legacyman73

Parliament’s session to discuss PM Maliki’s assignment to form new govt. - MP November 21, 2010 - 03:26:53 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: A member of the State of Law Alliance, Mohammed Saadoun al-Seihoud, has said that the Parliament’s Sunday session would discuss the official assignment of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, to form the new government and define the constitutional period for the assignment. “The Parliament’s session shall also discuss the formation of parliament committees, according to their experience, vocation and efficiency, and not on basis of ’sectarian divisions.’ This was one of the strongest challenges that faced the political process during the parliament’s previous session,” Seihoud told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “The political alliances are expected to agree to form high joint committees, whose mission will be the adjustment of the parliament’s internal system, in such a way that copes with the future phase. In addition, they will come to an agreement on a clear vision towards the distribution of points on the coalitions, in prelude of distributing the ministerial posts according to the election rights,” Seihoud noted. “The three leading ministerial posts for oil, finance and foreign ministries, are expected to be granted to the National Coalition, al-Iraqiya Coalition and the Kurdistan Coalition, whilst the interior and defense ministries would be granted for two independent personalities,” Sayhoud said. The Parliament’s official spokesman, Umar al-Mash’hadani, had stated early in the day that the Parliament would discuss in its today (Sunday’s) session, the parliament’s internal system, the distribution of the parliament’s committees and the mechanism of relationship between the government and the parliament.

Four oil refineries to be built in Iraqi provinces November 21, 2010 - 09:58:55 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: A number of international companies have laid the main designs for a number of oil refineries in Iraq’s Missan, Dhi-Qar, Karbala and Kirkuk Provinces, according to a media spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry on Sunday “The Iraq Oil Ministry has approved the designs for four oil refineries and sent them to a number of international investment companies, specialized in building oil refineries, to be built in Dhi-Qar Province with 300,000 barrels capacity, Kirkuk - 150,000 barrels, Karbala - 140,000 barrels and Missan - 150,000 barrels,” Assem Jihad told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He said the Ministry had concluded contracts with those companies to build the oil refineries, according to modern technology, aimed at transferring Iraq from a country importing oil derivatives to an exporting country for same, adding that “the said step is considered as an important development in the Iraqi oil transplantation industry.

22 firms up in Sunday’s ISX trading session November 21, 2010 - 07:28:11 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) opened this week on Sunday with 0.8% up to close at 97.7 points as rates of shares of 22 firms went into the green amidst trading activities of more than 1.2 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly $1 million). “More than 783.580 million shares exchanged hands at 1.249 billion dinars through 471 deals. Twenty-two companies saw a better time today (Nov. 21), 10 went down while four others retained their previous levels,” according to an ISX news bulletin received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Non-Iraqi investors obtained 37 purchase deals worth 273.803 billion dinars, mostly over the banking as well as the industrial, hotel and insurance sectors, making 21% of the overall trading, and only one sale deal worth 109 million dinars. The industrial sector took the lead with 42% of the overall trading through 244 deals worth 527 million dinars over 12 firms, followed by the banking sector with 39% through 97 deals worth 461 million dinars over eight firms, the service sector with 11% through 70 deals worth 137 million over four firms and the hotel sector with 90 million dinars through 51 deals over nine firms. Trading was modest over the insurance, agricultural 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, 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.

Iraqi Parliament’s Chairmanship convenes to define Parliament session’s points on Sunday November 21, 2010 - 11:15:33 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Iraqi Parliament’s Chairmanship has held a meeting on Sunday morning to define the schedule of the Parliament’s session, expected to convene later in the day, the Chairmanship’s official spokesman said. “The Chairmanship, comprising the Parliament’s Speaker, Usama al-Nujeifi and his two Deputies, Qusay al-Suheil and Aref Teifur, is meeting now (Ed: 11:00 Baghdad time) to define the schedule for the points to be discussed in the Parliament’s third session, expected to convene this afternoon,” Umar al-Mash’hadani told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. The Iraqi Parliament had elected on 11/11/2010, and after about eight months of argument and discussions that followed Iraq’s March 7th nationwide elections, the candidate of al-Iraqiya Coalition, Usama al-Nujeifi as the Parliament’s Speaker, the leader in the Sadrist Trend, Qusay al-Suheil as his 1st Deputy and the Kurdistan Coalition’s candidate, Aref Teifur, as his 2nd Deputy. The same Parliament’s session also re-elected President Jalal Talabani for a second Presidency term, whilst Talabani, on his part, assigned Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki for a second premiership session. Maliki is expected to begin consultations with different political leaders to distribute the ministerial posts according to the election rights of each coalition.

AGHDAD/ Aswat al-Iraq: Members of Iraq’s new Parliament began entering the Parliament’s hall to attend the works of the Parliament’s third session on Sunday afternoon, MP Ala Talabani said. “Members of Parliament, representing different political coalitions, who held a meeting before the session early in the day, have entered the Parliament’s hall to attend its third session,” She added. The official spokesman for the Parliament, Umar al-Mash’hadani, had stated early in the day that the Parliament would hold its session, according to its local system, in order to distribute the Parliament committees and the mechanism of relationship between the government and the parliament. On Nov. 11, 2010, the Iraqi Parliament elected the candidate of al-Iraqiya Coalition, Usama al-Nujeifi as the Parliament’s Speaker, the leader in the Sadrist Trend, Qusay al-Suheil as his 1st Deputy and the Kurdistan Coalition’s candidate, Aref Teifur, as his 2nd Deputy. This came after roughly eight months of delays. The same Parliament’s session also re-elected President Jalal Talabani for a second Presidency term, whilst Talabani assigned Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki for a second premiership session. Maliki is expected to begin consultations with different political leaders to distribute the ministerial posts according to the election rights of each coalition.

great another delay!! Well that's Iraq for you.

Iraqiya meets to decide on portfolios November 20, 2010 - 12:46:41 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Al-Iraqiya bloc would hold an “important” meeting later on Saturday to settle on the cabinet portfolios it plans to demand in the new Iraqi government, a bloc member and legislator said on Saturday. “A consultative meeting is scheduled to be held today (Saturday) between al-Iraqiya and the National Dialogue bloc to take a final decision to agree on the ministerial posts it plans to select,” Kadhem al-Shimari told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Shimari said that al-Iraqiya will get six to seven ministries that will be announced today, concentrating on the service ministries, such as municipalities, justice and agriculture”. He pointed out that his bloc would present broad services for citizens if it succeeds to get the relevant ministries. The Iraqi parliament, after eight months of continuous arguments and discussions that followed the nationwide elections on March 7, elected on 11/11/2010 a candidate of al-Iraqiya bloc, Osama al-Nejeifi as parliament speaker, the leader in the Sadrisit Movement, Qusay al-Suheil as his first deputy, and Member of the Kurdistan Alliance Aref Tayfur as his second Deputy. http://en.aswataliraq.info/ The parliament also elected President Jalal Talabani for a second term in office. Talabani later assigned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to form the new government. Maliki is expected to hold consultations with different political leaders after Eid al-Adha holiday, scheduled to end today (Saturday), to distribute the cabinet posts.

Talabani to officially assign Maliki to form govt. this week November 20, 2010 - 04:11:12 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will officially assign Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the candidate of the National Alliance, to form a new Iraqi government this week, according to a senior Iraqi official on Saturday. “Consultations to form a new cabinet line-up and the distribution of the ministerial posts was postponed till after Eid al-Adha holidays,” Second Deputy Speaker Aref Tayfour told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Tayfour added that Maliki, on his part, shall present the names of the candidates for the ministerial posts to the parliament after his assignment by the president. http://en.aswataliraq.info/

Steve thanks for the update, you have really turned into a good person for Intel. Hope the very best for you and your family. take care.

Damn straight that great news for us for being a higher RV. Good Find Fishman..

Nice find but here's where it gets good. It's based on 2.3 million barrels per day and we know they are going from 2.3 to about 12 within the next couple of years. So they might even get more BPD in the first year of RV. Very good rate because they were talking about a $60+ rate before. GO RV.. Do the math on that, it's $10 more per B. times that out millions. nice

good find..

Thanks Viper!!! you the man...

The UN website is undergoing urgent maintenance and is currently unavailable Please check back in a short while. ** could this be it? The UN is down so IQD can RV? lol Don't think sooooo...

It would be nice to know where you get your info from? Love to see this RV this weekend in time for Black Friday. But the first thing I will do is take my family to Disney. It's been a rough couple of years for me and my kids so this would be a treat. Thanks.. Disney here we come... Damn it Flat tire.. going no where this weekend.. GO RV....

On November 11, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, and former prime minister and head of the Iraqiya coalition Iyad Allawi signed an agreement to pave the way for the formation of a government in Iraq that includes all major parties and gives representation to all major confessional and ethnic groups. The Council of Representatives, Iraq’s parliament, promptly met and, in rapid succession, elected its speaker, Osama al-Nujeifi, his two deputies, and the president. President Talabani immediately asked Maliki to form the new government. But two thirds of the parliamentary delegation of Iraqiya, the alliance that received the overwhelming majority of Sunni votes in the March elections, walked out before the president was elected, claiming the November 11 compromise was already being violated. While the Iraqiya delegation returned two days later, Allawi did not, declaring that the agreement was dead. Whether or not he can be persuaded to return, it is a strong warning that the agreement is at best extremely fragile and that the possibility it will fail high. The details of the November 11 agreement The implementation of the agreement hinges on two main conditions: first, the creation of a National Council for Higher Strategic Policies which should have real executive power rather than simply being an advisory body; and second, the lifting of the ban on the political participation of three important Sunni leaders—Rasem al-Awadi, Saleh al-Mutlaq, and Dhafer al-Aani. During the election campaign the three were accused by the Justice and Accountability Commission of being members of the Ba’ath Party and were prevented from participating in the elections; as a result, they cannot be given posts in the new government unless the decision is rescinded. In addition, the agreement also calls for the launching of a process of reconciliation through the National Council for Higher Strategic Policies. Several aspects of the agreement are worth noting. First, it reaffirms the confessional character of the Iraqi political system. While the constitution simply provides the outline of a normal parliamentary democratic system, in practice there is now an understanding that government positions have to be apportioned among all major population groups. But the agreement goes one step beyond, de facto establishing which confessional group is entitled to control which position. In the new government, as in the old one, Shi’i control the post of prime minister, Kurds get the presidency, and Sunnis the post of speaker of the Council of Representatives. The three positions are not equal. The prime minister is the most powerful figure in the government. The presidency is essentially ceremonial, but nevertheless perceived in Iraq as the second most important position—as Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani declared in explaining why the Kurds’ refused to surrender the presidency to Allawi, the president may not have much power but has prestige and moral authority. Foreign analysts argue that the speaker could be a more important player if the parliament played a strong independent role, but there is considerable doubt that parliament will do so. Certainly Iraqi politicians fighting over the spoils did not appear to believe this will be the case. In fact, to bring Iraqiya and the Sunnis into the governing coalition, the National Council for Higher Strategic Policies had to be created and put under Allawi’s control. Enforcing the agreement? Second, the agreement does not really appear to be legally enforceable. Its implementation depends on the good will of all major political factions, but particularly that of Maliki. And the provisions can only be implemented quickly by taking some liberties with the constitution and the law. This is particularly true regarding the National Council for Higher Strategic Policies. There is no written agreement about the powers of the National Council, although the verbal agreement apparently indicates that the Council will not simply be an advisory body. When the idea of creating a National Council was first raised by the United States, it was seen by Maliki’s opponents, and even by some of his supporters who worried that he was becoming too powerful, as a way of curbing his power. But Maliki compared it to the U.S. National Security Council, a body that advises the president but has no autonomous power of its own. The differences over its authority remain and even a law will not solve the problem. No matter what the law says, the Council cannot reduce the powers of the prime minister without a constitutional amendment and the constitution precludes amendments until the end of the second election cycle four years hence. Therefore the power of the National Council will depend on Maliki’s willingness to comply with its decisions. The likelihood he will is not great. The problem of reversing the de-ba’thification decision against al-Mutlaq, al-Awadi and al-Aani is also complex and is likely to entail either a process that takes too long to satisfy immediate political needs or one that overlooks legal niceties. The Justice and Accountability Commission that decides on de-ba'thification is undoubtedly a highly political and partisan body; indeed some Iraqis believe that it acted unconstitutionally when it banned many candidates from taking part in the elections. Technically, though, its decisions can only be reversed by the courts—at least this is what happened during the election campaign—and the courts would have to review all decisions, not just those against three individuals. But the agreement requires the Council of Representatives to reverse a decision by the Commission. Indeed the walk-out by a majority of Iraqiya members during the first parliamentary session took place because Iraqiya feared the parliament intended to ignore the de-ba’thification issue—it was supposed to take action on this issue before electing the president, as required by the verbal agreement. During their second session on November 13, the Council of Representatives voted to form a committee to study the issue. Maliki’s power is strengthened Because the agreement cannot easily be translated into legally binding decisions, its implementation is left to the goodwill of politicians and in particular that of Maliki. This is highly problematic because Iraqi politicians are deeply divided, as reflected in the difficult process of government formation, and because Maliki has emerged from the battle in a strong position—probably stronger than before the elections. He has played his political hand with determination, skill, and more than a little disregard for legality. He has managed, in a paradoxical way, to ensure the support of both the United States and Iran and probably for the same reason—he appeared from the beginning the stronger candidate. And he had amassed during his first term a considerable amount of personal power beyond the official powers of his position. Maliki was ruthless during the election campaign, supporting the decision of the Justice and Accountability Commission to ban a large number of candidates. When his coalition won two votes fewer than Iraqiya, first he delayed the election certification by demanding a vote recount for Baghdad (it left the results unchanged), then by stalling the government formation process until he could secure a winning coalition in the parliament. He never entertained the possibility that somebody else could be charged with the task of forming the government. In the meantime, he insisted that he was not simply the head of a caretaker government, but a prime minister with full powers—as long as he did not need action by the parliament, he could make any decision. During a visit to Damascus in October, for example, he signed a trade agreement with Syria, rejecting criticism that he had exceeded his prerogatives as caretaker prime minister in doing so. When rival parties, including the majority of Shi’i parties, were refusing to accept him as prime minister for a second term, he repeatedly reminded Iraqis that as prime minister he commanded the armed forces, an accurate but nevertheless threatening statement when made in the context of a domestic political battle. In fact, not only he is commander-in-chief, but the capital’s special unit, the Baghdad Brigade reports directly to him, as do some intelligence agencies. It is thus difficult to believe that Maliki will willingly implement an agreement with the other political parties that would significantly curb his own power. Maliki was also aided in forming the government by the support he received from both Iran and the United States. Maliki was facing two obstacles in the formation of the government: other Shi’i parties who wanted an alliance with Maliki’s State of Law Coalition but did not want him as prime minister; and Iraqiya’s insistence that, having won two more parliamentary seats than the State of Law Coalition, it had the right to form the government. In the end, it was Iranian pressure that brought the Shi’i parties to accept Maliki as prime minister, first by convincing Moqtada al-Sadr to back him, and then breaking the resistance of the other members of the Iraqi National Alliance—Fadhila, ISCI, and the Badr Brigades. And it was the United Stats that eventually prevailed upon Allawi and Iraqiya to join in a national unity government with Maliki as prime minister. With the election of the speaker of the Council of Representatives and the president, Iraq’s formal institutions have started functioning again. Maliki is now prime minister-designate. He has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to the Council of Representatives for approval. The negotiations and bargaining over government posts of the coming weeks will provide some indications whether the agreement announced on November 11 can survive the reality of power politics. If the law setting up the National Council on Higher Strategic Policies is not enacted and the three banned Sunni politicians are not reinstated before the government is formed, the implementation of the agreement is likely dead. Allawi may have simply jumped the gun on a collapse that was bound to happen in any case.

Steve I agree with you but I know the CBI want's those big bills back by the end of the year. Let's hope this goes fast.

That's how it goes every month. just sit and wait for it. I've been waiting for years...

Can people stop using other web sites on here!!! Oh by the way why didn't this person see that the date was from last year!! WOW!! Hey change the date on it and run it by us again. OLD NEWS!!

We need Allawi in this GOI because of Maliki. Iran and Maliki are close friends and the people of Iraq want Allawi as PM but that is not going to happen now. GO GOI & RV

It's still taking place, they have 30 days from Friday to form the GOI. It's looking great just hang in there. We are weeks away maybe sooner.

TEHRAN, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that his country would continue to support Iraq's stability and progress, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Sunday. In a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki on Saturday night, Ahmadinejad expressed his congratulations on an agreement to form a new Iraqi government. "Formation of new government is a great victory for Iraqi government, parliament, nation and political groups," Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to deepen ties with the neighboring and friendly country of Iraq," Ahmadinejad said. Al-Maliki appreciated the Islamic Republic's assistance to Iraq and his government, saying that "expanding ties with Iran is also a demand from Iraq," according to ISNA. "Important steps will be taken for developing Iraqi's welfare through introducing cabinet members in near future," the report quoted al-Maliki as saying. The eight-month political deadlock in Iraq finally ended Wednesday after vying blocs nailed a power-sharing deal. On Friday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani assigned incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to form the next government.

Iraqi politicians have voted to return Jalal Talabani the largely ceremonial post of president and voted to make Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni Arab member of the Iraqiya coalition new speaker of parliament. Talabani expectedly nominated al-Maliki to serve as prime minister. Al-Maliki now has a month to form new cabinet and present ministers to parliament for a vote. In Iraq's controversial March 7 election, the Iraqiya list, led by the former prime minister, Iyad Allawi, won a few more seats than al-Maliki's State of Law coalition, but neither side won a majority and form coalition. All this led to eight months of political crisis. Aljazeera.net.

what did you think it was going to RV this weekend? still have some time left. Don't go crazy over this my god. People have been waiting for years for it.

Reuters November 14, 2010 3:55 AM Iraq's Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc told parliament on Saturday it would remain in a Shi'ite-led government, despite a walkout and angry comments from its leader that threatened to damage the long-sought accord. Iraqiya's leader, former prime minister Iyad Allawi, skipped the parliamentary session and headed to London for family engagements after telling CNN power-sharing between Iraq's Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni factions was "dead." Allawi and most of Iraqiya's lawmakers walked out of parliament on Thursday in a protest that showed the fragility of a deal reached this week between the fractious political blocs to give Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki a second term. That agreement ended an eight-month impasse after an inconclusive March 7 election in which Allawi's cross-sectarian alliance, supported heavily by minority Sunnis, won two more seats than Maliki's mainly Shiite bloc but no majority. "There was a misunderstanding that happened between the political blocs," Iraqiya spokesman Haidar al-Mullah told a session of parliament on Saturday. "All blocs are going ahead in executing all the agreements. We confirm that Iraqiya will be part of a national partnership government." The announcement eased concerns that the deal -- reached after months of rancorous bargaining which had heightened fears of renewed sectarian violence -- might fall apart, but left Allawi's position unclear. "We think the concept of power-sharing is dead now," Allawi told CNN. "It's finished." Asked how the end of a power-sharing deal might affect a future government, he said: "For Iraq, there will be tensions and violence, probably." Iraq needs a stable government to rebuild infrastructure and exploit its vast oil wealth as violence ebbs, seven years after the U.S.-led invasion Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Sunni+backed+party+will+stay+Iraq/3825962/story.html#ixzz15GnxTpWO