Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 28/03/10 - 21/06/10

Iraq's oil exports in the month of March more than 4 billion dollars

An official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry on Monday that Iraq has made four billion and 351 million dollars of oil revenues through March when it reached 57.1 million barrels of exports, mostly from southern fields.

Said Assem Jihad, spokesman for the Oil Ministry in a press statement that oil exports in March and reached 57 million and 100 thousand barrels, with revenue of four billion and 351 million dollars.

He said the average price per barrel reached 76.20 dollars, adding that the volume of exports from the Basra oil reached 44 million barrels recorded revenues of three billion and 336 million dollars and exported quantities of crude oil from Kirkuk, amounted to 13.1 million barrels, their revenues and 15 billion million dollars.

http://radionawa.com/Ar/NewsDetailN....788&LinkID=155

Saudi set to dominate Gulf monetary union
Tact will be needed as Saudi takes the lead Gulf monetary role, reports Souhail Karam.

Saudi Arabia has put dominance above diplomacy in crafting a Gulf monetary union but it will need to work on its relationship with smaller Gulf neighbours if it wants the project to succeed. The world's top oil exporter and biggest Arab economy wants a cohesive Gulf political and economic bloc that it can lead and which would also counter rival Iran's sway in the region.

But the kingdom's insistence on dominating the monetary union, with a planned single Gulf Arab currency, risks adding to disgruntled voices in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council. Two states, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, have already dropped out of the monetary union.

"The Saudis will definitely dominate the currency union and eventually get more political influence, which will have a geopolitical impact," said Mustafa Alani of Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre.

That was natural in a union comprised of one big state and five smaller ones, he said.

"This is the problem for the GCC and the source of the existing sensitivity and mistrust: The belief that the big brother is trying to dominate us."

Saudi central bank chief Muhammad Al Jasser was named last month to head a forerunner to a regional central bank, the Riyadh-based Gulf Monetary Council, underlining the kingdom's sway in a single currency project. His term will last a year. Riyadh, a key US ally, is already home to many Gulf entities including the GCC General Secretariat, an e.xecutive body similar to the European Commission.

The monetary council will mainly work on the regulatory framework of a Gulf central bank and push for more coordination of monetary and foreign exchange policies to pave the way for the launch of a single currency. But any strengthening of the Gulf union would also bring more political cohesion to the bloc. That could serve Gulf states, several of whom have marginalised Shi'ite populations, in efforts to counter non-Arab, Shi'ite Iran. Saudi Arabia has voiced concerns over Iran's sway in neighbouring Iraq as well as in Lebanon.

"The GCC has not always shown a great coordination when it comes to its foreign policy. The existence of a consensus within the GCC will help to limit the influence of Iran in the region," said Khaled Al Dakhil, a prominent Saudi political writer.

"We have seen some consensus within the GCC towards the UAE-Iranian dispute about Abu Musa islands and toward Iran's nuclear ambitions," he added, referring to a longstanding territorial dispute over Gulf islands.

The Gulf monetary union, designed to emulate the euro zone, has been delayed by old political rivalries. The UAE, the second largest Gulf Arab economy, quit the project after heads of state chose to base the central bank in Riyadh, dealing a serious blow to a plan that had been languishing since 2001.

Diplomatic ties between Saudi and the UAE have remained strained ever since. Now only Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are forging ahead with the project.

Last year, the GCC abandoned a 2010 deadline for issuing common notes and coins, and the monetary council has said fixing new dates for launching the single currency was not a priority.

"Saudi Arabia is telling other GCC countries that if this Gulf economic entity was to ever see the day, then its centre of gravity will have to be here in Riyadh not in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The Saudis want to dictate the pace of change," a Riyadh-based Western diplomat said.

That dominance will increase pressure on Riyadh to deliver on the project and to prevent any more defections. Recently improved ties between Qatar and Riyadh have helped keep Qatar on board, analysts say.

"There is a form of an alliance building up between Saudis and Qataris. Qatar has a very active foreign policy so it is a bonus to the Saudis. Losing Qatar would pose a serious problem to the monetary union," Dubai-based Alani said.

Kuwaiti analyst Ali Al Nimesh, whose country has made luring the UAE and Oman back a main aim, said it was not wrong for Saudi to play a leading role, but the union should be inclusive.

"There is no Gulf currency without the UAE and Oman. The UAE is the second largest oil producer in the Gulf after Saudi. It is also commercially active in export and import and free trade zones and in Gulf tourism. Oman is definitely not less important," he said.

Oman, which opted out in 2006, is seen as close to Iran and jealously protective of its cultural identity from the influence of Saudi's austere b.rand of Wahhabi Islam.

Al Dakhil said Saudi dominance had been natural when its smaller neighbours, including a younger UAE, looked to Riyadh as a natural mentor. But the UAE now wanted more equality.

Those who back the Saudi push to dominate decision-making in the GCC point to its large native population, its ability to defend Gulf Arab interests as a member of the G20, and a higher concentration of native workforce in its financial system.

"Has the UAE managed the repercussions of the global economic crisis better than Saudi Arabia?" Saudi economist Mohammed Al Jadeed said.

Jawad Al Anani, an economist who had held ministerial portfolios in Jordan, said a prolonged absence of the UAE from the monetary union would erode Saudi influence in the region.

"The UAE's absence will dilute the gains for Saudi Arabia as a leader of this project.

"It will certainly expose more what the Gulf Cooperation Council has achieved in 30 years, which to the exception of a perfectible customs union, remain very little," Anani said.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/58606...monetary-union

Abdel-Khalek Zangana: Court's decision to re-counting for the scheduled meeting between the political parties in Kurdistan

According to a member Kurdistan Alliance Abdel Khalek Zangana, "The Kurdistan Alliance seeks to raise the parties, without exception, in a joint dialogue to bridge the existing political vacuum," adding that "the decision to the Court's re-counting manually for the meeting scheduled in the province of Kurdistan."

He announced the Kurdistan Alliance that seeks to reconcile the views between the political blocs, especially winning my Iraqi and coalition rule of law.

Said Zangana in contact with the agency independent press (Iba), "The complex issues that need quick solutions and the Kurdistan Alliance, which seeks to be a catalyst in solving my presidency is to combine the existing Iraqi and coalition rule of law."

The President met with the coalition on the state of law with the leader of the Iraqi List, Osama Nujaifi to discuss developments in the political scene and efforts to form the next government.

He Zangana "The enemies of the political process, exploit the political vacuum existing," noting "the need to seek political blocs in order to quickly reach understandings next stage, without insisting on a particular situation, resorting to the Iraqi Constitution."

And varied views of the political blocs on the interpretation of first paragraph of Article 73 of the constitutional post of prime minister you have a candidate of the cluster Her most seats in the final election results or the cluster Her most parliamentary seats in the first meeting of the new parliament?.

The Court's decision on the return of counting manually in Baghdad stressed Zangana on "the necessity that everyone is convinced the decision of the Court's counting and sorting, which we hope to be under the supervision of international observers in the presence of all political entities."

It is scheduled to begin the election commission during the coming period to implement the decision of the Court re-counting manually in Baghdad after the completion of preparations for it.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...itics&id=24135

Iraq to save money spent on importing oil derivatives

Iraq Oil Ministry Spokesman Assem Jihad said that Iraq is about to save more than $5 billion that used to be spent on buying oil derivatives from neighboring countries and oil markets in order to answer the needs of the local markets and that after adding new refining units to Al Dora refinery and after rehabilitating Beiji refinery. The spokesman stressed that Oil Ministry set an ambitious plan to finally put an end to importing oil derivatives from neighboring countries especially that Iraq is currently importing minor quantities of benzene and liquid gas in line with the needs of the Iraqi market.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Economics...rivatives.html

Iraq Oil Ministry says new government shall not cancel newly signed oil contracts

Iraq Ministry of Oil said that the upcoming government does not have the right to cancel the oil contracts signed with International oil companies at the beginning of this year in order to develop some Iraqi oil fields in the framework of the first and the second bids rounds. The Ministry stressed that the contracts include penal items that would harm Iraq interests. Sabah Assaidi, Deputy Head of legal section of Iraq Oil Ministry petroleum contracts and licensing directorate said that the contracts include penal sections that impel the Iraqi state to compensate the company over any damages that might succumb if the contract was canceled.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Economics...contracts.html

Hasani: Maliki is the only candidate of the rule of law

The spokesman for the coalition of law Hassani absence of another candidate for the coalition of non-Nuri al-Maliki, denied Maitdol about the nomination of the names of others for the post of prime minister.

Commenting on statements made by the Iraqi National Coalition Ammar al-Hakim recently in which he said al-Maliki and Allawi Aeetmtaan popular enough said al-Hassani told Iraq our house on Wednesday: "Each Party shall consider specific perspectives to the issue of nominating a prime minister," he said, there are no barriers preventing Maliki's nomination for prime minister.

He said "such statements are coming from the door and the pressure or political bargaining," adding that "this applies to all political parties."

The spokesman ruled out a coalition of law and an agreement recently between the coalitions are due to disagreement about the mechanisms for selecting the names of the candidates, revealing that his coalition would look for other alliances in the absence of an agreement with the Iraqi National Coalition.

http://iraq-beituna.net/iba/index.ph...4-36&Itemid=19

Iraqi politicians expect the first session of parliament early next month

Expected number of politicians to hold Iraqi Council of Representatives at its first meeting for the second parliamentary session after the elections of the seventh of last March, early next month

Amid the continuing debate between the blocs of winning entitlement towards a compromise candidate for prime minister may mean the deadline in the absence of any government or even the Prime Minister agreed. According to political analysts, the meeting of the Council will be the beginning of next month according to the constitution, expecting to remain open if it did not reach political blocs agreed to form a government, uncovered other representatives that the candidates of the leaders of political blocs to head the next government, probably will not secure the consent of all parties, which will lead to search for a compromise candidate.

The leader of the Kurdistan Alliance Mahmoud Othman, according to a press statement, "According to the Iraqi constitution, the appeals phase is over, and after ten days, the federal court to decide appeals and then ratify the names of successful candidates, and after 15 days invite the President of the Republic into the first session of the parliament, adding that "this matter may require approximately 25 days to convene the first session of the parliament's will be open in the event of failure of the political blocs to agree on the formation of the government and the prime minister and other positions. "He continued:" The major obstacle currently is the prime minister's personality and positions of other sovereign and this is why differences blocs interlocutors, "explaining that" these differences will inevitably lead to search of figures are unknown and have no knowledge of running the country.

"Article 73 I, II, III, IV and V of the Constitution states that" the President of the Republic assigned candidate of the parliamentary majority to form a cabinet within 15 days from the date of the presidential election. The Chief Minister-designate, to name members of his ministry, during a maximum period of thirty days from the date of the assignment.

"As" president assigns a new candidate for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers within 15 days if the prime minister assigned form the cabinet during the period specified in section II of the this article. "The President of the Council of Ministers in charge of the names of members of his cabinet and its ministerial platform to the parliament, is to have won confidence when approving the individual Ministers and the ministerial program by absolute majority. The head of the assigning of another candidate to form a cabinet within 15 days if the Cabinet does not win confidence, According to the constitution of Iraq. and still the problem of a prime minister expected the search for a candidate who is with the consent of all parties is that hinder some of the blocs to reach agreement among themselves.'s Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is still a backlash from the "Iraqi" The same applies to Iyad Allawi.

http://alforattv.net/index.php?show=...ticle&id=44543

Start counting votes by hand in Baghdad Saturday

Start the Electoral Commission for elections in Iraq on Saturday of the count and the hand count of ballots in more than 11 thousand polling stations in Baghdad.

Based on the court's decision discriminatory to verify the appeals filed by political entities after the announcement of election results in the twenty-sixth of last month. Said Hamdiya Husseini, a member Electoral Commission, in a press statement, said that "the court's decision binding on the Electoral Commission has developed mechanisms to implement the resolution and the creation of technical conditions and we will officially re-counting, sorting, and I expect to be held on Saturday.

http://alforattv.net/index.php?show=...ticle&id=44537

Leadership in the state of law: if the cost Allawi to form a government will lose the Sunni component sovereign sites

Said the leadership in Coalition of law Hussein al-Shahristani, "I do not think that the Iraqi List could form the next government without the cooperation of the other menus are the National Coalition and the rule of law and the Kurdistan Alliance and the lists small."

Shahristani said in a statement to transfer the reporter "That the nomination of the President of the Iraqi List, Iyad Allawi for the post of prime minister will lose the next component of the Sunni sovereign sites in the next government.

He explained, "if the cost Allawi to form a government and became its Chairman Positions, the other two sovereign presidency and the parliament can not in any case should go to the Iraqi List, where the post of presidency goes to the Kurds and the Presidency of the parliament to the National Coalition of Iraq or coalition rule of law, I do not think this satisfies the component of Sunni Islam.

The Iraqi List said more than once that the post of prime minister should be limited to them based on the results of recent elections.

http://al-iraqnews.net/new/political-news/5793.html

Dr. Rafie al-Issawi held four separate meetings
With the ambassadors of the United States, Japan, Britain and France

Dr. Rafie al-Issawi was held in his office today four separate meetings with the ambassadors of the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom in addition to the French ambassador accredited to the Republic of Iraq.

The meeting discussed the political situation in generalCountry, particularly the path of the current talks between the political blocs election winnerLegislative decision to re-counting of the votes in the province of Baghdad.

Issawi stressed the need to respect the will of the Iraqi people choose their representatives in parliament and form the next Iraqi government .. Alluding to the importance of maintaining the independence of judicial institutions and to keep away from political rhetoric

For their part, new Ambassador to the United States Mr. Christopher Hill, the United Kingdom, Mr. John Jenkins by the Governments of Washington and London to provide all necessary supportOf the Iraqi people consolidate the democratic experiment, appraisers efforts and movements Issawi in solutionOutstanding issues and his quest to bring the views and overcome differences and leading to the formation of a national partnership.

While Bush's ambassador to Japan, Mr. Shoji ridden And France, Mr. Boris Bwalun The importance of non-interference in Iraqi internal affairs and to support diplomatic efforts and international efforts to facilitate the tasks of forming the new Iraqi Ministry to ensure that people working to serve all its components.

The Information Office Wednesday, 21/4/2010

http://nahrain.com/d/news/10/04/100421cb.htm