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Sara Johnson
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Optimism expressed for the success of the national conference - VP
1/18/2012 6:46 PM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi Vice-President Khudhair al-Khuza'i hoped that the coming national conference will solve the political crisis, stressing the abidance of all by the constitution for the success of the conference, a presidential statement said.
The statement, received by Aswat al-Iraq, said that Khuza'i met with the Japanese Ambassador to Baghdad Susumu Hasegawa, where both sides discussed the need to contain the crisis.
The vice-president confirmed that "the situation in Iraq is not of much concern, and all pending questions with the neighboring countries could be solved away from the media which only contributes to agitating viewpoints".
Khuza'i evaluated the concern of the Japanese government of Iraqi affairs, stressing readiness to facilitate investment process before Japanese companies.
On his side, the Japanese ambassador expressed the support of his government in developing relations with Iraq, according to the statement.
It was decided to hold a general national conference, under the patronage of President Jalal Talabani, to finalize the disputes between the two blocs, as well as other blocs on the division of power, according to Arbil agreements, that formed the present government.
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Fight against terrorism: the dismantling of a terrorist network 416 over the last year
Topic has been read 108 times
18/01/2012
Interior announces the intelligence needed to legislation and financial support
BAGHDAD - Qasim Hilfi
Directorate was able to fight terrorism and organized crime in the Ministry of Interior, 416 of the dismantling of a terrorist network in the past year, as it reiterates the need to 300 criminal investigator to accelerate resolving the cases of detainees.
A senior agent of the Ministry Adnan Hadi Asadi during the conference calendar third annual held by the Directorate yesterday: "Many of those frivolous want to split the country and derail the political project which increases the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior in the fight against those entities that seek to disturb the security in the country."
He added that these entities "supported from abroad, which pay the intelligence agencies to intensify their efforts to develop preventive operations, thus preventing the danger and keep the specter of terrorism for all aspects of the state and citizens."
The Asadi during the conference which was attended by "morning" that intelligence work need new legislation and the expansion of the financial support of the CIA and its directorates, but he also said, "Despite all the obstacles, the achievements of the intelligence services of the achievements of the Location since 2004 and so far is very large in such difficult circumstances experienced by Iraq, "adding that his ministry had made great sacrifices of the martyrs, the wounded and the money, equipment and vehicles and infrastructure, as they hit the sacrifices of the CIA alone, nearly 200 martyrs. For his part, Director General of combating terrorism, organized crime, Maj. Gen. Abdul-Hussein al-Amiri, for that his Directorate was able during the last year of the implementation of the (704) warrants a lawsuit, which resulted in the dismantling of 416 terrorist network responsible for the commission (4,823) is a crime, noting that the judiciary has issued death sentences against 212 guilty, and life imprisonment to 15 others, in addition to the prison sentence life on the (259) defendants, with 303 sentenced to prison terms are different, and the imprisonment of 71 suspects and freed 359 defendants and 922 defendants released for lack of evidence against them.
And Ameri added that greater cooperation between the different forms of intelligence agencies and security has enabled the dismantling of the number of terrorist networks and criminal gangs, referring to the cooperation of the Supreme Judicial Council to issue arrest warrants judicial, and its significant impact in facilitating the tasks of the Directorate forces during arrest wanted in various crimes.
The official need for the security directorate to 300 criminal investigator, financial support and large overcome many obstacles, especially in terms of support and funding sources of information.
This was during the conference, a number of officers of the Directorate in its branches and offices spread across the country, to review the activities of their departments and highlighted the achievements over the past year, including the arrest of perpetrators of the bombings, Abu Dshir, which led to foil a plot to al-Qaeda, after the citation of the ten people elements of the organization, who were planning to target the visitors heading to Karbala to commemorate the death of Imam Hussein (p), according to Director of the Anti-terrorism in the session Brigadier Abdul-Jabbar, who also presented the details of the arrest of a gang trading in women after the abduction and detention in a den area of Karrada, and forced to exercise prostitution after torture and Troyahen.
The Director of the Anti-terrorism in Baghdad, the new process the arrest of three accused of running gangs of kidnapping and murder in the Secretary, explaining the gang responsible for 15 operations for the commission of kidnapping and killing five of the abductees.
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Expert: Iraq's economy and should be one-sided interest in the religious tourism to revive
On: Wed, 18/01/2012 19:04
BAGHDAD - A citizen
Noted economic analyst Abdul Latif Salem Ugaili need to pay attention to the tourism sector, especially religious tourism to provide another powerful financial resource for the Iraqi economy through fees and hospitality in the hotels during religious occasions.
Ugaili said that the Iraqi economy is still one-sided and is supported entirely on the annual oil imports and has no other supplier must be appointed by the diversity in state revenues and make the national economy is manifold.
He pointed out that Iraq has the location of tourist and archaeological significant, especially religious tourism through the presence of the holy sites, calling for, interest in them and use them in seasons of religious events through the entry of visitors from abroad, and use are made by visa «fee», as well as bring in hard currency across the country to shop in local markets, or book hotels in Iraq.
The Ugaili's (news) that this requires an effort by the federal government to invest in the tourism sector in Iraq, through the construction of hotels and recreational areas and to facilitate border procedures to enter the largest number of visitors for the benefit of the Iraqi economy and promotion.
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Allawi: Iraq has become one of the most corrupt countries, because of mismanagement
Wednesday, January 18 2 / January 2012 11:50 | BAGHDAD / With: The President of the Iraqi List, Iyad Allawi, the need to respect political agreements and the Iraqi constitution in order to access the new Iraq to safety, stressing that Iraq has become one of the most corrupt countries, due to poor management
Allawi said at a news conference carried by the media on Wednesday that: "Iraq at the crossroads and must be addressed by political leaders, tolerant and national to the political scene to access the new Iraq to safety," stressing that "there are three options to resolve the current political crisis which either the Government of a national company real or early elections or change the National Alliance, the current prime minister Nuri al-Maliki the person of another. "
He added that "any political action must be built on the foundations of national partnership and the activation of political agreements between the poles of the political blocs to work on the establishment of state institutions to respect the Constitution and the law and the formation of the Iraqi national army, literally away from political conflicts Alodgot"
He added that "Iraq has become one of the most corrupt countries, because of mismanagement," calling for "the formation of the army and police and all the security services on the basis of respect for the citizen and the service of the country not to Astkhademha in the suppression of freedoms and humiliation." (Finished)
Follow-up - Zia Caliph
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Allawi calls for the formation of a government of national partnership agreement is based on the implementation of Arbil
PUKmedia Baghdad 18/01/2012 17:21:05
The face of Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's coalition Iraqi speech to the Iraqi people, during a press conference in Baghdad on Wednesday, 18/1/2012, with the following text of the speech:
In the name of God the Merciful
The rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves ....
Believe God Almighty
Dear brothers
Peace, mercy and blessings of God and
I would like to extend my congratulations to you first, best and purest blessings on the occasion of the Hijri and Gregorian years, the new liquid to Allah Almighty to make them in the security and stability, goodness and blessing on our beloved country and throughout our honorable and patient.
I also extend my deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the martyrs and wounded the nation what they have suffered the pain of the injured, and still suffer to this day, which coincides history with Ash master of martyrs, Imam Hussein peace be upon him, that Imam Khalid, who did not come out Asherah not Btara not unjust or a spoiler, but out a request for reform, justice and the right of a nation Messenger of God, out dated for the first revolution of parents in human history to be renewed every year, and draws from the people the meaning of freedom and equality without servility under the yoke of slavery, he learns of the human how to be oppressed Ventsr, as father said Mr. rhetoricians and the Imam of the pious Ali peace be upon the owner of the Ashtar divided people into two categories: either your brother in religion or for you in the creation.
Dear sisters and brothers
We have God on our dear wealth of perhaps not of its own to any other country, to be truly the cradle of civilization, because it is the people and conscious minds bright and natural resources of countless, but unfortunately, we say that, by the orientations of individualism and the spread code, corruption and mismanagement, it is Iraq today, most countries corrupt in the world according to official data of Transparency International and justice became missing and part of the judiciary Msaas as well as equality and services, human rights and the rule of law, and the role the provincial marginal, to the right of its people from injustice and oppression Vadhan has frozen their constitutional rights and stripped of their powers because of the central destructive approved by the current government , prompting the provincial councils to adopt the reactions of real-time because of the practices of the forces of tyranny in Baghdad, which has done nothing so far to serve the people did not give way to the provinces to develop themselves, and the level of service is almost non-existent, and the security situation also become obsessed with the citizen daily , The youth now make up an army truck full of the unemployed to say is their only cans, poverty and despair that can lead to delinquency and terrorism substitute, as well as the command for the stricken childhood, and Mazlomah women is a disaster after disaster.
This is not a country that Garana dictatorship for it for more than three decades, and not a democracy, dignity, freedom and prosperity that we have to maintain its valuable and precious, but it represents a return to square one to create a dictatorship wear the democratic distortions caused by the foreign powers, so I must warn the government of that a deliberate policy to create a political crisis and deepen the sectarian strife between the sons of one people, will not divert attention from the resounding failure in all fields. The methods that the government in mobilizing the people after intimidation from security threats are the cause of synthesized are only responsible practices are open game to justify dictatorial grip on people's capabilities and coverage of horrible failure.
Dear Brothers
In spite of the marginalization and exclusion, and mop-up and despite the fraud and manipulation in the locations of some polling stations choose our people, and clearly the Iraqi List, as a project to build a national state of civil and thereby won the Iraqi elections, but the intervention of some foreign powers and the intervention of some Iraqi forces blatant politicization of part of the judiciary led to disruption of the formation of government for nine months, so I decided the Iraqi List, in the interests of Iraq and its people decent, waiver of due democratic and constitutional and legal framework for the formation of a government that serves the people and the security and welfare, responded with a call to dear brother Masoud Barzani and his initiative to form a government of national partnership and a real alternative to maturity of Iraq, in the hope that others will abide by the principles and foundations of this partnership that was agreed upon in Arbil and post-Erbil as a legal basis for the formation of the government, but unfortunately shirked from all the promises and covenants as is well known today for all, and started to put obstacles in front of the agreements until relinquished again for the Policy Board High honor of our people, But with all this continued breaches of the Convention on Arbil, in addition to the breakthroughs the Constitution, there is an internal system of the Council of Ministers, and Atwazn national, and Atniv for appointments in the military and security developed, and Atniv a document of political reform approved by the former House has not been resolved appointments ministries security, but it became worse and took the government has targeted innocent citizens, including the Iraqi masses and components detention, torture and intimidation, marginalization and exclusion codes are also being targeted by the Iraqi threat against the existence of files or procedures are unconstitutional or illegal far from the spirit of compromise, trust and good intentions.
Dear brothers
We strongly support the National Conference if there is goodwill to make it a success, but we are not prepared to go to the meetings of the Ataúl from behind, as was proven in past experience, so I have to ask before you three options for saving the country in case of failure of the National Congress, as follows:
First, the formation of a government of technocrats new is to hold early elections and take on the responsibility of organizing integrity in order to restore Iraq's dignity stolen by respecting the Constitution, and establish the rule of law, justice and equality, and the revival of the principle of peaceful transfer of power, so the secretions of these elections, the House of Representatives effective as MP in which the representative of the people and the people who play the Section to carry this responsibility, not only delegates for his party.
Second: The National Alliance named a new prime minister is able and qualified to manage the affairs of the country assisted by the Council of Ministers where the minister efficient and away from the sectarian, with the need for an opposition representative not less important and the effectiveness of the government and be responsible for evaluating the performance of power towards the right.
Third, work on forming a government of national partnership and real based on the full implementation of the Convention on Arbil to establish a system state institutional work to achieve the legislation constitutional reservation prestige of the nation and unity, and development of projects for a prosperous Iraq have been proud of his sons, and the army of craftsmen Mohab and security services in the service of the citizen, not a tool of intimidation and abuse and revenge.
Dear Fellow Citizens
Iraq today stands at a crossroads, and I tell you right it needs to be statesmen intolerant and overbearing on their own hatred of personal historical leaders such as Gandhi and Mandela, who Khaldahma history in letters of gold.
Either Iraq will be a strong, unified state that respects the Constitution and governed by the law and equality, or to remain, God forbid, disjointed entities doomed to fragmentation and division to the states on its own strength to be vulnerable to the ambitions of foreign countries.
Mercy and eternal life for the righteous martyrs of the nation, and the glory and prosperity for the people of Iraq, the good guys.
God save all Iraqis and to build Ovgahm Iraq maintained the dignity and rights of the reservation.
May peace and God's mercy and blessings.
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Iraq – the Opportunity and the Problem
Posted on 18 January 2012.
It is very difficult with a market like Iraq to separate current issues, past progress and likely consequences. Since mid-2009 there has been significant achievement and progress, a sustained period of calm which now, sadly, is turning into what will probably be a very violent period as the actions and indecisions running up to the last election start to be resolved.
Let us take a quick look back at what has been achieved by the Iraqi Government:
- Two licence rounds that were very much more transparent than most in Western countries;
- Production has increased from about 2 million barrels of oil a day in 2009 to about 3 million today and is increasing rapidly;
- 14 IOC’s (International Oil Companies) and hundreds of service companies operating in Iraq;
- $43 billion in foreign investment during 2010 with numbers showing about twice that expected in 2011.
- The Central Bank of Iraq has a surplus of $50 billion
The contracts being awarded are massive, but it is not clear to me that many companies are making much in the way of profits in the country because the operating costs are so high. If companies cannot generate earnings commensurate with the risk, they will leave – especially with the price of oil rising quickly.
However despite the achievements there are significant problems, some of which have been highlighted already, but it is important to understand the likely out-turns of what is going on in this re-emerging economy. There are a few facts that, in my view, are driving what you are seeing in Iraq now; these are:
The Shiite-Sunni divide has been a fact in Iraq that has never gone away. Facts, so the expression goes, are stubborn things and 1,300 year-old facts are especially stubborn. The US must bear some of the blame for encouraging and playing a part in managing a coalition of Maliki and Allawi and excluding the Sadrists from this Government – it was understandable but silly and this is a large part why we are seeing this violence. For a fuller explanation it is worth visiting the website of historiae.org, a direct outlet for historical research on topical issues in world politics and reading their view of the role played by Christopher Hill, the US Ambassador in Iraq.
The US troop withdrawal was set in motion 3 years ago but it was the process which was more interesting than its outcome. Maliki was seen to be in favour of then against the withdrawal and then used it as an opportunity to set-up Allawi, for a fall. A critical element in the stability and growth of the country was turned into a political battlefield.
The US military pulling out does not mean that the US will have a reduced presence – the US Embassy will continue to have an astonishing 15,000 and 16,000 staff in Iraq and about 5,000 armed contractors guarding them. This will be the USA’s largest diplomatic presence in the world.
From an oil and gas industry perspective, Exxon-Mobil’s decision is interesting; this is a company which does analysis and assessment very well, they picked 6 of the most sensitive blocks that were possible to pick for their very public venture into Kurdistan. When Maliki started talking to the US Government about Exxon’s presence this turned from a commercial decision to a political / security one. It was a good call by Exxon and they may well get away with the decision – and probably flush out a couple of other big oil majors into moving into Kurdistan .
The announcement last week to pass the Oil Law (the same one that has been about to be passed for the last 5 years) without Allawi’s party being involved just shows how the politics has shifted from a Shiite / Sunni issue to a Sadrists plus one of the others issue; that is a development worth watching.
But all this has not stopped the investment in Iraq. In 2010 Iraq attracted almost $43 billion in foreign investments – the real surprise is not the magnitude or the destination but the nature of the investments made. The top sector is not Oil & Gas, whatever you are led to believe from the press; the top destinations are residential property (33%), transport (16%), electricity (14%), industry – mainly cement and steel (14%) and then – in 5th place – oil and gas with 13%. Turkey dominates the investments with just over 33%, followed by Italy (12%), France (10%) then South Korea and the USA with the United Kingdom at 9th place with just under 3%.
What Iraq really needs is a truly integrated Government focused on Iraqi interests: and this needs Maliki to dump a few of the overtly pro-Iranian figures from his coalition. Allawi needs to abandon the idea of a strategic policy council (this was dumped in late 2010 in all but Allawi’s mind) and the Sadrists need to be properly integrated into the Government in some way (if the Mahdi army is reformed it will not be good) and lastly some sort of long-term military deal with the United States needs to be sorted out.
But then …… which country does have a Government that puts national interest ahead of political survival.
For investors in Iraq there are going to be periods of investment and periods when you need to keep your head down. Iraq is a different market from most others in that investors will need to understand the political dynamics more fully than the other markets – the costs of making a mistake are too high.
Aberdeen energy businesses looking to develop business opportunities in Iraq are able to access free advice through a series of seminars run by Upper Quartile on behalf of Aberdeen City Council. The next seminar in the series will take place at Marischal College on Friday 27th January.
http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2012/01/18/iraq-the-opportunity-and-the-problem/
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Allawi presents two scenarios for the removal of Maliki and the third he Erbil Convention
WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER / 2 JANUARY 2012 17:13 HITS: 55
Twilight News / presenting the coalition, the Iraqi leader Iyad Allawi, on Wednesday, three scenarios to resolve the crises in Iraq, two of which Asttnaa Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to continue to preside over the government and the search for a replacement in case of failure of the National Congress.Iraq is gripped by unprecedented political crisis which leads a coalition of Iraq and the rule of law, and severe after the judge has issued an arrest warrant for Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on charges of "terrorism."
In an attempt by leaders to resolving the crisis, called on President Jalal Talabani to hold a national conference brings together the parties, as pointed deputy Khudair Khuzaie earlier today that the conference will be in next week.
He proposed in a speech during the enlarged meeting of his coalition in Baghdad and attended by "Twilight News" three options to resolve the political crisis in Iraq.
Allawi said that the first scenario is "a new government without al-Maliki is preparing for new elections and the integrity and respects the Constitution and by which the peaceful transfer of power, and can be the emergence of Parliament effective from be eligible for Section and not representative of a particular party."
With regard to option or the second scenario in the event of failure of the National Congress, Allawi said, "called the National Alliance, a new prime minister to form a government in which the Council of Ministers collaborator away from quotas and Class under the formation of parliamentary opposition is able to hold the government accountable and evaluate their work."
He proposed a third option keeps the Maliki government, but he has the agreement of power sharing, saying that the third option is to "form a government of national partnership and implement the Convention on the Erbil working on legislation unconstitutional and laws to create a prosperous Iraq and the security services in the service of the citizen and not intimidated."
Allawi announced his support for the National Conference, pointing out that the coalition in Iraq will provided that "with good intentions and not be a conference of the meetings, as happened in the past."
It was stipulated that the coalition in Iraq earlier in the presence of the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani to the Conference by the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
http://www.shafaaq.com/sh2/news/iraq-news/36648-2012-01-18-14-16-17.html
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"Emirates" increase the number of weekly flights to Baghdad
WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER / 2 JANUARY 2012 16:15 HITS: 25
The flight will leave "EK 941" daily Dubai at 7:55 to reach the Baghdad International Airport at 9:40 am as of 2 next February.
The return flights depart "942 EK" of Baghdad, at exactly 11:35 am, landing at Dubai International Airport at 2:55 in the afternoon the same day.
And will run daily flight using an Airbus A330-200 three-class configuration, which provides 12 seats in First Class and 42 seats in Business Class and 183 seats in Economy.
In addition to Baghdad flights Emirates now operates four weekly flights to the city of Basra in southern Iraq, and has offices in both Baghdad and Basra.
The vice chairman of Emirates Commercial Operations for the Middle East, Gulf and Iran Ahmed Khouri said in a statement issued by the company and received "Twilight News" Wednesday, "I have seen our services to and from Baghdad since its launch three months ago, a high demand both on the passengers or freight."
"We are pleased to meet this growing demand by increasing the number of flights and operate daily flights on the route of strategic and vital to Emirates Airline."
Revealed the Iraqi embassy in the UAE earlier, the volume of investment companies in the UAE arrived in Iraq to U.S. $ 3 billion at the end of 2010.
Khoury said in the statement, "We thank the Iraqi government to high confidence and assure her that we will continue to work hand in hand with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority to support all economic sectors in all their diversity."
The airline launched its first flight to Baghdad on November 13, 2011.
Earlier, from Wednesday announced the "Fly Dubai" in the reported statement of "Twilight News" that "the company launched its maiden voyage to the Iraqi capital Baghdad for the expansion of this growing route network in the region."
The number of points of "Fly Dubai" to Iraq to four points is the Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, Baghdad and Najaf.
http://www.shafaaq.com/sh2/news/economy-news/36645-q-q-.html
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Director of private banks: the launch of credit cards, various blocks will reduce the cash in the market and facilitate financial matters
On: Wednesday 18/1/2012 8:50
Baghdad (news) ..
Director of the Association called on private banks Abdul Aziz al-Hassoun to launch a variety of credit cards Kalmastr Alvezacard Card, after the success of the smart card use in the delivery of pensions.
Hassoun said (of the Agency news) on Wednesday: that this process will facilitate a lot of financial matters and reduce the mass of cash in local markets, and called for citizen awareness and encouragement to deal with these cards.
He added that most of the Iraqi banks are afraid of not dealing with credit cards by the public but when successful experience of the smart card, which was distributed to retirees for the purpose of delivery of their salaries began to think seriously about the launch of credit cards variety Kalmastr Card and Alvezacard used in most developed countries.
He explained: that dealing with the credit card variety is almost similar to deal with the smart card but use the smart card is limited to the delivery of the salaries of the retirees, while cards diverse are its widest, where they are traded in markets and shops across the electronic device deducted money from the card when you buy something what.
The Trade Bank of Iraq earlier announced the launch of credit cards for people dealing with them for ease of handling and reducing the money supply which confuse the work in the local markets. / Finished / 8. D. O /
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Military Amatrha Allawi options to end the political crisis is not new and unacceptable
Wednesday, 18 December / 2 January 2012 18:20
[baghdad - where]
Reduced the Deputy for the State of Law coalition of the options put forward by the existing Iraqi President Iyad Allawi on how to resolve the current political crisis in the country.
The MP said Sami al-Askari told all of Iraq [where] on Wednesday that "what is put Allawi said the options are not new and we have heard times many, but they remain unacceptable and the only option of the crisis is to reverse the decision to list and end the boycott and return to parliament and the government."
"The solution to the crisis in the Aikman end a boycott of the Iraqi List, but rather abide by the constitution to achieve a true partnership, either no other option, it is rejected and unacceptable."
A source familiar with from within the meeting of the Iraqi List, has revealed [where] the day that "Allawi made during a meeting of the list, which was held today at his home three options to resolve the current political crisis in the country is either a government of national partnership and genuine participation by all parties, or elections early legislative, or to change the National Alliance, the current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, another candidate. "
And the Iraqi List, said at the conclusion of its meeting today, held under the chairmanship of Iyad Allawi confirmed Astmraraha Province House and the Minister.
And witnessing the political process and the relationship between the blocks strained clear because of the continuing political differences between the coalition of state law and the Iraqi List, especially with regard to the issue of issuing the arrest warrant against Deputy President of the Republic required to eliminate Tariq al-Hashemi, and asked the Prime Minister to withdraw confidence from the notices Saleh al-Mutlaq, in addition to charges of the Iraqi state shirking the law on the implementation of the initiative of Erbil, which include achieving partnership in the state administration and decision-making and naming security minister and the formation of strategic policies and the lack of balance in the institutions of the state between the components of people, depending on the views of Congress and the Iraqi List. Over 2.
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Iraq Doesn't Want Troops, it Wants Money
Susan Culver-Graybeal Susan Culver-graybeal –Mon Jan 16, 6:38 pm ETCOMMENTARY | A month ago, the U.S. pulled the last of its troops out of Iraq -- something Iraq's government and people had long said they wanted. Now, according toAFP, the country is quickly falling further into its violent, sectarian ways.And while Iraq's ex-premier, Iyad Allawi, said the country doesn't want the return of American troops, it is calling for the U.S. to "use its diplomatic and other channels through the strategic agreement between the United States and Iraq to try and bring about sanity to the political process and inclusivity."I am not sure what that means, but at the risk of sounding jaded, it sounds a bit like being asked to toss more money at the problem. What else could Allawi be hinting at? And what, at this point, could the U.S. provide that wouldn't cost more money and lots of it?Truth is, we've already spent billions upon billions in Iraq. Yes, we invaded the country. Yes, we had an obligation to try to build up what we had a big hand in tearing down. We've been doing so in the tune of more than $5 billion a year in foreign assistance from 2004 to 2009 -- more than $10.8 billion in 2005 alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Last year, the U.S. tab for foreign grants and credits, which have, since 2003 gone to reconstruction and humanitarian assistance, was almost $2.7 billion.Now Allawi says, according to the article, the U.S. has a political as well as a "moral responsibility" to do more to help the country. When does it end, though? And how much will it cost us? And if the money, training and time we've given -- all at a huge financial and personal cost -- haven't helped yet, what makes us think that more will?
http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120116/cm_ac/10842785_iraq_doesnt_want_troops_it_wants_money
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Iraq is rushing to use technology in the banks
Iraq is rushing to use technology in the banksTranslated by Iraqdirectory.com - [1/17/2012]
The Chairman of the Board of Directors «North Bank» Finance and Investment Nawzad Dawood Fattah, called for the spread of the use of the divided national (the National Key) to all Iraqi banks, because it is a necessity required by the process of modernization of the sector in a way helped him to deal with mass cash contexts technique in the exchange of instruments and payments between the banks concerned.
He told «Al-Hayat» the hope that speeds up the Central Bank of Iraq in implementing its program aimed at developing an electronic communication is linked to a network of contacts between banks, in particular that some private banks began the period of use of modern technology through a unified network linking its branches, thanks to electronic clearing system.
Nawzad stressed the need for the Iraqi banking sector to adopt a program of modern technologies in the banking process, such as the use of credit cards, instruments and knowledge of bank balance via your cell phone, and rehabilitation of electronic payment card system. He pointed out that «the North Bank» will accelerate in the current steps are complementary to the program and put it in earlier, the promotion experience of bank staff in the use of modern technologies in their bank, pointing out that the bank is considered since it was established that the technology inherent to his bank account, and that there is a continuing need to cope with this aspect for the development of the sector.
In addition, Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Iraq Mudher Mohammed Saleh, said that there is a local and international companies have expressed interest in the management of a divided national who works to facilitate services to withdraw the money in the form of fast and secure for people who have accounts in Iraqi banks, in addition to the adoption of technology cell phones in the knowledge of the bank account and credit transfer through it. He explained that the «central» keen to enter the largest number of companies in a tender to select the most efficient device management, under its authority and control. He noted that the national council would be the highest of the bank and the Ministry of Finance, banks and others.
He noted that international organizations and institutions, foremost of «U.S. Agency for International Development» and the World Bank, is keen to help the banking sector in Iraq, the adoption of modern technologies.
It is noted that «Central» Iraqi systems, the end of last year's seminar and workshop in Istanbul for a project study assessed the national and its importance in the activation of trades related to credit cards and ATM technologies.
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Economists: freeing the national currency of the dominance of neighboring countries currencies to achieve economic stability
Economists: freeing the national currency of the dominance of neighboring countries currencies to achieve economic stabilityTranslated by Iraqdirectory.com - [1/17/2012]
Iraq's economy has become vulnerable to regional shocks and fluctuations in exchange rates of currencies of neighboring countries like Iran and Syria against the U.S. dollar because it will reflect negatively on the economy of the local market in terms of commodity prices, because most of them are imported.
Economists advised the need to work on the development of all economic sectors to spare the Iraqi economy, regional and external variables.
The rapporteur of the Finance Committee MP / coalition in Iraq / Ahmed Al-Sari said to (the Agency news): The trade between Iraq and Iran is large and any impact affects the Iranian currency or the Iranian economy will affect the process of trade and commodity prices in local markets that most of them imported from Iran .
He pointed to: the U.S. dollar exchange rate has a significant impact on the economies of the world and on the movement of trade exchanges, both when the price goes up or down, and continued, that the deterioration in the Iranian currency will affect the Iraqi economy.
He added: There are several signs warning of high exchange rate of U.S. dollar against Iranian currency, most notably the threat of international imposing an economic embargo on Iran, and perhaps boycott of Iranian oil in world markets, noting that Iraq cannot begin to interfere with the Iranian issue to emerge from the economic crisis imposed Thus, just as Iraq wants Iran not to interfere in its internal affairs.
For his part, the deputy governor of the Central Bank Mudher Mohammed Saleh said to (agency news): that the fiscal changes taking place in the exchange rate of the currency of Iranian towards the U.S. currency will affect the Iraqi economy, particularly the financial sector, because the price of Iranian goods will rise to some extent in the domestic markets due to the deterioration of the currency of Iran.
He explained: The deterioration of the exchange rate of currencies with the faster deterioration of commodity prices, in other words, the currency exchange rate is affected directly, while commodity prices take time to adjust to the rise or decline of the exchange rate.
He pointed out: that the problems and economic crises taking place in Syria and Iran will affect the Iraqi economy in terms of commercial exchanges and the large import of goods from these two neighboring countries.
He revealed that there is a term in the world economy called " the poverty of the neighbor" mean that the economic crises that occur in one of the neighboring countries will give negative results on the economy of the country next to it, especially on the financial sector that money is moving significantly, stressing that regional security and economic stability is very necessary to neighboring countries in order not to affect one over the other.
In his view, economic analyst Lateef Abdul Salam Al-Ugaili said that the variables that get in the exchange rates of currencies of neighboring countries of Iraq to the U.S. dollar will affect the trade of Iraq because Iraq is relying on foreign countries , in addition to the absence of commodity products local commodities being in the Iraqi market, mostly imported, stating that Iraq does not have anything issued abroad but oil, which led to the influence of any economic change occurring in the neighboring countries or the world.
Al-Ugaili added that the process of low exchange rate of Iranian Rial against the U.S. dollar will impact directly on the Iraqi economy as a result of idle Iraq's economic sectors, in addition to the absence of other exports to Iraq other than oil, these differences in the currency will lead to high prices of Iranian goods, although it is poor and non- matching specifications.
He continued that Iraq has a large trade with Iran and most of the goods in the domestic market decline in the price of an Iranian origin Iranian Rial against the U.S. dollar would increase the price of Iranian goods in local markets.
The exchange rate of the Iranian currency has declined against the U.S. dollar as a result of the economic embargo on Iran by the United Nations.
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Oil announces running a project to increase Southern port’s export capacity by end of the month
Oil announces running a project to increase Southern port’s export capacity by end of the monthTranslated by Iraqdirectory.com - [1/17/2012]
The Ministry of Oil in Baghdad announced that the Oil company is executing a project for increasing the export capacity of ports in the southern province of Basra, confirming achieving all works, and indicating that the activation of the project will be at the end of this month.
The general director of the Southern Oil Company Dia Jafar said in a statement issued by the ministry, on the sidelines of the meeting held on the occasion, included the Minister of Oil Abdul Karim Luaibi , the Australian executing company and the advisory company " Witten", "indicating that" the project will be ready for operation in the 25th of this month. "
Jafar said "This project includes the extension tube 48-inch Wang from the fields of Rumaila South to the city of Fao, as well as the establishment of eight tanks, pipes and tubes freely extend to Iraqi ports in the Persian Gulf," noting that "the project also included the creation of three units of export floating ".
The spokesman of the Ministry of Oil, Assem Jihad, declared, on the fourth of this January, in an interview for "Alsumaria News", that Iraq will begin exporting crude oil from the first port of floating on the Persian Gulf in early February next of the four ports of floating, the Ministry of Oil have created a capacity of 900 thousand barrels per day for each port.
Iraq made a contract in 2010 with one of the world companies to create four floating ports for the export of crude oil, with capacity of 900 thousand barrels per day to each port.
The Iraqi Oil Ministry announced on 25 April 2011, the start of the fourth licensing round for 12 exploration blocks in various parts of Iraq, saying that the trip is aimed at strengthening Iraq's oil reserves.
Iraq seeks through the development of oil fields in the two rounds of licensing the first and second, to reach a production of at least 11 million barrels per day within the next six years, and 12 million barrels per day after the addition of the quantities of the other fields of national effort, and the oil ministry offered three gas fields to foreign investment Mansourieh, Saybah and Ukaz. The companies that will develop the oil fields are obliged to prevent burning of any quantity of gas associated with oil, as would be required to build facilities for the manufacture of associated gas, and handed over to Iraq without charge.
The share of Iraq is identified by three million and 800 thousand barrels per day, but it does not currently export only 2,000,165 barrels a day. The determined share of the export agreement is between the States and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and depending on certain criteria the most important reserves of each country, and calls for Iraq to increase its stake depending on what he says is " the discoveries of new oil "
Indeed, Iraq is exporting crude oil from the ports of Basra and Khor al-Amaya on the Persian Gulf, as well as the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean, to be exported by truck to Jordan, and the percentage of Iraqi exports from the Basra oil is 90%, while the remaining issue of Kirkuk's oil, Iraq currently produces approximately 2.00085 million barrels of crude oil per day, and emits approximately 2.0002 million barrels a day.
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The term legal blood or an act of random raids
Video excerpt/Al-Maliki orders Baghdad operations to conduct random raids and officers vow not to keep the calm
Ahmed Al-Saadi/shatt Al Arab -16/01/2012 ad-6: 24 | readers number: 398 2
Iraqis these days is a video showing characters in which the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, is one of the security checkpoints of the Baghdad operations.
Al-Maliki Appears while talking with officers and soldiers and urges them to implement random raids on residential areas in the Iraqi capital. /Second 25 " are اتسوولكم زركة الذلك raided the neighborhood."
According to the video, one of the officers, who are in control of Al-Maliki that its soldiers in the site "Do not leave the quiet!!". He said that the soldiers and officers engaged in indiscriminate attacks continue on the region.
And Al-Maliki according to section officers and urge them to random operations, as part of the planned.
We do not want to comment on passage in bad faith, but whatever it was, the purpose of indiscriminate attacks that were intended or maintenance of security, the term is not to know the prime minister on the illegality of the term or an act of indiscriminate raids, which should be judicial sentence and illegal.
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Is Iraqi crisis intractable? By Fatih Abdulsalam Azzaman, January 17, 2012 It is naïve to believe that it is possible to improve the current gloomy picture in Iraq by holding a national reconciliation conference – such as the one which some politicians are trying to organize. This is not premature pessimism but the absence of a political reform agenda for the conference easily and effortlessly leads to this conclusion. Nine years after the U.S. invasion, Iraqi political factions and their leaders still lack a good vision of how to reform and revitalize the political process. This does not mean that there are no positive statements this or that politician might voice but the problem is that there is no roadmap to turn these statements into reality. Iraqi factions are not working as a team but they are working as disparate groups. And if we take previous attempts at reconciliation into consideration, such as the national conferences that were held in Arabil and have led to nothing, one’s pessimism aggravates. Once the Iraqi factions solve their problems on the basis of partnership with the same destiny and an agreed upon roadmap outlining the path for stability, then and only then one could say there is some light at the end of Iraq’s dark tunnel. But there are no indications that there is a roadmap which the factions are ready to implement and bypass the booby traps in the current institution. Relying on foreign power to bring the disparate parties together is not a good solution. Such umbrellas were tried under U.S. occupation and all failed. Will Iraq implode in the absence of local and international guarantees for a solution? This is a difficult question which may have no answer because it is related to the Iraqi crisis which is worsening by every passing day.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2012-01-17\kurd.htm
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Iraq Prime Minister Maliki instructs ministries to execute Anbar citizens demands
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 17:26 GMT
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki announced, on Monday, that he issued instructions to ministries to execute Anbar citizens’ legal demands including the request to transform Al Jabaniyah military base into a civil airport. Iraq problems are a natural phenomenon resulting of neighboring countries’ situation, Maliki advanced while Anbar Province’s Sheikhs and dignitaries expressed their support to Prime Minister.
“Instructions have been issued to ministries and competent departments to execute Anbar citizens’ legal demands including requests to transform Al Jabaniyah military base into a civil airport, reopen Haditha oil refinery, maintain the international highway passing through Central Anbar, and compensate for agriculturists and other damaged citizens,” a statement issued by Prime Minister Maliki’s office, which Alsumarianews received a copy of, revealed on the sidelines of Maliki’s meeting with a number of Anbar tribal Sheiks and dignitaries.
“I will work on fulfilling the remaining unexecuted Anbar demands that would guarantee a decent life for its citizens,” Maliki assured adding that it is important that Iraq remains united with the will of its people and tribes.
“Iraq problems are a natural phenomenon under the internal and external circumstances surrounding Iraq,” Maliki uttered stressing that health and education sectors in Anbar and infrastructure reconstruction are a necessity in the province, a source told Alsumaria.
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Iraq: The United States sticking Al-Maliki to strong relations with Iran
Palm-described the deputy of the Iraqi List, Tuesday, the Iraqi government of being unable to play the role of a mediator between Iran outside the United States, and pointed out that the latter "sticking" with the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, of having strong relations with Iran and is trying to invest these relations, pointed out that the United States has embarked on strengthening Turkey in the region to be in Iran.Iraqi MP said al-jameeli, the media in a statement: that the Iraqi government is not able now to play the role of a mediator between Iran outside the United States, although recent investment to Al-Maliki because it has very strong relations with Iran, confirming that Al Maliki knows that the United States is sticking by having strong relations with Iran and is trying to exploit this.Al-Jameeli Said that Iran considers Iraq an instrument of tools and under its control and hegemony and that it can play the role of a mediator, indicating that there are countries that they can play the role of a mediator than Iraq as Turkey, which has worked to strengthen the United States in the region to be in Iran, especially after the fall of the regime of Assad in Syria.Iraqi MP said that the United States is trying as much as possible, especially after the visit of the prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, to Washington to return Iraq to the regional dimension, indicating that " Iraq in internal political performance and non-volatile Harmonious had weakened political system.And confirmed that it is difficult for Iraq to play the role of a mediator, as major problems have not yet been home to reach solutions to them, and described the statements of some political parties about the possibility that Iraq plays the role of a mediator as international efforts, pointing out that the strategic policy, which called for by the Iraqi list is the only way to put the internal and external to Iraq.Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshiar Zibari has called during his meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, yesterday, Monday (January 16 present), to avoid the military option in the crisis with Iran, and stressed that the implementation of Iran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz would negatively affect oil exports.The Iranian Presidency warned, (27 december 2011) that the imposition of sanctions on Iran's oil exports because of its nuclear program will lead to stop oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf, and its naval maneuvers in the Strait itself lasted several days.Was Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi threatened in (at the end of December 2011) the West to close the Strait of Hormuz, which is oil-only eight from the Gulf countries to world markets if imposed its sanctions on Iran's oil exports, which intends to the EU countries resorted to in the last week of January this year.He said the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (november 2011) that Iran has installed centrifuges to enrich uranium at a facility فوردو located in the heart of the former military base and nuclear material transferred there, pointing to the possibility of enrichment soon in this site, bearing in mind that Iran succeeded in enriching uranium to a purity of 20 percent which is a says Western countries to be more than peaceful nuclear energy needs, but the degree of purity of 20 percent is not enough to make a bomb.Israel says that a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence, while Iran has threatened that its response to any military action would be " painful."It is worth mentioning that the international community accuses Tehran of using its civilian nuclear program to hide declared a plan to develop atomic weapons as the United Nations continues to impose sanctions on Tehran due to this file as Iran has repeatedly denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, confirming that the aim of its nuclear program is civilian exchange approved the production of more than 4500 kilograms of enriched uranium since 2007, the quantity is sufficient to produce four nuclear weapons, according to experts.
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The allocation of 5-7 percent of the budget to support the poor
17/01/2012
Baghdad governor declares completed a draft law Human Development Fund
Baghdad – al-Sabah
Baghdad governor Salah Abdul-Razzaq said a draft law for the completion of the Development Fund for human development in each governorate to support the poor and the needy. The governor said in a press release, was "Assabah" a copy of it, that the law, which was drafted like human security of citizens, pointing out that the project includes establishing a fund in each governorate the so-called human development fund, with a view to providing material assistance in kind of chips for the needy and poor and in need of medicine and medical treatment, as well as to contribute to supporting social and cultural activities and sports. He said that "the draft of the law, including the allocation of 5 to 7 percent of the investment budget to maintain and from the proceeds of the petrodollar border outlets and tourism, in addition to donations, obtained by people and governmental and non-governmental institutions, of the fund, to be received this endowment and بوصولات" official. He said that the province will in the light of that to open a special account fund deposited in income received and the fund independent of the expense of the conservative, in addition to the appointment of the administrator of the fund with jurisdiction as well as the fund under the laws of accounting and financial management and exchange of associated with the governor or empowered.-" It was developing a number of conditions to assistance to those who have been them certain categories, including the poor and needy who are in difficult circumstances and are in need of financial support or assistance and facing a financial crisis even if they were staff members, must also not be the beneficiary of those with the subject of commercial or خدميا or any source of income it appropriate." He pointed out that " will be given financial assistance to persons who لايتسلمون monthly salaries and they have no other income, as well as to give assistance to two million dinars to the family of the martyr of the victims of terrorism and one million dinars for the injured as a result of terrorist operations, as well as million dinars for families the poor die with people ولاتملك the cost of the funeral and burial, one million dinars new for married couples and 500 thousand dinars for women النفساء, in addition to the range of between (3 to 6) million dinars for those who burned his واثاثه." The governor pointed out that " will also be dealing with patients who are in need of treatment outside the country or inside it, through the contract with a foreign hospitals for this purpose, as well as to provide the medical equipment." He said that aid also includes support to the sports sector, technical, cultural and theater actor, as well as to ensure the fund to deal with intellectuals, especially the elderly, including the provision of the decent life for them.
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External Relations: Iraq seeks to put an end to the problems in a comprehensive way with KuwaitOn Tuesday, 17-01-2012 05: 08 PM
Kuwait is considering the possibility of reinvestment of compensation due to them from Baghdad
Baghdad – alaa Al-Tamimi
According to a member of the committee on parliamentary Foreign Relations that Iraq seeks to put an end to problems with Kuwait in a comprehensive manner and not by partial ” at a time when Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Sabah said that his country is considering the possibility of reinvestment of the compensation due to Baghdad's invasion in 1990, Iraq as had been proposed by the secretary-general of the United Nations.
He said a member of the committee, Chief of Staff of the (National): ” that Iraq is for comprehensive solutions with Kuwait and not partially ”, he said ” that the Iraqi government is looking for solutions as one that partial solutions are not in the interest of the country ”, explaining ”, partial solutions will remain differences with Kuwait and لانفع all ”, he pointed out that ” Iraq fears of the consequences of the e punishable under Article Seven ”, and ” that the coming days will show a lot of things ”.
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah has said that his country is considering the possibility of reinvestment of the compensation due to Baghdad's invasion in 1990, Iraq as had been proposed by the secretary-general of the United Nations. The Kuwaiti minister made these statements carried by the official KUNA news agency, after his meeting with the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
“ Said we have a genuine desire to help Iraq to complete the application of these resolutions (the International Compensation) because this is the way to get out of the international commitments to complete its ”. In response to a question on the suggestion Ban Ki-moon to resolve the issue of compensation through Kuwaiti investments in Iraq, Sheikh Mohammad said “ this is what we have in mind we want to use these things more of overlap between the economy of the two countries for the benefit of the Kuwaiti and Iraqi peoples ”.
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The parliament is preparing to add a paragraph a salary increase for minimum retirementOn Tuesday, 17-01-2012 05: 08 PM
Baghdad: Ahmad nasir:
Member of the committee revealed parliamentary economic and investment البجاري nora, that the request of the general pension provided to retirees and التخمينية with a view to adding a paragraph along a budget for the year 2012, an increase of the salaries of retirees. البجاري Said in a statement to (the) to the parliamentary finance committee claimed responsibility for this matter any communications service retirement and we are now awaiting a response to recent parliament during the second reading of the budget to add to increase salaries of retirees. We found this year before the vote on this year's budget to add a salary increase for retirees in the bill to be binding of implementation by the executive power had not fulfilled the demands of the باضافتها in the draft law. And on the magnitude of the allocations required by such increases البجاري said that these allocations would be determined by the retirement, as if it were the amounts are not sufficient for all retirees here will be addressed through the allocation of financial transfers to increases in the salaries of some groups of retirees than know with the minimum, and there are several, still receive salaries under very low not exceeding 225, such as retired officers and others.
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IMF calls for Parliament not to enact laws to impede the growth of the Iraqi economy
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 08:40Shafaq News/ The parliamentary finance committee revealed on Monday, the International Monetary Fund demanded in its recent visit to Iraq, the House of Representatives not to enact laws that contribute to impeding the growth of the Iraqi economy, indicating that the legislation of laws increases the operational budget at the expense of investment budget and this would irritate the International Monetary Fund."Representatives of the International Monetary Fund in their recent visit to Iraq, met with the Chairman of the House of Representatives and members of the Finance Committee and asked the Council not to enact laws that hinder the growth of Iraqi economy." The member of the parliamentary Finance Committee Najiba Najib said to "Shafaq News""The IMF said that the increase in the investment budget will lead to many job opportunities, leading to reduction of unemployment in Iraq." She explained."What irritated the International Monetary Fund is the continuation of operating budget increase at the expense of investment and this is what was noted also in the budget in 2012." She added .The Iraqi government has approved the Federal Budget for the year 2012, last week, which amounted to $ 100 billion, with an increase of 22 percent from the previous year.The government has allocated the largest proportion of its budget for the energy sector, accounting 17.48 percent of the total of the budget, followed by security and defense by 14.6 percent, and social services 13.28 percent.
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Law State reveals a mechanism to resolve outstanding issues with Kuwait in one basket
Tuesday, 17 January 2012 08:48
Shafaq News /"Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had put the mechanism of work that he will present when he visits Kuwait to resolve outstanding issues, in one basket, and to improve the situation between the two sides in general," The Mp of the coalition of Law State, Ihsan Al-Awadi said in an interview with "Shafaq News" ,explaining that "the solution to these issues will be through sessions and rounds of talks between the two sides. ""Communication is still going on between the two sides and the State of Kuwait has expressed its readiness to settle all disputes," He added, stressing that "Iraq had sought for the last term to find solutions to end the Iraqi Kuwaiti file."
"After 2003 the relations between the two sides did not live up to the level of ambition because of the outstanding issues left by the previous regime, in addition of the recent problems such as the matter of building the new Great port of Mubarak and the arrest of Iraqi fishermen." He said.Kuwait began on 6 April, the establishment of the Great port of Mubarak on Bubiyan Island near the coast of Iraq, after a year when the Iraqi Ministry of Transport, put the foundation stone for the construction of the port of Faw, what caused the outbreak of a crisis between the two countries. Also The capital Baghdad and several provinces witnessed mass protests against the project because of what government said that it will stop navigation of Iraq, at a time when Kuwait confirmed that the project is located within its borders and it does not impede the Iraqi navigation in Khawr Abd Allah. http://www.shafaaq.c...one-basket.html
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Western Oil Firms Big Winners in Iraq War
Western oil producers have emerged as the big winners of theIraq war."Prior to the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq US and other western oil companies were all but completely shut out of Iraq's oil market," industry analyst Antonia Juhasz told Al Jazeera wire service. "But thanks to the invasion and occupation, the companies are now back inside Iraq and producing oil there for the first time since being forced out of the country in 1973.""Western producers like BP, Exxon Mobil, and Shell are enjoying their best access to Iraq's southern oil fields since 1972,"Business Week noted in its issue of March 4th of last year. (1972 was the year Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraq's oil fields.)Business Week quotes Andy Inglis, BP's chief executive for exploration and production as saying, "We see this as the beginning of a long-term relationship with Iraq and will continue to look for further opportunities."Dr. Abdulhay Yahya Zalloum, an international oil consultant and economist, agrees the western firms have won contracts despite "a lack of transparency and clarity of vision regarding the legal issues." The Iraqi government "gave a little piece of the cake forChina and some of the other countries and companies to keep them silent."A group led by BP will receive $2 billion per year to develop Iraqs Rumalia field and a Shell-led group is to get $913 million per year. An Exxon-led group is to get $1.6 billion per year, Bloomberg News reports. Each calculation is based on the agreed-to per-barrel fee times the maximum production level, Bloomberg explains.David Bender, a Middle East analyst at Eurasia Group,Washington, D.C., told Bloomberg, "Iraq is one of the most attractive oil markets in the world. The international oil companies may feel that getting in at the beginning improves their long-term prospects."The only area of Iraq where oil firms fare better than fee-for-service work is in the northern Kurdish autonomous region(KRG) where businesses including Norway's DNO International ASA are pumping crude under production-sharing agreements "not recognized by the central government," Bloomberg reports.It also turns out Hunt Oil Co., of Dallas, Tex., clinched a separate deal in Sept., 2007, with Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government.Hunt might not have won if its chief officer, Ray Hunt, was notPresident George W. Bush's friend and a major fund-raiser. Some folks think, according to a front page New York Times report July 3, 2008, the deal "runs counter to American policy and undercut Iraq's central government." Apparently, Bush didn't think so.Baghdad reportedly is furious over it.Hunt got this free pass to explore Kurdistan's oil riches in Sept., 2007, when it inked an exploration pact likely to give the firm a share of the boodle of any future gushers. "Hunt would be the firstU.S. company to sign such a deal," a State Department official told the New York Times. And according to reporter Jay Price ofMcClatchy News Service, the Iraqi oil minister, speaking for Baghdad, "called the Hunt deal illegal."A State Department cable dated Sept. 12, 2007, and made public by Wikileaks, "detailed official warnings from the U.S. governmentthat the contract, regardless of lease location, is legally risky due to unresolved land and oil disputes between Baghdad and the KRG---and that such a contract could further amplify conflicts between the central and regional governments," wrote Ben Lando of the authoritative "Iraq Oil Report" Aug. 25, 2011. Hunt seemingly would not have to press Bush hard for the insider's deal.Juhasz says that ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell aggressively lobbied their governments "to ensure that the invasion would result in an Iraq open to foreign oil companies" and that "they succeeded."She added that the U.S. and western oil companies and their governments has been lobbying for a new national Iraq Oil Law that would largely privatize the oil market along the lines of the oldProduction Sharing Agreements---although such PSA's have been rejected in most countries because they provide "far more benefits to the foreign corporation than to the domestic government." Hunt's deal with KRG was of the PSA sort."The public is against privatization," Juhasz told al-Jazeera, "which is one reason the (Iraqi Oil Law) has not passed. The contracts are enacting a form of privatisation without public discourse and essentially at the butt of a gun. These contracts have all been awarded during a foreign military occupation with the largest contracts going to companies from the foreign occupiers' countries. It seems that democracy and equity are the two largest losers in this oil battle."Note: the Obama regime "continues to pressure Baghdad to pass the Iraq Oil Law" over the wishes of the majority of the Iraqi people. "Thus far," Juhasz said, "it has required a massive foreign military invasion and occupation to grant the foreign oil companies the access they have thus far garnered."Meanwhile, back at the pump, the boost in oil supplies has not reduced the price of oil being extracted from American motorists. The laws of supply and demand no longer appear to be working. According to business writer John Egan of Technorati, the average price for a gallon of gas last Feb. 26th climbed to $3.33, compared with $2.70 the previous year. And wire service AgencyFrance Presse(AFP) reports in the Waynesville, Va., AugustaFree Press that "Average U.S. gasoline prices began 2012 just under $3.28 gal, the highest number ever to mark the beginning of a year and the fifth straight weekly increase in price."As for the profit-taking of the big oil firms, Egan on Feb. 26, 2011, wrote: "While we're paying more to fill up, the three largest publicly traded oil companies based in the United States have been filling up on profits. Those three companies - ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips - collectively pulled in an eye-popping $58.3 billion in profits in 2010, according to financial figures announced inJanuary 2011. Mind you, that's profit - the amount of money that companies pocket after covering their expenses."Gas prices reached the point last year that, according to "The Washington Post" of last April 30th, President Obama "blasted oil companies for enjoying gangbuster profits while pump prices surged to nearly $4 a gallon this week, and he again urgedCongress to end $4 billion a year in subsidies for the oil and gas industry.""When oil companies are making huge profits and you're struggling at the pump, and we're scouring the federal budget for spending we can afford to do without, these tax giveaways aren't right," Obama said. "They aren't smart. And we need to end them," the president added.And Greg Palast points out in his book, "Armed Madhouse"(Plume), the oil majors are not simply passive resellers of OPECproduction but have reserves of their own which rise in tandem with oil prices."The rise in the price of oil after the first three years of the (Iraq) war boosted the value of the reserves of ExxonMobil Oil alone by just over $666-billion," Palast wrote. What's more, Chevron Oil, "where (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice had served as a director, gained a quarter trillion dollars in value."Iraq's experience mirrors the prior overthrow in 1953 of the Iranian government by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. This is recounted in "An Enemy of The People"(Doukathsan) byLawrence Velvel, dean of the Massachusetts School of Law atAndover. He notes that after CIA Mideast Operations Chief Kermit Roosevelt created a state of anarchy in Iran that toppled the elected government, the U.S. oil companies cashed in."Our oil companies---Gulf, Standard of New Jersey, Texaco and Mobil---received a 40 percent share of the new National Iranian Oil Co., and the shah established a tyrannical dictatorship, with the dreaded Savak (secret police) doing dirty work for him," Velvel writes. By the way, it may be noted that Iran in 1953 could not be said to have the beginning of any nuclear weapon development as to constitute a threat to Israel or any other country.So what was the 1953 overthrow of Iran all about if not oil? The pattern that has emerged over the past 60 years is that thePentagon/CIA have bullied their way into seizing the oil fields of the Middle East, from which Western oil companies just happened to enrich themselves. The history of past events in Iran and Iraq casts a dubious light on the contemporary claims of U.S. politicians today that Iran represents a mortal danger to Israel. The CIA overthrow of Iran and the Pentagon attack on Iraq reveal it's all about oil. #(Sherwood Ross is a Miami-based public relations consultant whoadvises colleges, universities, magazines, and entrepreneurialbusinesses.)
http://article.wn.com/view/2012/01/17/Western_Oil_Firms_Big_Winners_in_Iraq_War/
If we have internal agreement, we will not have external interventions - Kurdish MP
in Iraq & Dinar Related News
Posted
If we have internal agreement, we will not have external interventions - Kurdish MP
1/18/2012 7:16 PM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Kurdish Alliance MP Mahmoud Othman stressed that the Turkish escalation and foreign interventions in Iraq are due to the disputes among Iraqi political blocs.
He told Aswat al-Iraq "if there is an agreement among the blocs, there will no foreign interventions".
Othman added that "the Turkish statements incited the Iraqi sides, and vice-versa, but all these could be solved by diplomatic means".
He did not expected that counter statements will make big problems between the two sides, but "will have their relative effects on bilateral relations".
Iraq is witnessing great political crisis along the accusations made against vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi and the demotion attempt against deputy premier Saleh al-Mutlaq, who are both of Iraqiya bloc.
Added to all this, the security and political tensions, not solving the security ministerial posts, and the recent bloody explosions that hit Baghdad and a number of provinces, that led to hundreds of deaths and casualties.
http://en.aswatalira...e&id=146549&l=1