Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 22/06/2010 - 04/10/2010

Interior reveals al Qaeda plot to target banks and official circles

Detection and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs investigations and collection of national information, Major General Hussein Ali Kamal, a scheme of the leaders of al Qaeda or the so-called Islamic State of Iraq to launch terrorist attacks against centers of large or sensitive task in the country.

Kamal said in a statement published by news agency Monday that there is information on possible attacks targeting sensitive positions in the provinces of Baghdad, Nineveh, Kirkuk and Anbar by targeting key departments, banks, governmental organizations in those provinces.

He said Kamal had been set up intelligence cells to gather information about the operations of terrorist who intends to al Qaeda launched in Baghdad, to establish their presence in the process, indicating that the cell's own intelligence by collecting accurate information on such schemes has been notice of the executive of that information to take the necessary steps.

http://radionawa.com/ar/NewsDetailN....249&LinkID=151

Dismantle an explosive device near the central bank in central Baghdad

The security forces found Afternoon, an explosive device was placed inside a cargo transport vehicles near the Iraqi Central Bank in downtown Baghdad.

A security source said to the reporter "The engineering team was able to deal with explosive device defused and dismantled without causing any casualties or damage little."

The source pointed out "The security forces cordoned off the place and started a search operation in anticipation of the presence of other explosive devices rigged to blow."

The CBI had witnessed the thirteenth day of June, and an assault by a terrorist group wearing explosive belts As well as bombings, improvised explosive device killed about (15) in addition to the martyr (50) wounded.

http://al-iraqnews.net/new/security-news/14902.html

Taha Lahibi : Allawi, al-Maliki will be presented to the presidency during their meeting today

A member of the Iraqi List, Taha Lahibi Prime Iyad Allawi list will be presented to President of a coalition of law Nuri al- Maliki, the presidency of the Republic, during their meeting Tuesday. Luhaybi said Tuesday that "Meet Allawi and Maliki will this afternoon and will be discussed during the meeting the latest developments on the formation of the government, Wkda the Iraqi List will be on the State Law office of President of the Republic.

Noted the member list to Iraq that leaders from both parties to attend this meeting, which was held in the period, as evidenced by the National Alliance, consisting of (a coalition of law and national levels) have a hard time, because of lack of agreement in Mabinhma candidate for prime minister, Particular reservation recoil, the National Coalition candidate, head of state law counterpart Nuri al- Maliki.

And likely many observers resulted in positive things after this upcoming meeting between the two leaders.

http://www.ikhnews.com/go_ar.php?id=1277796465

National Coalition tends to resolve a deadlock over a government settlement of CANDIDATE

Sadr abandon al-Jaafari calls for a mass search for an independent candidate for prime minister

Agency has learned (Ur) that the Iraqi National Coalition led by the President of the Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim held today a meeting of its components, to resolve the issue of choosing an independent candidate for the post of prime minister. The meeting was held, after the information was nominated for the National Alliance could not agree on a candidate for this post.

According to the sources who spoke to the IAEA (Ur), provided not mentioned, the cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, told the body politic of the current search for an independent candidate from the technocrats, which means that the Sadrist movement has abandoned the former Prime Minister Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who won the referendum organized by the current about three months ago.

They said the Supreme Council meeting will be in naming the two candidates are Prime Minister Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum (oil minister, former), Ali Abdul Ameer Allawi, former Minister of Finance, in an attempt to decode forming a government.

Sources believe that the Liberal bloc in the National Coalition can not give their consent to d. Ali Allawi, a secular figure you see as liberal, far from their directions, which means that the chances of former oil minister is better than Allawi, because he belongs to the family with a history Almaiip Hozoi religious tradition.

And seeks the President of the Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim, who runs the crisis in a manner to form a government (diligent student naughty), go to the National Coalition to the meeting of the House of Representatives within the constitutional deadline to be compliant by the candidate and could have a majority consensus of the political blocs.

The sources believe that the asylum - Hakim, the son to the independent candidate, instead of naming Dr. Adel Abdul -Mahdi, was caused by Iran's objections to it, as Sources confirm that the objections to Iran, which prevented the prime minister in 2006 continues, in spite of resolving the position of the Sadrists.

The sources believe that the meeting of the National Coalition for the nomination of an independent candidate for the post of prime minister and easy Mnafshath easy, so that the mass of the Virtue Party in the national coalition, have understandings with the coalition, the rule of law, as sources indicated that the Prime Minister's outgoing Nuri al- Maliki made of virtue and promises, not Separated, in the event of renewing his second term.

The sources close to the National Coalition, she told (ur) earlier said the Sadrists and the Supreme Council and put in the forefront of their priorities to prevent al-Maliki win a second mandate, by mobilizing support for the nomination of Adel Abdul Mahdi as prime minister. The same sources indicated that the leader of the Supreme Council was informed during a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus recently, that the National Coalition several options to get out of the tunnel forming a government.

No talks are making the National Alliance since its formation and up to now any little development, with increased media back and forth between the parties, expressed as the President of the Supreme Islamic Council Ammar al-Hakim was surprised at what he called "Acetkthar government officials on the citizen to use air-conditioners."

Going through the Iraqi National Alliance rough time by the dilemma name a prime minister which could lead to its collapse, as they seem a chance to access a single candidate for prime minister in the period near impossible because of significant differences in the alliance about the character that would be the candidate to form a government.

In the view of politicians that disagreements National Alliance has reached an advanced stage on the prime ministerial candidate, he does not have any agreement, or the evolution of the progress of the talks now, and mechanisms that have been developed on the prime ministerial candidate complex and difficult to accept by the grand coalition is well aware it was designed to prevent him from winning A second term.

http://www.uragency.net/index.php?aa=news&id22=8831

Karim Wahid : The Maliki not to accept my resignation !!

Iraqi Minister of Electricity outgoing Karim Wahid, said that the problem of power in Iraq lies in the presence of system power and devastating three decades ago are now being built again, adding that by his resignation was the second time, but he also was on Maliki to insist on not accepting the resignation.

He said only in an interview with Al-Sabah, said he had "no immediate problem the fact that in electricity, there is a system electric devastating three decades ago are now being built from new and need time and money determined according to a plan developed and since 2006 has been implemented in a more serious after 2008, "Adding that "instability" in Iraq over security to prevent the entry of international companies to come to Iraq to carry out projects of electricity, oil and others."

He added that "the amounts for 2006 do not exceed 700 million U.S. dollars in 2007 some 800 million plan has been developed in three phases implemented in parallel", noting that the electricity system, "was destroyed in the Iran-Iraq war and was completely destroyed in the Second Gulf War in 1991 and by 97% have been re-78% to repairs without bringing the Iraqi and materials from abroad and then 13 years of siege, and then came to the looting after 2003 have been returned."

He said only that he made a "proposal to the Cabinet for electricity projects Vtm the formation of a presidential commission and the cabinet has been allocated amounts of the Limits of 135 million dollars to complete these projects have been completed in full, except station Freedom, which will be completed this year, and station in Haditha, which will be completed next year, has left These contracts by companies because of their vulnerability, indicating that there is a "short-term plan for the rehabilitation and maintenance of operating plants and the increase in production during the past years has reached more than 40 %."

"The implementation of this plan requires a stable security and the provision of funds and the fuel was not available for all of this, "pointing out that" the fuel will not be available only in 2015 and this is something the Ministry of Oil in the plan fuel with the Ministry of Electricity, adding "It is enough for five years with the availability of All of these supplies to the success of this plan and asked the amount of five billion However, even this aspect is not available."

And on the barges that Astkdmtha Ministry of Electricity to improve energy efficiency, he said, a single "contract of barges is to purchase energy, the first 100 megawatt and the second 150 megawatt first arrived is in the pilot phase operational and reached 78 megawatt and will reach 90 to 100 megawatt by temperature," Adding that "the company equipped to have problems of their presence in the territorial waters and piracy in Somalia and will reach the second end of the seventh month and there are fines for each day of delay on the company processed."

And about to submit his resignation and the reasons that led him to, he said only, "There really should mention is that I for the second time that is older by my resignation, for various reasons can not work Bhecma difficult circumstances, including the failure to give the Ministry the right of financial allocations and fuel and lack of recognition that there is a shortage of fuel for a large So all investment projects delayed because of investor demand for the provision of gas."

"The case is a moral issue to our people when out of our people in Basra, unfortunately politicized these demonstrations, he cited two of the citizens was not me but I respect this blood has been shed because of Iraqi blood for me is sacred is more important than any position, adding that "the wave Free was hitting the whole region, but there are stations in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, stopped working and I said when I visited Basra, said a temporary problem for a week and then return the situation as it has stopped the Iranian line for the same reason."

He added the single "Maliki had to insist on not accepting the resignation and defend me, defend strongly and had to ask Did the Ministry of Oil has succeeded in its work; has been exporting oil in 2006, two million barrels per day and also had not built any oil refineries."

And alternatives that could be used to improve the electricity in Iraq, said only "We have a project to use nuclear energy cooperation with the Egyptian side, but Iraq is still bound in item VII, there is the interpretation of error should have been the State Department to work on the interpretation of the regulation because of nuclear energy use peaceful and I am with This technique, there 's Korea muslim Kahronowip stations in the UAE, although he also oil country, and the value of 22 billion dollars and with that the cost of its inception five double the regular stations, but life is much longer fifty years."

Iraq has been under Chapter VII after the UN Security Council Resolution 678 for the year 1990 after Iraqi troops entered Kuwait in August of that year, allowing the resolution of the international use of armed force to eject Iraq from there, and according to the provisions of Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

http://www.uragency.net/index.php?aa=news&id22=8861

Bank Reduces Interest Rates to Encourage Investment

An Iraqi Economist said last Thursday that the Central Bank began to reduce interest rates by approximately six percent for loans and four percent for bank deposits, to encourage investments in the country, after a series of robberies that took place recently on Iraqi banks.

The expert said: “This shift reflects a new policy of the Central Bank that would increase investment by making financers use their money in investment instead of crediting their accounts in the banks.”

“The Central Bank has taken a decision in 2007 to lift interest rates to 23% and this rate led the investors not to rush to invest … deposit banks in that period (2007) were better than investment and risking the money so deposit became the appropriate choice,” he said.

Iraqi citizens have recently withdraw a lot of their money from Iraqi banks after a series of robberies on the government banks in the country during the past few weeks.

The last attack on the banks was last Sunday when two car bombs exploded in front of the Iraqi Trade Bank in Maamoon area west of Baghdad, killing 26 people and wounding more than 50 others.

This attack was preceded by a coordinated operation on the Central Bank of Iraq, launched by gunmen and bombers in June 13 on the eve of the first session of the Iraqi Parliament at its second session; 18 people were killed in the attack.

The so-called “Islamic State of Iraq,” claimed responsibility for these two attacks. Iraqi officials and experts believed that targeting banks is intended to destroy the emerging Iraqi economy.

ِAl- Rafidain Bank in Mishkab, south of Basra, was robbed by an armed group last May and more than five and half million dollars were stolen.

Another Bank in Zwiya area in Baghdad was robbed on July 28 of last year, where thieves stole about five million U.S. dollars from the bank.

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/?p=4940

Iraq Oil and Gas Report

Business Monitor International (BMI) forecasts that Iraq will account for 9.00% of Middle East (ME) regional oil demand by 2014, while providing 11.08% of supply. Regional oil use of 7.47mn barrels per day (b/d) in 2001 rose to an estimated 10.64mn b/d in 2009. It should average 10.98mn b/d in 2010 and then rise to around 11.95mn b/d by 2014. Regional oil production was 22.83mn b/d in 2001 and averaged an estimated 24.66mn b/d in 2009. It is set to rise to 27.18mn b/d by 2014. Oil exports are growing steadily, because demand growth is lagging the pace of supply expansion. In 2001, the region was exporting an average 15.36mn b/d. This total had eased to an estimated 14.02mn b/d in 2009 and is forecast to reach 15.23mn b/d by 2014. Iraq has the greatest production growth potential, followed by Qatar.

In terms of natural gas, the region consumed an estimated 367.6bn cubic metres (bcm) in 2009, with demand of 492.5bcm targeted for 2014, representing 28.7% growth. Estimated production of 429.9bcm in 2009 should reach 657.8bcm in 2014 (+39.8%), which implies net exports rising to 165.0bcm by the end of the period. In 2009, Iraq consumed an estimated 1.36% of the region’s gas, with its market share forecast at 1.47% by 2014. It contributed 1.86% to estimated 2009 regional gas production and by 2014 could account for 3.04% of supply.

We are sticking with our forecast that the OPEC basket of crudes will average US$83.00/bbl in 2010. Wide variations in crude differentials so far in 2010 make forecasting tricky for Brent, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Urals, but we believe the three benchmarks will average around US$85.11, US$88.22 and US$83.62/bbl respectively, with Dubai coming in at US$83.14. By 2011, there should be further growth in oil consumption and more room for OPEC to regain market share and reduce surplus capacity through higher production quotas. We are assuming a further increase in the OPEC basket price to an average US$85.00/bbl. For 2012 and beyond, we continue to use a central case forecast of US$90.00/bbl for the OPEC basket.

The BMI assumption for premium unleaded gasoline in 2010 is an average global price of US$96.83/bbl. The year-on-year (y-o-y) rise in 2010 gasoline prices is put at 38%. Gasoil is expected to average US$92.45/bbl in 2010, with the full-year outturn representing a 37% increase from the 2009 level. For jet fuel in 2010, the annual level is forecast to be US$95.58/bbl. This compares with US$70.66/bbl in 2009. BMI puts the 2010 average naphtha price at US$82.46/bbl, up 39% from the previous year’s level. BMI is assuming a 3.9% rise in Iraq’s real GDP in 2009, which will be followed by forecast growth of 4.5% in 2010. We are assuming average annual growth of 6.0% in 2010-2014. We expect estimated oil demand of 780,000b/d in 2009 to rise to 1.08mn b/d in 2014, depending on investment in infrastructure and the development of domestic production.

International oil companies (IOCs) are signing production sharing agreements (PSAs) with the state, which should help accelerate the growth in oil output. Based on the efforts of national oil industry bodies, we are forecasting average oil production of 2.49mn b/d in 2010. March 2010 production was 2.25mn b/d, with 1.79mn b/d of exports. Further field reactivation work and the initial IOC efforts point to output of an estimated 3.01mn b/d in 2014. The government has much more ambitious targets, aiming for 0.5mn b/d annual output expansion and a long-term goal of 6.0mn b/d. However, there are major risks involving attacks on oil installations, Iraq’s OPEC entitlement and the success of new energy policy in stimulating IOC investment.

Between 2010 and 2019, we are forecasting an increase in Iraqi oil production of 73.0%, with crude volumes rising steadily to 4.30mn b/d by the end of the 10-year forecast period. Oil consumption between 2010 and 2019 is set to increase by 61.4%, with growth slowing to an assumed 5.0% per annum towards the end of the period and the country using 1.37mn b/d by 2019. Gas production is expected to climb to 37bcm by the end of the period. With 2010-2019 demand growth of 133.9%, export potential should rise to 25bcm by 2019. Details of the BMI 10-year forecasts can be found in the appendix to this report.

Iraq ranks fourth, just ahead of Iran, in BMI’s composite Business Environment Ratings (BERs) table, which combines Upstream and Downstream scores. It still occupies a respectable third place in BMI’s updated Upstream Business Environment Ratings, but is now four points behind the UAE and lacks the immediate potential to move higher. The country’s score benefits from exceptional oil and gas output growth potential, a substantial hydrocarbons reserves base and the region’s highest reserves-to-productionratio (RPR). Government control of the upstream industry and a high level of country-specific riskprevent Iraq from achieving a better overall score. Iraq is still at the bottom of the league table in BMI’s.

Downstream Business Environment Ratings, with few high scores and near-term progress up the rankings unlikely. It is ranked just below Kuwait, thanks largely to country risk factors that outweigh a reasonable showing in terms of oil demand, oil and gas demand growth and likely refining capacity expansion.

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/?p=4973

Maliki receives CEO of Zain Iraq and commends the company's business

praised Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki during his meeting yesterday, CEO of Zain Iraq Emad Makiya work on the company's inception in difficult circumstances, noting that Iraq will witness a qualitative leap in the work of Arab and foreign companies following the significant improvement in the security situation.

For his part, thanked the Prime Minister Makiya and gave him an explanation for the company's business, including future plans to develop its business and provide better services to citizens.

The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials of the Zain Iraq.

The head of the Supreme Council of Iraq Ammar al-Hakim met with Chief Executive Officer of Zain Emad Makiya.

Hakim and discussed with the CEO of Zain Iraq, ways to develop work, and urged him to provide better services to citizens.

For his part, promised to Makiya to provide the best services to Zain Iraq Telecom, adding that the coming period will witness a significant improvement in the service of Zain Iraq.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=27224

Iraqi government approves gas deal with Shell

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh The government on Tuesday agreed on a deal with Royal Dac Shell and Mitsubishi of Japan to capture the gas now being burned in the southern oil fields.

Dabbagh said that the two partners in the deal have decided to invest 12 billion dollars in the project, which would have the Iraqi government, 51 per cent stake in it, and aimed at export of 600 million cubic feet of gas per day.

Relate to the draft deal in the Basra area to capture the gas currently being flared in the southern oil fields and use it.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=27226

Ambassador George W Hill: those who believe that we have handed Iraq to Iran are mistaken

The U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, Christopher Hill, if there are those who believe that we have handed Iraq to Iran, they are wrong, no doubt, and I hope that answer is that the Iranians understand that their nuclear program can not be achieved, and that their program for a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. I believe that Iran has an interest in a good relationship with Iraq, as it were not to have good relations in the past, Hill said we will meet our obligations under the security agreement hundred per cent. This security agreement will expire at the end of 2011, and will end after the legitimacy of the U.S. troop presence in Iraq, and we will leave on time as President (Obama) in a number of occasions. In another context, U.S. Ambassador ended his term in Iraq, Christopher Hill, the process of forming the Iraqi government Balassabp. Hill told reporters during the opening of an emergency hospital was completed in cooperation between the United States and the province of Arbil, west of the city that the ongoing talks between Iraqi factions have won in recent elections to form the next government has been slow.

He said I am sure that the Iraqi government and the parties will be formed by the Iraqis are, saying the United States closely monitor the process where we have an important stake in the success of the project to form a government because we are looking forward to establishing long-term relations with the Iraqi government to come.

http://www.iraqpa.net/user/newsdetail.aspx?id=12490