium term.

As well as pointing out that the accession will bring to expand the size of the internal market through the development of production and distribution of resources efficiently and to encourage investment in accordance with applicable laws in minutes.

After introducing the members of the Committee for discussion and feedback on their perceptions themes and topics Letter requesting Yosri Amer, pointing to the tremendous effort in the preparation of this letter and that would be a positive indication of the strengthening of the economic sectors through the development of sound economic vision for the future of the Iraqi economy because what is desired in Iraq Under this stage the vision of economic policy and a clear-cut for the country.

At the end of this discussion, the university academic Sudanese minister read out the decision to grant the student ******* degree Yosri Amer Amteazemhnia it this good knowledge of the subject of the WTO and its interest in this important topic.

http://209.85.229.132/translate_c?hl...tZ75ZC5TYsUmzg

Flow on Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline resumes on Monday

(Reuters) - Flow through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline that carries Iraqi crude to the Turkish Mediterranean coast resumed on Monday evening, a source at Turkey's pipeline operator said.

Flow on the pipeline was halted on Thursday last week due to a leak on the Iraqi section of the line.

Oil in the pipeline started flowing again at around 1515 GMT on Monday, the Botas source told Reuters on Tuesday.

It was pumping at a normal rate of 430,000 barrels per day to 480,000 bpd after restarting, trade sources said.

"It's at a normal level," one trade source said.

The pipeline transports more than a fifth of Iraq's oil.

Sabotage and technical problems kept the Iraq-Turkey route mostly idle until 2007 following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Flows have increased since 2007, partly due to tighter security.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8443301

UN Says Landmines Impeding Iraqi Oil, Gas Field Development

Millions of landmines and cluster bombs left over from wars since the 1980s are impeding the development of Iraq's vast oil and gas fields, a U.N. mines expert told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday.

"Most Iraqi oil and gas fields are contaminated with landmines," the head of a U.N.-Iraq Mine Action team, Kent Paulusson, said by telephone from Basra in southern Iraq. The area is home ...

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...07-703157.html