Sara Johnson

Most probably the Iraqi Parliament rejected Maliki's candidates to the ministries of interior and defence 28/03/2011 ad-8: 11 | readers number: 96 ________________________________ The Iraqi List said, Monday, the lower house of parliament the names of candidates for the ministries of interior and defense by the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, as will most probably not a vote on the political blocs in the absence of a consensus on them. The deputy said of the Iraqi list Othman al-jhayshi, in an interview to "Sumerian News, said that" the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, was submitted to the presidency of the parliament, said Monday the names of both Khalid Al-Obaidi to occupy the position of the Ministry of Defence, and Ibrahim Al-Lami of the Ministry of the Interior." Al-Jhayshi Added that "there is a tendency within the political blocs to reject the candidates listed, as a result of the disagreements and Compatibility within the Iraqi Coalition on Al obaidi," he said, adding " the lack of conformity also among the components of the National Coalition for the Interior ibrahim Al-Lami." Political sources had earlier revealed today, Monday, that the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, has sent an envoy to parliament speaker osama Al-Najafi has to provide the names of the candidates of the political blocs to serve as the ministries of the interior and defence and planning, pointing out that it had been to three names for the post of the Ministry of the interior, both adnan al-assadi, Mohsen al kaabi, Al-Lami and Ibrahim. http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120601.html

The sadrists: Al-Maliki did not submit any of our candidates for the Ministry of Planning, which is one of our share and another candidate, this will have a negative impact on our vote in the parliament Haidar Ali Jawad-28/03/2011 ad-9: 45 | readers number: 46 ________________________________ Revealed liberal bloc in the Iraqi parliament and the sadrist movement today, Monday, to the three names for the post of Minister of Planning as one of its share, noting that it was agreed within the national Ahmad Al-Jalabi's nomination for the post of the minister of the interior, however, Al-Maliki rejected his nomination. Deputy governor said الزاملي that " liberal bloc member under the banner of the National Alliance has three names for the Ministry of Planning and, thanks to the Governorate of Najaf, Ammar al jabouri Babylon governorate, and husayn Ali from Baghdad province, on the understanding that the share of the liberal bloc." He added that "the prime minister Al Maliki submitted candidates from outside the bloc to occupy the position of the Ministry of Planning," he said, adding that a candidate who is not liberal bloc will have a negative impact on our vote in the council to the candidates." الزاملي Said that "liberal bloc agreed with the National Alliance for the nomination of Ahmed Chalabi for the post of minister of the Interior, said that" the prime minister nouri Al-Maliki and other candidates for the post would reject it liberal bloc." http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120616.html

Different views over Erdogan's visit to IraqMonday, March 28th 2011 9:28 PM Baghdad, March 28 (AKnews) – Al-Iraqiya and Kurdish bloc's coalition (KBC) said on Monday that the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit to Iraq's is political and has economic privilege, and it has nothing to do with the situation in the disputed city of Kirkuk between the federal government and Kurdistan. KBC deputy, Mahma Khalil told AKnews that Iraq has become a trade and economic important area in the region and the world, what makes it of a positive effect in the advancement of the executive branch in the country. "Erdogan's visit and his speech in the parliament is something successful and fruitful, particularly since Iraq is witnessing a remarkable improvement in the political situation after the formation of a national partnership government as well as stabilizing the security situation in it." The Turkish Prime Minister , Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived Baghdad at the head of an official delegation and a high economic level and was received by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and a number of ministers and deputies. It is hoped that Erdogan would meet during his visit the President , Jalal Talabani , Parliament Speaker , Osama Nujaifi , Kurdistan regional president , Massoud Barzani, , the heads of political parties and the various Iraqi political blocs, as well as meeting the top Shiaa religious authority , Ali al-Sistani and other senior religious authorities in Najaf. The Turkish government announced, in a statement yesterday that the Prime Minister will visit Baghdad, Najaf and Erbil. Baghdad and Ankara have signed during the visit of Turkish Prime Minister , Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Iraq in November 2009, about 50 a memorandum of understanding that promote political and economic cooperation, especially in the area of security, water , oil , electricity interconnection, health, railways and agriculture. The Turkish Consulate in Kurdistan announced in April 2010 that the value of trade between Iraq and Turkey in 2009 amounted to nine billion dollars, indicating that Turkey took great interest in the development of political relations, economic and cultural ties with the region. The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Dawwod Uglo arrived in Baghdad earlier this year at the head of a senior delegation, as a prelude to Erdogan's visit to Iraq. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ended an official visit to Turkey on 21 of last October in the framework of a regional tour including Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Iran and Kuwait. Iraq has signed many economic agreements with Turkey aimed at consolidating trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, and the former Iraqi government declared on 19 of last October forming a committee to activate the trade and economic relations with Turkey, at the time more than 117 Turkish companies are working in Iraq in the implementation of projects related to energy development, agriculture and industry. Reported by Fliyeh al-Jourani SA/GS AKnews http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/9/228014/

Many will suffer from cuts to presidential grants says Talabani’s advisorMonday, March 28th 2011 5:54 PM Dohuk, March 28 (AKnews) – The advisor to the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani warned on Monday that many people will be affected by the recently announced abolishment of presidential grants. When the 2011 budget was finally approved last month, Parliament announced the abolishment of the social allowances for the three presidencies which amount to $18 million a year for each of the three sovereign posts. As well as covering travel expenses and paying other work-related costs, the allowances help to fund various cultural, youth, and relief projects around the country that are not funded by the federal budget. Talabani’s advisor Ido Baba Sheikh told AKnews that the Iraqi president has provided assistance and relief funding throughout each natural/human disaster that struck the country during his time in office. “For example limitless assistance was provided to those affected by the armed operations that took place in the Tisein village in Kirkuk or in Kar Azir in Sinjar and many other areas of Iraq,” he said, “There were allocations for migrants and displaced persons as well as for the victims of the Husseiniya procession bombings in Baghdad and other provinces.” President Talabani’s office issued a statement on Sunday that illustrated some of the altruistic projects these allowances helped to support. “President Jalal Talabani has been keen over the years to use the social benefits allocated in the budget as a tool to assist and relieve the families of martyrs, and to treat those wounded by terrorist explosions...in addition to providing assistance to civil society organizations and other groups which benefit the public; and to honor the writers, intellectuals, artists, painters and others who have served their country in some way”. Ido Baba Sheikh verified the presidential office’s statement, saying: “I personally took amounts of money and distributed them among some of the sick and needy, and a lot of other advisors to the President took these grants to distribute them among the needy”. "For me, as advisor for Yazidi affairs, I know that there are a number of Yazidi youth centers that were benefiting from these grants in addition to about 200 (Yazidi) dignitaries and notables.” Reported by Khudr Khallat Rn/Ka/AKnews http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/227971/

Update: Erdogan speech pushed Iraqi parliament sessionMonday, March 28th 2011 10:04 PM Baghdad, March 28 (AKnews) - Kurdistan Bloc's coalition (KBC) deputy said that the parliament postponed its session to Tuesday after the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speech, the first reading of the draft law to protect journalists and the second reading of a proposed law amending the Code of Criminal Procedure (23) of Article (136) b. The Deputy, Ashwaq al-Jaff told AKnews that "the Turkish Prime Minister noted in his speech to the need to strengthen relations between Iraq and Turkey." "The President of the National coalition in the parliament , Ibrahim al-Jaafari has asked the Turkish Prime Minister to facilitate the process of supplying Iraq with water in order to assist Iraq in eliminating the drought and the prosperity of agriculture in Iraq." "MP, Fuad Masum demanded Erdogan to solve the Kurdish issue in Turkey by peaceful means and through dialogue after the Turkish prime minister pointed out that there are terrorist elements in Kurdistan." A source in the Turkish embassy in Baghdad told AKnews that the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baghdad this afternoon and met at Baghdad International Airport thd Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , a number of ministers and members of his office. "The accompanied delegation consisted of Erdogan , Foreign Minister Ahmed Dawood Uglo , State Minister Thafer Jaglayan , Minister of Energy and Natural Resources minister , Taner Yildiz, in addition to a number of Turkish businessmen." Erdogan met during his visit the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , the Speaker of the parliament ,Osama al-Nujaifi and various Iraqi political parties, and will meet after the Shiaa cleric Ali al-Sistani and other senior Shiaa clerics in Najaf. According to Erdogan's schedule , he will visit Kurdistan after his visit to Baghdad and will meet with regional president , Massoud Barzani. Reported by Flayeh al-Jourani SA/GS AKnews http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/228024/

Erdaogn says Turkey wants unified Iraq 3/28/2011 9:53 PM BAGHDAD / Aswat Iraq: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey wants a unified Iraq that maintains peace, stability and its independence. Addressing lawmakers in the Iraqi parliament on Monday, Erdigan said “the most important problem facing cooperation with Iraq is the terrorism organization (Kurdistan Workers Party), which has a headquarters in north of Iraq. We do not want a terrorist organization to work as an evil center between Iraq and Turkey.” He expressed Turkey’s readiness to support the Iraqi government to solve all problems in various domains. Erdogan had arrived Monday in Baghdad on a visit aimed at boosting political and economic ties between the two neighbours, state television said. The Turkish leader, who heads a large business delegation, is on a two-day visit to Iraq, his first since October 2009, television reported. Erdogan, who is also accompanied by Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, will also travel to Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, the first Turkish prime minister to do so. The fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has rear-bases in the border area, will also be discussed during Erdogan's visit, according to sources in Ankara. The PKK, which is viewed as a terrorist group by Ankara and much of the international community, took up arms against Ankara in 1984 for self-rule in Turkey's Kurdish-populated southeast, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives. SH (TS) http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141680&l=1

'Shoe thrower' targets Iraq's PM The man known for throwing a shoe at former US president Bush campaigns against Nouri al-Maliki. Last Modified: 28 Mar 2011 06:11 Send Feedback Demonstrators in Iraq have been calling for sweeping reforms and in their midst is Muntadhr Al Zaydi, the man known internationally for throwing a shoe at former US president George Bush. Al Zaydi had to stay away from his country for months after serving jail time, but he is now back on the streets of Baghdad, on a mission that is again putting him at odds with the authorities. Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reports. (Video at link ((English))) http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/03/201132851515135879.html

UPDATE 1-ExxonMobil's West Qurna I production exceeds milestone Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:29am EDT MARCH 28 - ExxonMobil Iraq Ltd, a unit of global oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), said on Monday production from its West Qurna I oil field rose to 285,000 barrels per day, above the 10 percent target set under technical services contract. As per the contract, day-to-day production operations have been transferred to the West Qurna I field operating division, which is staffed by personnel from the South Oil Company and ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil Iraq Ltd is the lead contractor with 60 percent interest working with South Oil Company of Iraq. Co-developers of West Qurna I include Oil Exploration Company of Iraq with a 25 percent interest. Shell West Qurna B.V., a Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) affiliate holds 15 percent interest. (Reporting by Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Mike Nesbit) http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/28/exxonmobil-idUSL3E7ES0IA20110328

HH PM holds luncheon for Iraqi FM Politics 3/28/2011 3:36:00 PM KUWAIT, March 28 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held here Monday a luncheon in honor of visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and his party. (end) mt KUNA 281536 Mar 11NNNN http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2155835&Language=en

President al-Assad Receives Calls from King of Bahrain, Emirs of Kuwait and Qatar, Iraqi President, Supporting Syria in Face of Conspiracy Mar 28, 2011 Damascus, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday received phone calls from King of Bahrain Hamad bin Issa al- Khalifa, the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, President Jalal al-Talabani of Iraq , Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. King of Bahrain, Emirs of Kuwait and Qatar, Iraq's President expressed their countries' standing by Syria in the face of conspiracy to which it is exposed, targeting its security and stability. They underlined confidence in Syria's capability, as leadership and people, to foil that conspiracy. Mazen Eyon http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/03/28/338834.htm

Transport Minister Unveils Plan for New Grand Faw Port Posted on Mar 28th, 2011 Iraq’s Transport Minister has announced that a tender will be issued by the end of this year for a multi-billion-dollar port south of the city of Basra. Investors from Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the United Arab Emirates are said to be keen to help finance Grand Faw Port. An Italian company, Technital, has been contracted to undertake the final design. The aim is to use the port to send containers overland by rail to destinations in Europe, which it claims would be quicker than sending them by ship through the Suez Canal. An initial phase of the port is due to be completed by the end of 2013. A second phase would allow the entire planned complex to be in place within four years. A total of 7,000 m of quay are planned for containers and 3,500 m for general cargo. The project is expected to cost €4.5bn ($6.4bn). Map DataMap data ©2011 Google, LeadDog Consulting Imagery ©2011 TerraMetrics- Terms of Use Map Data Close Map data ©2011 Google, LeadDog Consulting Imagery ©2011 TerraMetrics Traffic Powered by MapPress ▼Satellite Map Satellite Terrain 45° Labels Source: portstrategy, March 28, 2011 http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2011/03/28/iraq-transport-minister-unveils-plan-for-new-basra-port/

Kurdistan Building 11 Dams, Plans 28 More March 28th, 2011 by Editor In a move that could increase tensions over water supplies, the Kurdistan region’s minister for agriculture has announced that the Region is building 11 dams and plan dozens more. “There are 11 dams now under construction,” Jameel Sulaiman told AFP. “We have studies and designs to build 28 more,” he added. He said that the dams currently under construction in Kurdistan were “small and medium size,” with storage capacities ranging between one million cubic metres (35 million cubic feet) to 10 million cubic metres. Four were being built in Erbil, five in Sulaimaniyah and two in Dohuk, but he did not say when they would be completed. “We are building these dams in order to develop the agricultural sector in the region, and for water storage, because Iraq has suffered droughts for the past several years,” Sulaiman said. Water is a major source of tension in Iraq, especially between the Kurdistan region and other provinces. In the multi-ethnic Kirkuk province, Arab farmers accuse the Kurdistan region of ruining them by closing the valves to a dam in winter. A growing water deficit and dams built by Iraq’s neighbours have significantly reduced the water flow in a country that was until the late 1950s a breadbasket of the Arab world. http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2011/03/28/kurdistan-building-11-dams-plans-28-more/

Relations Improving Between Kurdistan and Turkey March 28th, 2011 by Editor According to a report from Niqash, Massoud Barzani, the Kurdistan Region Government President, was invited recently to Turkey for talks on increasing economic integration between the two states. With trade between the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and Turkey reaching $9 billion, relations between Turkey and the Region have improved significantly. Turkey is working hard in the face of competition from other countries to take the lion’s share of economic opportunities in Kurdistan. “My Prime Minister wants Turkey and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region to be integrated with each other through economics,” said Aydin Selcen, Turkish Consul in the Kurdistan Region’s capital, Erbil. “We hope the border areas between Turkey and Kurdistan Regionwill become more peaceful, so that the areas can turn into a destination for trade and tourism,” Selcen added. Turkey sees potential for strategic partnership between themselves and Kurdistan and the economic benefits of a close relationship are obvious to both parties. “Turkey knows very well that Kurdistan is not a sea of oil, it is an ocean of oil,” said Musa Muhammad, an economics lecturer at Salahuddin University in Erbil. He said the Kurdistan Region needs Turkey to build the region and as an export partner for its oil and gas. And if Turkey joins the European Union, Kurdistan can be the gateway between the Arab Gulf Countries and Europe, since the Kurdistan Region has a 700km borderline with Turkey. As for Turkey, Muhammad added, Turkey wants to become the main route for the export of Iraqi oil and gas, especially for the proposed Nabucco Pipeline, which takes Iraqi gas to Europe. The pipeline goes through Kurdistan to Turkey. Turkey also sees the Kurdistan Region as a possible gateway to better links with the rest of Iraq and other Arab countries in the region. According to Muhammad, there is huge competition between Turkey and Iran for dominance in the Kurdish economy. Turkey currently has a lead and is better placed to win the competition because Kurdistan has more joint interests with Turkey than with Iran and Turkish products tend to be of higher quality than Iranian products. http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2011/03/28/relations-improving-between-kurdistan-and-turkey/

Al-Sadr Trend: agenda present and future weeks does not include voting on candidates for security ministries Haidar Ali Jawad-28/03/2011 ad-3: 06 | readers number: 21 ________________________________ The attorney said the liberal bloc Hassan al that the agenda present and future weeks does not include voting on candidates for the ministries of security. Al jabouri said that the presentation of the security ministries candidates and vote on them had not been included in the meetings of the present and future weeks. Pointing out that the Secret Service are still a subject of controversy and debate is not settled so far. Al-Jabouri, And that political motives behind the delay in resolving the security ministries, hinting at efforts to link the vote on security posts with other vacant ministries as part of a deal the same. As well as support the sadrist movement candidate Ahmad Chalabi to the Ministry of the Interior said the the liberal bloc of the National Coalition to back the nomination-there is a clear vision within the alliance on support for Chalabi added that political deals large and the complexity of the resolution the Security file and the different points of view with regard to them http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120572.html

Haidar Ali Jawad-28/03/2011 ad-3: 11 | readers number: 33 ________________________________ Teachers union said yesterday, Sunday, withdrawal of the appointment in the provinces because of the lack of involvement of the Central Committee of the Ministry of Education and in protest against the mechanism تخيصيص job tiers. Competition also revealed more than 12 graduates to 400 degrees career had been allocated to the El Rasafa-the first in Baghdad. The Ministry of Education was exclusively for the rest of ministries to adopt a lot as a basis for the distribution of job tiers, which announced its Prime Minister nouri Al-Maliki earlier last month, the Ministry of وحثوها to adopt a new scientific mechanisms to the development of the educational situation. In this context, said teachers' union, withdraw from all committees appointed to all governorates because of the lack of involvement of the syndicate in the major central appointment in Ministry of Education, واعتراضا on the mechanism of the job tiers. He said the official spokesman for نقابه teachers to Ahmed khedr that " teachers' union decided to withdraw from all committees appointed to the all the lack of involvement of the syndicate in the central committees of the main the Ministry of Education and the ministry, because it is supposed to be the Union a role in these committees." He added that " the syndicate also decided to withdraw in protest at the distribution of job tiers set because it is not true, فتربية, Al Rasafa, first, for example, there are 12 advanced for as have been allocated 400 of the only." He added that "this example applies to all governorates because of the large number of ad hoc job tiers from the very few," he said. http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120573.html

Financial Launches appointments Haidar Ali Jawad-28/03/2011 ad-3: 31 | readers number: 58 ________________________________ The finance ministry had received requests for appointment on its e-mail. He said an official source in the ministry to "Assabah" that an ad hoc committee of administrative and legal in the ministry had received requests for appointment of the code by special forms on its e-mail. He pointed out that the process of receiving applications will continue over a period of two weeks, explaining that the number of ad hoc job tiers of the ministry is 300 degrees in Baghdad and other governorates and all branches of the ministry and components. He explained that the terms of reference include banks and business administration, engineering, accounting and programming languages and some substantive areas, warning that the appointments will be launched at the same time in Baghdad, while will be distributed among the in the form of payments according to need the plans that have been made in earlier, he pointed out that the largest share of grades will be of Baghdad because of high population density. The source noted that a special committee will be after the end of the deadline to receive the forms of all applications وتدقيقها extensively in addition to examine the situation of staff employed in decades to give them a share of degrees turning them into permanent staffing. He pointed out that the Ministry followed the electronic form with a view to preventing the occurrence of cases of corruption . http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120574.html

Erbil to open Worlds Fifth Biggest Airport tomorrow PUKmedia 28-03-2011 14:07:45 Madam Talar Faiq – Director General Erbil International airport , during a press conference said that the opening of the airport will be in a special ceremony tomorrow March 29, 2011. Faiq emphasized that Erbil International Airport is one of the largest airports in the region and the fifth in the world in a capacity of 3 million passengers annually. She clarified that the Kurdistan Regional Government allocated US$ 365 million to implement this airport which was designed by a British company and constructed by a Turkish company. Reported by: Fuad Othman http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7209:erbil-to-open-worlds-fifth-biggest-airport-tomorrow&catid=29:kurdistan-region&Itemid=385

Romanian Ambassador visits Habbaniya to look at investment opportunitiesMonday, March 28th 2011 3:49 PM Anbar, March 28 (AKnews) - The Romanian Ambassador to Iraq visited the touristic city of Habbaniya, 150 km northwest of Baghdad, on Monday alongside the leader of Iraq’s parliamentary Tourism and Antiquities Commission, to look at investment opportunities there. Ambassador Jacob Prada told AKnews that Habbaniya’s natural beauty and position on a vast lake provide great scope for investment for Romanian companies. “The Romanian companies are seeking to invest in this region due to Iraq’s boom in the tourism sector,” he said, “… investment opportunities were discussed and contracts will be signed over the coming weeks.” Iraqi deputy Talal al-Zobaie told our reporters that the existing tourist complex that was mainly built in the 1970s will greatly benefit from Romanian investment, which will he said, “…place it in the ranks of developed tourist resorts”. “We see local and foreign investment as the way forward,” he continued, expressing his desire to see the city being “a magnet in Iraq and the Middle East”. The resort’s manager Hamid Abboud Trad told AKnews that the delegation conducted a through tour of the complex and inspected the renovation work to date. “The Romanian Ambassador welcomed the idea of investing in the tourist city and promised that the companies will start discussing and signing contracts soon”. “The most important benefit of the Romanian delegation is that it will train the local labor force to work in the tourism sector, because they (currently) lack such skills.” Reported by Ali al-Qaisi Rn/Ka/AKnews http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/227945/

SX opens week with slight 0.1% down 3/27/2011 7:08 PM BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) went down in the beginning of the week Sunday by 0.1% to close at 126.9 points as rates of shares of 16 out of a total 40 traded companies went down. “More than 764 million shares worth 1.2 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $1 million) exchanged hands through 446 deals in today’s session,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The previous session had closed at 127 points after an up of 0.5%. Rates of shares of 10 companies went into the green while 14 retained their previous levels. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 83 purchase deals worth 285 million dinars, mostly over the banking, industrial, service and hotel sectors, nearly 22% of the overall trading activities, and only two sale deals worth 1.5 million dinars over the banking sector. The banking sector took the lead with 72% of the trading through 272 deals worth 905 million dinars over 12 firms, followed by the industrial sector with 15% through 107 deals worth 196 million dinars over 11 firms and the hotel sector with 7% through 41 deals worth 91 million dinars over seven firms. Trading was modest over the service, agricultural, insurance and investment sectors. The ISX witnessed its first E-trading session on April 19, 2009 over five registered companies, three banks and two hotels. The banks were: Ashur International Bank (AIB), Al-Mansour Bank and the Iraqi Credit Bank while the hotels were: Ashtar Hotel and Al-Mansour Hotel. On June 7, 2009 the Iraqi Middle East Investment Bank and the Warka Bank joined the electronic trading sessions. The ISX now holds five sessions from Sunday to Thursday. AmR (TS) http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141654&l=1

Iraqi-Italian talks for boosting cultural, economic relations 3/28/2011 3:25 PM BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Chairman of the Iraqi Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee, Humam Hammoudy, has discussed means of developing joint cultural relations between Iraq and Italy with a visiting Italian Parliamentary delegation, a Committee’s statement reported on Monday. “Iraq is keen to develop relations with Italy and strives to build up strong relations with its friendly people,” the statement pointed out. The Chairman of the Committee’s Department for Relations with Europe and America, Sadiq al-Rikaby, said that “the current joint relations between Iraq and Italy encourages joint action to build up popular relations through joint friendship committees.” Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Iraqi-Italian Friendship Committee, Legislature Imad Youkhanna, said that “the joint relations between the two countries are strong enough to help their further development to serve the joint interests of both peoples.” SKH (TI)/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141672&l=1

Kurdistan parliament holds regular session, opposition absence 3/29/2011 3:21 PM ARBIL / Aswat al-Iraq: The Parliament of Kurdistan region, held on Tuesday, a regular session on Tuesday, while the opposition boycotted it. "The parliament held a meeting today with the presence of 59 lawmakers, who discussed the first reading of three draft laws; the 2011 Kurdistan region budget, the public service council in the region and the patient's rights bill," the media advisor of the parliament, Tareq Jouhar, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. "The opposition's boycott did not affect the quorum," he added. For his part, MP from the al-Taaghier List, Adnan Othman, said that "we have several notes on the budget; the payments mechanism and the investment projects in the province." SH (TP) http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141694&l=1

Iraqi Parliament Speaker’s office condemns attack on NINA’s office in Baghdad’s Ambassador Hotel 3/29/2011 2:18 PM BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The office of Iraq’s Parliament Speaker, Usama al-Nujeify, has condemned the rocket attack on the office of the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) in Baghdad’s Ambassador Hotel on Tuesday. “At atime when we thank Allah Almighty for the safety of the journalists and the other residents of al-Safir (Ambassador) Hotel, that was attacked by rockets on Tuesday morning, we strongly condemn the attack, aimed at innocent people and journalists, working day-and-night to supply information for the public opinion,” the office said in a statement. “We, members of the media office of the Parliament’s Speaker, thank Allah Almighty for the safety of the staff of INA office, that was damaged due to the attack, wishing it and its staff safety and progress in their activity,” the statement added. A Baghdad security source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency early in the day that two rockets fell on al-Safir (Ambassador) Hotel in central Baghdad’s Abu-Nawas area, wounding 3 persons and causing severe damage to the hotel, along with setting fire to a number of cars, parked close to the building. Meanwhile, NINA, where its office is based in the hotel reported that its office had suffered material damage due to the attack, but none of its journalists had been harmed. SKH (TI)/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=141692&l=1

Compensation for internally displaced Iraqis roseTuesday, March 29th 2011 2:16 PM Sulaimaniya, March 29 (AKnews)- The Iraqi minister for Immigrations and Immigrants said government has decided to increase reimbursement for the internally displaced families. The sectarian violence that prevailed Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein regime in 2003, led many Shia and Sunni families, mostly from the central Iraqi provinces, leave their properties and homes behind to resettle in other areas across the country. Many also fled to the other countries. Dindar Najman told AKnews this moment onward the internally displaced families who choose to return to their original place of residence will be issued three million Iraq Dinars (IQD)- almost 2,500 U.S. Dollars. Previously each family would take only 1 million IQD- nearly $854 the minister said. Doski advised the displaced families to return to their homes “because now their areas are secure.” The statistics by the ministry show that 198 Iraqi families, amounting to 1.177 million people, have been relocated inside the country. Some 90,000 more families are living in diaspora. Reported by Dilshad Saifaddin Lh/AKnews http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/228156/

Kurdistan Parliament holds 1st reading of budget draft PUKmedia 29-03-2011 13:54:04 Kurdistan Region Speaker Dr. Kamal Kirkuki , chaired the Parliament’s ordinary session on Tuesday, March 29, in the presence of his Deputy Dr. Arsalan Baez and the Parliament’s Secretary Frsat Ahmed. The Parliament , in its session , held the first reading to drafts law of Kurdistan Region budget in 2011 , public service council , export and import , private schools , building residential compounds to employees and people with low incomes and the bill of rights for patients. http://www.pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7224:kurdistan-parliament-holds-1st-reading-of-budget-draft&catid=29:kurdistan-region&Itemid=385

Deputy of the rule of law that is likely to be crucial next week to end the file of the security ministries Ali Abdullah-25/03/2011 ________________________________ The list of preferred coalition of the rule of law, which is led by Prime Minister nouri Al-Maliki to be critical next week to end the crisis of the security ministries concerned. He said Deputy Ali al-` *** in a press statement that "the file of the security ministries vacant still faces an obstacle political consensus, we have been told the prime minister the importance of political consensus candidates for key posts in the government, he would like to see political consensus candidates for security ministries before they are brought to the House of Representatives," he said. He added that "the prime minister will ask the political blocs to give their opinion وتصوراتها of ten candidates للوزارتين security (defence and interior) وليعط after his crucial ويقدمهم to vote in the parliament," he said. He pointed out that " al-` *** Expectations indicate that next week is the end of this file and the prime minister is determined to end it, even in the event of non-حصمول, the candidates will be ويقدمهم to the parliament and the parliament decides to vote on them." As the candidate of the Interior Ministry, which is scheduled to يقمده National Alliance al-` *** said that " the most prominent of whom are Ahmad Al-Jalabi and Al kaabi, and their respective votes within the country. He explained that " the rule of law does not have rejected one of to the extent that one of them is a consensus and there is not any of the potential to the other." It was scheduled to take place last Thursday was the security ministries, however, it had not been included on the agenda of the Iraqi council of representatives did not agree on the names put forward and those ministries are of the agency before by Prime Minister nouri Al-Maliki. The Iraqi parliament voted on December 21 last year to give confidence to the great majority of the government by Prime Minister nouri Al-Maliki, which was made up of 42 Ministries, وبنيابة Rose nouri Shawes Reconfirmed the Minister of Commerce, and Hussein Al shahrastani for energy, Saleh Al-Mutlaq, while Al-Maliki took in addition to his position as prime minister of the ministers of the interior, defense and national security in the agency. Al-Maliki Pledged during a given confidence to the prime minister of the ministries that are acting in a few weeks, but this did not happen because of differences between the Blocs to some names nominated to fill the bags the security ministries. Iraqi National Coalition was put forward many names and Iraqi coalition candidate in the security ministries and those names, Ahmad Chalabi وعبود Qambar, Okail الطريحي, Adnan al-Asadi, and movement of the interior of the Iraqi list refused. Wants parties to National Alliance candidate Ahmad Chalabi of the Ministry of the interior, but coalition refuses that the rule of law and is willing to be the candidate from his coalition. Al-Maliki Was presented his ministry in the form of two excluded four ministries is the defense, interior and national security as well as planning. Was the political blocs had agreed to be named defense minister by the Iraqi List, the most prominent candidates for the post, according to sources in the Iraqi list MP Khalid tired Al obaidi, the minister of the interior of the National Alliance. http://www.burathanews.com/news_article_120294.html