Thread: Iraq/Dinar News. 09/05 to 01/14/07

Good evening friends and dinarheads.
It is late, I have had a little wine, and am thinky. I spoke to a sensitive/psychic friend today, to whom I had put the question of "when". to paraphrase a line in Lord of the Rings, our mission rests on a knife edge. It all looks good and positive and I'm all for it, but we must also realize the powder keg nature of the part of the world our hopes ride on. She said it looks muddy and chaotic and she couldn't give me a date of any sort, in fact she was remarkably uninformed about the whole region and didn't know a dinar from a dinner. She did however say, that if I was part of a good group (!!!) that we should endeavor to know that with the power of our thought and intention and "prayer" (whatever you conceive that to be) we DO have power to affect the outcome. Even the most ardent atheist understands the force of physics and intention. My point is, we may wait patiently, or impatiently, passively or hysterically, but we can be using the latent, very potent power of our being to bring a little light to that very scary and dangerous place. If nothing else we may help the beings that actually live in Iraq. Maybe that is part of what this is all about. So. I think we are a very united, special group of beautiful beings. Let's do what we can to align ourselves with what we believe to be good and true, and bless that for our brothers and sisters in the middle east, particularly Iraq. Selah.

PS and God Bless Adster and Mrs, wherever they may be.

Hi guys,

We were both touched by your worries about us both, thanks, you're a great bunch of people, look forward to meeting you soon. :0)

We're fine and yes probably in the pub when the dreadful accident happened.

As for what is going on, all looking good with the FI Law. Am still thinking end of this month, but it really could be anytime now. The fact a 1:1 is being discussed shows you how far we have come in such a short space of time and what now even for the naysayers seeing this as REALITY soon.

Almost there folks, thanks again. Still in Spain and will check in when can.

Adam. :0)

P.S If anyone can exchange $50 of egold for paypal asap I'll be ever grateful!!

Nice to see you Adam! Hope you are having a great time in Spain.

And now for some good news;

Huge Increase in Private Companies

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
05 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al Sabah newspaper)

The Ministry of Trade has registered more than 20,000 private Iraqi companies since the fall of the regime in the year 2003. This is in addition to branches of foreign companies and foreign representation bureaus. Only 8,374 companies were registered during the 1946-2003 period.

An authoritative source at the Ministry confirmed that the Ministry of Trade has issued special instructions to facilitate the register of Iraqi and foreign companies and their branches, saying that this has increased the number of registered companies to 20,411.

The number of foreign company branches registered over the same period was 377, whereas only 109 branches of foreign companies were registered at the Ministry between 1946 and 2003.

The source added that the figures show the increase of activity born out of these new instructions with respect to the establishment of various companies and the expansion of the role of the private sector in activating the Iraqi economy.

Increase in Iranian Exports to Iraq

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

05 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al Sabah newspaper)

The Head of Customs and Excise Duties of the Iranian Illam Governorate, Mohsen Jama Buzargi, has announced a 102% increase in Iranian exports to Iraq over the first quarter of 2006, as compared to the same period last year. He added that Iran exported 135,314 tons of non-oil goods to Iraq through the Mehran border post of the Illam governorate over this period.

Buzargi continued to say that the value of these exports was about 26 million dollars, and included mainly food items, fruits and vegetables, household goods, beverages, glass, carpets, tomato paste, and iron.

Trade between the two countries witnessed a noticeable increase, particularly in consumables. The development is one-sided, with an increase in Iranian exports to Iraq helped by current Iraqi economic openness and the development of a number of border outlets over the whole length of the joint border. Unfavorable security conditions within Iraq have also led to this situation.


Gunmen Release Iraq's Deputy Cabinet Minister
By VOA News
04 July 2006


Iraqi officials say the country's deputy minister of electricity and several of his bodyguards have been released hours after their abduction in Baghdad.

Officials say gunmen wearing camouflage uniforms intercepted the convoy carrying Raad al-Harith in Baghdad early Tuesday.

His abduction was the second high-profile kidnapping in Baghdad in less than a week. On Saturday, a Sunni Arab legislator, Taiseer al-Mashhadani, and seven of her bodyguards were abducted.

Sunni lawmakers have since boycotted parliament and demanded her release.

Some Sunni lawmakers blame Shi'ite militias for the wave of kidnappings across Baghdad.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

Iraq risks manageable, says oil explorer Petrel
By Pat Boyle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

05 July 2006 (Irish Independent)

PETREL, the Irish company exploring for oil in Iraq, said the security risks of operations in Iraq are manageable.

Reporting on the latest developments in the group's annual report, managing director David Horgan said that while there are challenges to operating in the strife-torn country, they are balanced by lower geological risk.

He said Iraq has excellent prospects, both at existing fields and in areas yet to be explored.

"Security risks, like potential, are high but geological risks are low compared to exploration prospects elsewhere," he said.

He also pointed out that the oil industry majors will not enter the country, leaving the Iraq oil ministry to work with companies like Petrel.

"Petrel will aggressively expand and deepen its exploration and development activities in Iraq as quickly as possible," he promised.

New laws covering the operations of oil companies in Iraq are being drafted and in light of this, Petrel chairman John Teeling says the company has identified a multi-billion barrel oilfield it wants to develop and is preparing a submission for the Iraqi authorities.

Last year, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil awarded the company the Subba and Luhais oilfield development service contract.

It also signed an n agreement for the Merjan Block.

Another article

Shahristani said he expected Iraq's oil production capacity to hit 4.3 million bpd within the next four years and to reach between 6 million and 8 million bpd by 2015.

Only 80 fields are now being utilised out of a total of 500 oil and gas fields," Shahristani said. "When all these fields are exploited, Iraq will have the world's biggest oil reserves."

Iraq has eight refineries, none of which were damaged during the invasion, but they are operating at only 50-75 percent of capacity, forcing Baghdad to import most of its fuel.


http://www.aina.org/news/20060704111455.htm

Prime Minister's Saudi Visit Successful

05 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al-Iraqiyah TV)

Political and media sources in Riyad described the visit of the Iraqi Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia and his frank discussions with both the Saudi King and his Crown Prince as very fruitful and successful.

Dr. Nouri AL Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, described the discussions as positive, fruitful, and supportive of Iraq in both political and economic terms. The Saudis voiced their firm and unlimited support of Iraq's government. AL Maliki also met with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the presence of the Ministers of both countries. He invited Saudi investors to work in Iraq, and said that Saudi investment is required to contribute towards the strengthening of Iraq's infrastructure and reconstruction, adding that the Iraqi Government had introduced investment laws that will give Arab and foreign investors full and comprehensive freedom and security.

AL Maliki called upon Saudi investors to enter the fields of housing, energy, industry transformation, tourism and other sectors.

The two Ministers of Electricity reached an agreement over the possibility of connecting the Gulf Cooperation Council's energy transport lines with Iraq, and both sides agreed that Iraq would provide a means of energy transport from Europe to the Gulf. Both parties considered this project as an example of strategic cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In addition, Iraq obtained a loan of 125 million dollars that is to be used in the electricity sector.

The two Ministers of Communication discussed the use of circular cable to the benefit of both countries, while special attention was given to the development and expansion of facilities at the Areare border outlet, which is the only commercial and trade post on the Iraq-Saudi border.

Hi,

I am not sure if this is old news but have just seen that the Investment law will be passed in August.

Hey abbey, no its not old news. It has been posted but only a few days ago!
I have heard in the beginning in August, so a late August Dinar party is on my schedule!!

Zibari discusses promoting trade links with Turkey

05 July 2006 (Aswat Al Iraq)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zibari, on a visit to Turkey, discussed with senior Turkish businessmen ways of promoting bilateral, economic and investment relations between the two countries.
Zibari held a meeting with members of the Turkish Senior Businessmen Authority on Tuesday during which the authority expressed readiness to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq.

The Turkish businessmen welcomed “the understanding between the two countries on opening a second gateway on the joint borders between Iraq and Turkey to make smoother trading and absorb the expansion of economic ties between them and to raise the volume of imports and exports so as to serve the economic policy of both countries,” the Iraqi foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Iraq considers arming insurgents
By Rick Jervis

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BAGHDAD, 05 July 2006 (Associated Press)

Iraq's government is studying a request from some local insurgent leaders to supply them with weapons so they can turn on the heavily armed foreign fighters who were once their allies, according to two Iraqi lawmakers.

Leaders claiming to represent about 11 insurgent groups asked for weapons to fight foreign al-Qaeda elements in Iraq, said Haider al-Ibadi, a Shiite lawmaker and member of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party.

"They want to take part in the war against terrorists," said al-Ibadi, who supports the proposal. "They claim they could wipe out the terrorists and work with the government."

The insurgent request was confirmed by al-Ibadi and Mithal al-Alusi, another lawmaker. Al-Maliki was out of the country, and several officials in his office declined to comment.

The request came out of talks between people claiming to represent insurgent groups and the Iraqi government.