Thread: Archive - Latest News Think Tank - 15/01/09 - 04/05/09

Hashim al-Taie: differences on the issue of contracts in the oil and gas law

Said the member of the Accordance Front, Hashim al-Taie told Radio NOUAN that oil and gas law was imposed on the House of Representatives and then withdrawn, then differences arise, particularly on the issue of contracts.

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That's all there is - this is a radio interview.

Iraq to purchase 2,000 T-72 Russian tanks

In a bid to boost combat readiness of its new army, the government is said to be negotiating a massive arms deal with Russia to buy 2,000 battle tanks.

But the T-72 model the government mulls purchasing is an old and outdated version of which the former army had hundreds.

They proved ineffective and highly vulnerable against modern M1 Abrams and Challenger 1 which U.S. and British troops used during the Gulf wars of 1991 and 2003.

Former army officers say some 400 T-72 tanks were knocked out during the 2003-U.S. invasion and the rest were smuggled to neighboring states.

It is not clear why the government is opting for T-72 while Russia has manufactured much better and more battle-efficient models such as T-82 and T-92 which are specifically designed for modern warfare.

Analysts fear the deal like former contracts will lack the necessary transparency and will be mired with comm.i.ssions and bribes.

One indication is the refusal of the negotiators to obtain parliamentary vetting and approval.

The value of the contract being negotiated is not known but the size of the deal makes it one of the largest ever signed in the Middle East.

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index...09-15\kurd.htm

Maliki: There are no little to withdrawal of foreign forces & we will continue to support the councils support

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the continued support of the Boards support in Iraq, referring to the near complete withdrawal of multinational forces from all Iraqi territory.

Maliki said while attending the founding conference of the first tribes in the southern Beni Saad, Al-Mansour Hotel in Baghdad, and attended "Uzmatik", on Thursday, said "There is no need to fear and concern of the tribal councils and support the political process because they defended the Iraq," he said / he said, "We will continue encouraging and supporting go hand in hand with us to reach the desired goal in the stability of the rule of law in Iraq, "as he put it.

Maliki said that "Iraq has regained its sovereignty and security of the blood of the martyrs and the good of the clan and the people of Iraq, and Iraq has begun to stand on its feet again, and there was little to restore full sovereignty by the need for the unity of the Iraqi people to be the complete withdrawal of multinational forces from all Iraqi territory."

Maliki said that "the attribution and tribal councils have proven their loyalty to Iraq through the park with the brothers in the armed forces and the security of the army and police, as they fell to the ground and participated in the process of a plan to impose the law, it has a lot of originality and proven in the construction and preservation of the state of institutions, both it has done in Mqatltha reconciliation or to the remnants of al-Qaeda and terrorism, "according to the source.

The assembly issued a statement at the conclusion of the conference emphasized the parking clan Bani Saad, and full support for the rule of law and the fight against terrorism and both disturb the security of Iraq, and participation in provincial elections scheduled for the end of this January.

Recalled that the councils support the middle of last year formed the invitation of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told tribal leaders and elders in the southern provinces to assign security forces, has met with Maliki's call by some opposition political forces, which it considered as a means to win the loyalties of local elections in the future.

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Iraq & Kuwait will discuss the compensations file at the Economic Summit this month

The Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Labeed Abbawi, assured that Iraq will attend the economic summit that will be held in Kuwait on 19 and 20 of this month, which will be at the level of kings and presidents.

Abbawi said that Iraq will take advantage of the opportunity to attend the first Arab economic summit in Kuwait next week to open the file of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Abbawi said that Iraq and Kuwait will discuss all the files and the common issues between the parties.

Abbawi criticized the refusal of Kuwait to the repeated Iraqi requests to cancel the remaining debt, and said that Iraq has repeatedly asked Kuwait to consider the issue of compensation on a bilateral basis but Kuwait insists on referring the issue to the Security Council.

The Under-Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Iraq was seeking to reduce the proportion of compensation from five percent of the oil revenues to one percent.

About the economic summit, he pointed out that it is the first of its kind in the region and it comes to strengthen economic cooperation between the Arab countries, adding that Iraq will participate with considerable delegation, headed by President of the Republic, and the membership of a number of concerned ministers, including the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, trade and oil, in addition to a number of experts.

Abbawi added that the summit will discuss the draft of establishing Customs Union and the investor card that allows businessmen to travel between the Arab states, expressing his hope that the Conference will address the economic and financial issues, especially in light of the global financial crisis.

He said that Iraq will participate in the meetings for ministers of trade and finance as well, pointing out that the conference represents an opportunity to identify the Arab cooperation and coordination in all these issues.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=8103

Iraqi leaders in Baghdad and the Americans signed a memorandum of understanding

Baghdad, the governor of Baghdad, and the President of the municipal council and the leaders of the coalition forces and civilian leaders to unite their efforts with respect to service projects and infrastructure in Baghdad and outlying provinces when they signed a memorandum of understanding on January 14 in a Black Hawk operations developed in the international zone.

Develop a memorandum of understanding sets out development projects and implementation of the extradition proceedings of the projects financed by the United States of America in and around Baghdad.

The MOU was signed by the President of the municipal council in Baghdad, Mr. Kazimi and a governor of Baghdad, Hussein Tahan and the commanding general of the multinational division in Baghdad, Major General Jeffrey Hammond, commander of Task Force and the Gulf region in the U.S. Army Engineers Corps, General Michael Air Command and the commander of joint contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Admiral and Commander Kathleen Dosult units in the provincial reconstruction team in Baghdad, John Pace.

Mr. Moin-Kazimi said, "We have signed the memorandum in order to define the actions between the Iraqi government and coalition forces. We are moving forward in order to start rebuilding Baghdad and other governorates."

Hammond expressed his gratitude through being part of this note and it was clear with regard to the role played by the coalition forces will be in respect of the memorandum of understanding.

Hammond said, "This note identifies where the road ahead (the President of the Municipal Council Mr. Kazimi and a governor of Baghdad, Mr. Hussein Tahan), under the leadership responsibility for Alaammarbinma we support role. I promise to the achievement of doing all the paragraphs of this note. We will support in the all times. We are proud of being part of the solution here. "

The note was an important step in the ongoing reconstruction efforts taking place in the city of Baghdad and surrounding provinces.

Deputy General Commander of the multinational division in Baghdad, Brigadier General Robin Swan, "Note that it is important for the way in which they planned and created and implemented, as well as the coordination of production rate, which has helped us in the area of reconstruction in Baghdad in each of the municipal boundaries of the city of Baghdad, in addition to the municipal boundaries through the provinces."

Mr. Pace said, "This means in one of its reconstruction to build a sense of physical infrastructure for the citizens of Iraq. It means the reconstruction and rebuilding of relations across the Iraqi government and the Iraqi government and its citizens and the Iraqi government and the United States of America."

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Iraqi Foreign. . Unexpected visit of German Foreign Minister to Baghdad

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expected to visit the German Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Iraq. According to a statement distributed to the Iraqi Foreign Affairs here today that the Undersecretary for Political Planning and bilateral relations, Lubaid Abbawi received in his office today, the German ambassador in Baghdad, Krzysztof Vaile, at his request.

The statement quoted the German ambassador as saying that the upcoming visit to Walter Steinmeier, will contribute to the development of relations between Iraq and Germany and will open new horizons for the contribution of German companies in the reconstruction of Iraq.

For his part, stressed the importance of Lubaid Abbawi the German minister's visit, adding that it will contribute to the strengthening of political relations, economic and cultural between the two countries, adding that he was taking all necessary actions by the Iraqi authorities concerned to ensure the success of the visit and a special program to prepare them.

The statement disclosed that the meeting has also discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and discuss ways to develop as well as to review the Palestinian issue in light of the meetings of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, Iraq's position on the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

It should be noted that the visit, if realized, it will be the first by a senior German minister to Iraq since the fall of the Iraqi regime.

The minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, yesterday began a Middle East tour, including Jerusalem, Cairo and Ramallah in the light of the continued fighting in the Gaza Strip at a time when the German Foreign Ministry announced that the aim of the tour is to search for a way to reach a cease-fire in Gaza permanently.

Steinmeier has called in more than one occasion, a cease-fire as a first step to achieve a permanent ceasefire as it had at the end of a similar tour last week.

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Memorandum of understanding Signed in Amman between Iraqi National Investment & United Nations

And signed the National Authority for Investment on Thursday in the Jordanian capital Amman, a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to prepare a national strategy to invest the presence of representatives of the Iraqi embassy.

A statement by the Media Center for the Council of Ministers, issued on Thursday and received the agency (Voices of Iraq) a copy of which is that this strategy will work to draw a clear picture of the level and nature of foreign direct investment and domestic investment, which Iraq is seeking to acquire them.

The statement quoted in the authoritative source as saying that the strategy will determine the role of such investments in the Iraqi economy and how they contribute to the well-being of the largest citizen.

He said the Iraqi government will work to recruit the productivity of these investments and to identify signs of comparison to the experience of other countries.

It should be noted that the National Authority for Investment is the government department responsible for the formulation of national policies for investment and development controls and specific investment strategy and projects aimed at encouraging investment and the transfer of modern technologies to contribute to the development process of Iraq

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Shahristani announced imminent arrival of foreign companies to compete in fields of investment & Nasiriyah Gharraf

Of Dhi Qar, said Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, the imminent arrival of foreign companies have made offers to compete in the fields of investment and Gharraf Nasiriyah. He said there are plans to create one of the most important oil refineries in the province.

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Foreign Minister arrives in Kuwait to attend the Ministerial Meeting of the Economic Summit

Arrived late on Thursday 15/1/2009, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari to Kuwait to participate in the ministerial meeting of the summit of economic and social development, accompanied by Dr. Mohammed al-Haj Hamoud, undersecretary of the ministry of legal affairs and multilateral relations and Ambassador narratives Najib Director of the Office of the Minister and Ambassador Faris al-Ani. And was received by senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait.

The summit will discuss many issues including investment, trade, transport, health and education as well as discuss the impact of the global financial crisis on the economy of the Arab countries and the issue of infrastructure and upgrading of living of the individual as well as to discuss issues of economic, developmental and social conditions and lost the tragic developments in Gaza as a result of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and will be the question of the suffering of the people of Gaza and to support the priority at this summit.

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Zebari: Iraq's reconstruction, investment and energy at the top of the agenda of the summit on Iraq to Kuwait

said Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the issues related to Iraq reconstruction, investment and energy will be high on the agenda of President Jalal Talabani, during his participation in the Arab economic summit next Monday in Kuwait.

A statement by the Foreign Affairs, on Thursday, received the agency (Voices of Iraq) a copy of which was that Iraq will attend the summit of economic and social development and political weight of a large Arab chaired by His Excellency President Jalal Talabani and the membership of the Deputy Prime Minister and a number of ministers, where the topics will be the reconstruction of Iraq, investment and energy at the top posed by the Iraqi delegation at the summit.

The statement was issued following the arrival Zebari on Thursday to Kuwait, where the summit to heal the economic and social development and Arab next Monday and will last two days.

Zebari was accompanied by Dr. Mohammed al-Haj Hamoud, undersecretary of the ministry of legal affairs and multilateral relations and Ambassador narratives Najib Director of the Office of the Minister and Ambassador Faris al-Ani

Zebari met upon his arrival, according to the statement, Amr Moussa, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Jordan d. Salah Bashir and Yemen, Abu Bakr al-Qurbi, Lebanon Fawzi Salloukh met with them in terms of preparations and the ongoing preparations for the summit.

It is expected the summit to discuss topics such as investment, trade, transport, health, education and the impact of the global financial crisis on the economy of the Arab countries and the issue of infrastructure and upgrading of living of the individual and to discuss topics of economic and social development,

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