Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 01/10/09 - 27/03/10

Iraq completes deal with oil giants Exxon Mobil, Shell

Iraq's oil ministry on Monday completed a major deal with US major Exxon Mobil and Anglo-Dutch giant Shell to develop production at West Qurna-1, the war-torn country's second biggest field.

"The oil ministry signed the contract for West Qurna-1 with Exxon Mobil and Shell," ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said in a statement.

"This contract will increase production from 285,000 barrels-per-day to 2,325,000 barrels-per-day."

West Qurna-1 has reserves of around 8.5 billion barrels, according to oil ministry figures.

A deal with a consortium led by Russian energy giant Lukoil to develop the neighbouring West Qurna-2 field is expected to be signed on Saturday, Jihad added.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidAN...bil%2C%20Shell

Originally Posted by Seaview

Chemical Ali’s E.xecution imminent- spokesperson

Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as Chemical Ali, will be e.xecuted within the coming few days, an official spokesperson for the Iraqi government said on Monday.

“The sentence will be implemented in the coming few days after traditional and constitutional approvals are granted…,” Ali al-Dabbagh told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

On Jan. 17, Iraq’s Supreme Criminal Court has sentenced Majeed to death by hanging for his role in the Halabja massacre in which thousands of Kurds were killed by chemical attacks.

It was the fourth death sentence Majeed has received for crimes committed during the reign of former President Saddam Hussein.

The court also sentenced Farhan Motalk al-Juburi, the former chief of intelligence in the northern zone, to 10 years in jail. Former Minister of Defense Sultan Hashim Ahmed, and Saber Abdulaziz al-Dori, the former chief of military intelligence during the Halabja campaign, were given a 15-year sentence.

On March 16, 1988, Halabja came under brutal chemical attacks at the hands of the former Iraqi regime, leaving more than 5,000 people killed and more than 10,000 others injured, according to Kurdish estimates.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=125815

'Chemical Ali' E.xecuted in Iraq

Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin "Chemical Ali" was e.xecuted Monday, said Iraq's government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100125/...i_ea/ml_iraq_8

Urgent ... E.xecution, the criminal Ali Hassan al-Majid

Was e.xecuted on the criminal Ali Hassan al-Majid, who was convicted of the crime of genocide.

He said Iraqi government spokesman Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh told reporter Has been on the implementation of the death sentence against the offender, Ali Hassan al-Majid (Chemical Ali), who was convicted of acts of genocide, adding that the Special Court had previously issued several provisions of the right-Majid did not implement those provisions, pending the completion of the remaining issues raised against him by Mjuap numerous Iraqi citizens

http://al-iraqnews.net/new/ajeel/52008.html

MP Adel Berwari: We hope a breakthrough budget crisis today, or tomorrow

MP Adel Barwari expected from the Kurdistan Alliance that is not on approving the budget is likely to be passed tomorrow.

He explained in a telephone conversation with There is a paragraph in the budget law is still valid, and the difference it is hoped to be put forward for discussion between the heads of blocs and the Committee on the day to reach a consensus final decision and discussions are ongoing and communication between the masses and hope that the escalation of this crisis, today or tomorrow

http://al-iraqnews.net/new/siaysiah/51922.html

MP Sami Atrushi: the main impediment to approving the budget is a paragraph concerning the share of Kurdistan

Exclusion of a member of the Finance Committee In the House of Representatives Atrushi Sami Parliament to be able to resolve Approve the draft budget Federal During today's meeting because of a paragraph concerning the share of the Kurdistan region.

Atrushi said in a statement to correspondent That the Finance Committee has received all the proposals Alliance bloc, and we serve as the financial implication of these proposals in the budget In order to change the disputed paragraphs.

He added that the Finance Committee believes that a major obstacle to the vote on the budget is a paragraph summarized financial share In the case of Kurdistan province compatibility That share The Parliament will return on the budget.

http://al-iraqnews.net/new/siaysiah/52010.html

CBI sells $180m on Monday

The Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) dollar sales reached $180.943 million in its daily auction on Monday, compared to $89.339 million in the previous session.

“The demand hit $6.930 million in cash, covered at an exchange rate of 1,170 Iraqi dinars per dollar, and $174.013 million in foreign transfers outside the country, covered 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=125836

Preparations for holding Turkish fair in Basra

A delegation from the Turkish companies discussed on Monday with Basra’s governor the final preparations for holding the international Turkish fair in the province, a media official said.

“A delegation from the Turkish Ramsey Group held on Monday (Jan. 25) a meeting with Basra Governor, Shaltagh Abboud al-Mayah, on the final arrangements for its permanent fair in the province,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The Turkish fair will be one of the main and important activities in the city of Basra,” the source quoted the governor as saying, noting that the group seeks to increase its contributions and investments in Basra.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=125842

Shahristani: Iraq will propose new standards for the OPEC quotas in 2011

Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said that Iraq is expected to submit to the partners in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2011, his ideas on criteria for new shares when it begins to take shape plans for a major increase in production capacity to production levels, Saudi Arabia.

And excluded Iraq from OPEC quotas since the nineties and that its efforts since the U.S. invasion in 2003 to revive its oil sector which had deteriorated due to years of war and sanctions have not borne much fruit.

He said al-Shahristani told Reuters it was too early to start discussing the Iraqi increase in production in the future as its current production of 2.5 million barrels per day is still below the levels of production a decade ago.

He added that Iraq will discuss with the principles of a new OPEC should abide by the organization in determining the ceiling for each Member State of OPEC.

He said that Iraq will in 2011, a set of principles to the OPEC.

He expressed his belief that the organization will find that the principles are reasonable and acceptable. He said Iraq hopes to be approved by member states.

He noted that the maximum limits of production demanded by Iraq will include all the other members of the cartel, not only Iraq will depend on new principles to be submitted by Baghdad.

Iraq has begun to sign a series of contracts to develop oil fields with international oil companies could increase capacity to 12 million barrels per day over seven years, which will compete with Saudi Arabia's biggest oil exporter in the world.

Analysts say that it is likely that OPEC is trying to push Iraq to restrict the production, rather than pumping all the additional capacity to the market.

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...VikEa8Vx6Gck8A

Obama's administration is divided on the withdrawal of U.S. forces in a timely manner
Washington speculates the future of Iraq alone hold meetings with Iraqi leaders

Informed political sources said that a long list might include more than 20 Iraqi figure would be in the Washington rotation, and calls from the White House during the coming period in order to meet each character individually with the U.S. administration and a dialogue was said that Washington wanted to anticipate the future of this country which is full of problems, before the actual withdrawal plan shall apply.

While ended Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi, his visit to Washington and then to Qatar, and then to Iran, the sources told (Ur) that the important issues that were discussed not only required the exclusion of hundreds of candidates for elections, and is not subject to national reconciliation and the so-called American title "Reform of the Ba'ath Party ", but also the continuation of the mediation was carried out by the Supreme Council for years to ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington over Iraq and over its nuclear program, which entered this mediation by Qatar in the last year to" relieve "the tension in relations between the two partners of force in Iraq the region.

Sources say that after the Mahdi traveled to Washington, Massoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan region, and will be followed by Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, and after the list Iyad Jamal al-Din, and Iyad Allawi, and comes after the speaker of parliament.

Sources believe that Obama does not need to hear the most prominent figures of the ruling elite in Baghdad, each individually in order to assess what will the conditions of this country, which is divided around the administration's opinion, some Administration officials that Obama sees the fire under the ashes, it is wrong to withdraw troops in a timely decision, and that some former civil governor of Iraq Paul Bremer, and others say it's OK to withdrawal and not fear for the Iraqis.

Sources said that the U.S. administration was still believes that the next election probably will result in a parliament and government are more liberal and enlightened, and could result in primarily a political system characterized by the participation of a broad national and, therefore, be willing to participate in the elections and the wide range that you wish to be transparent and fair and include all political components, but this desire to face difficulties that must be addressed, including the arrangements for this dialogue with the Iraqi personalities that was in Baghdad or in Washington.

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...sBNKYgdMf3jFvA

Egyptian Oil Minister: Arab gas pipeline up Iraq in six years

Minister of Oil Sameh Fahmi said "the Arab gas pipeline project is economically primarily commercial," indicating that it is set to "up the line to Iraq during the next six years."

Fahmi said that "the Arab gas pipeline starting from El Arish to Taba and runs, including the Gulf of Aqaba, which lies astride the Jordanian-Syrian borders, then to Lebanon."

He added that "the value of the cost of the first phase of the Arab line that starts from Al-Arish to Aqaba in Jordan, Egypt recovered through the profits of the enterprise during the first six months of its launch."

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...RGqBgKEDe0C5Jg