U.S. to attend Iraq regional conferences
U.S. to attend Iraq regional conferences
Reuters
Tuesday, February 27, 2007; 1:47 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it would attend two planned conferences on stabilizing
Iraq in coming months that may bring it in contact with Iran and Syria, nations Washington has been reluctant to engage.
Vice President Cheney made an unannounced visit to Islamabad and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to address resurgent Taliban and al-Qaeda fighting along the border with Afghanistan. (Pakistan Press Information Department/AP)
SEE FULL COLLECTION
Feedback
In Today's A Section
» More in Today's Print Edition
Save & Share Article What's This?
DiggGoogle
del.icio.usYahoo!
RedditFacebook
The State Department would not rule out the possibility U.S. officials might hold bilateral talks with Iranians at the first conference, to be held in Baghdad in March, but the White House played down the chances of such talks.
The United States accuses both Iran and Syria of fomenting the violence in Iraq and has repeatedly spurned suggestions -- including in the December report of the U.S. blue chip Iraq Study Group -- that it engage both to try to stabilize Iraq.
The first conference, which is expected to gather mid-level officials, would be a rare meeting involving envoys from the United States and two nations it considers state sponsors of terrorism, Iran and Syria.
"We will be there," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Asked if he could rule out the possibility of bilateral U.S.-Iranian talks on the sidelines of the meeting, McCormack said: "We'll see. The focus is on Iraq. The Iraqi government is convening the meeting. We look forward to attending it."
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice later said Iraq also planned to convene a ministerial meeting of its neighbors and the Group of Eight countries as early as the first half of April to help stabilize the country.
"(Iraqi) Prime Minister (Nuri al-) Maliki believes, and President Bush and I agree, that success in Iraq requires the positive support of Iraq's neighbors. This is also one of the key findings of the Iraq Study Group," Rice said in excerpts
of congressional testimony released by the State Department.
"So I'm pleased to inform you that the Iraqis are launching a new diplomatic initiative that we fully support," she said.
"The Iraqi government has invited Syria and Iran to attend both of these regional meetings. We hope these governments seize this opportunity to improve their relations with Iraq -- and to work for peace and stability in the region," she said.
White House spokesman Tony Snow cast doubt on chances for any bilateral talks with Tehran during such a conference, saying Washington had already laid out conditions for such direct discussions.
President George W. Bush has ruled out direct talks with Iran unless it suspends uranium enrichment that Washington believes is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran denies.
Iraq witnessing clash of identities
Iraq witnessing clash of identities
Web posted at: 2/26/2007 3:50:57
Source ::: The Peninsula
Dr Maisam Janabi, Dr Jassim Sultan and Ali Rabee, at the Iraq forum yesterday. (Shaival Dalal)
Two-day forum on the challenges of unity and reconstruction in Iraq begins
DOHA • The failure to integrate the political identity and the sectarian identity after the American invasion has led to the current conflicts in Iraq, speakers at a two-day forum on Iraq here observed.
The two-day forum titled "Iraq – the challenges of unity and reconstruction", is being organised by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies.
Addressing the inaugural session of the meeting, Waddah Khanfar, managing director of Al Jazeera, said the channel has been trying to present the Iraq issue in a scientific and logical manner.
“Iraq is a sensitive issue and is important not only for the region but also for the whole world. This discussion is to understand what is happening inside the country. The mass media across the world is discussing the issue in a massive way while we are trying to approach it in a scientific and logical way," said Khanfar.
Mustafa Sawaq, director of the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, said this is the second forum being organised by the Centre on a regional issue. The first one focused on Somalia. He later told The Peninsula that most of the speakers are from Iraq, though some of them have been staying outside the country. The forum, telecast live on Al Jazeera channel, would help create awareness on this major issue, he hoped.
Addressing the next session titled "Roots of the Iraqi crisis", Ali Rabee, a noted expert, said Iraq didn't develop any political thinking during the Saddam regime. There was no distinction between the state and the ruling elite. The only way to ensure a secure life for the people was to get a job in the government. The situation left people frustrated, he said.
The American invasion, on the other hand, led to a conflict between the national identity and the sectarian identity. The political leaders as well as the sectarian leaders have failed to address the issue. People are following the sectarian leaders. Even after the elections, the government continues to be dictatorial in nature. If the leaders and the people fail to uphold the national identity over the sectarian identity, the situation will become catastrophic, he noted.
Dr Maisam Janabi, another speaker in the session, said in the current situation, Iraq must look for enlightened political leaders who can raise above sectarian interests and work for the nation. Dr Jassim Sultan chaired the session.
Addressing another session, Dr Amal Hindi Al Khazali, a political scientist from the Baghdad University, urged Iraqis not to surrender themselves to sectarianism.
“We must fight it until we defeat it," she said. She noted that sectarianism is not related to religion but it is only using religion to achieve its goals.
Breakthrough in oil standoff
I know we've seen this story many times over the last couple of days. That is my purpose of posting this again. This story came out of the UK...isn't that great!? This story has gone world wide...:party: :rofl: :party: :cheers:
Iraq cabinet approves new oil law: Business news
Iraq expecting wheat, rice
Iraq expecting wheat, rice
Posted: Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Baghdad
Iraq said ships carrying 52,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat and 62,000 tonnes of US rice would arrive at the southern port of Um Qaser next month.
A statement from the Trade Ministry said the vessels would arrive on March 3.
It also said a ship carrying more than 59,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat and another carrying US wheat would arrive between March 11-12.
Iraq needs around 3 million tonnes of wheat a year to help feed a population of 27 million people.
Iraq has been quiet over the timing and the amounts of its tenders since the government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki took office last year.
In 2005 and until mid 2006, it had tendered for at least one million tonnes every two months in a plan to raise imports to build up reserves after shortages plagued the state-run food distribution system.
But Iraqi trade sources said the government had moved to a plan to buy small quantities of wheat when needed to prevent market price fluctuations.Reuters
Oil Minister confirms the continuation of discussions on the Law
(Voice of Iraq) - 27-02-2007
This issue was sent to a friend
The Republic of Iraq
Council of Ministers-the National Center for Media
Media Relations
A press statement / Press Release
Tuesday 2-27-2007
Oil Minister confirms the continuation of discussions on the Law of Allen only in order to reach a compromise formula
The Minister of Oil, Dr. Hussein Shahrastani continued the discussions in the corridors of the Council of Ministers with a view to reaching formula bringing together divergent Alnizarhol oil and gas law , adding that the draft is no disagreement in the Energy Commission The submitted to the Cabinet in two consecutive been in the Ha discussion of this law and we hope that the end of this anguish Khat very soon, where will the law to the a deputies of the event held after the end of the current vacation.
After the legislation law Stentfateh doors for tours of the negotiations and invite qualified companies to submit their offers hour the presentations to be held in public and open competition will be Akhtia R. supply, which provides the highest value and benefit of Iraq and the e and criterion for the selection of contracts.
The Minister pointed out a discrepancy in the views of Anad R. especially between brothers in the territory and Cordstan between the Ministry of oil, a number of members of the Committee on Energy on some aspects of this the law, particularly the negotiation of new contracts and the lei approval and review mechanisms contracts concluded in a for the past both in the Ministry of Oil or in the territory of Corps Destin.
He added that there Shahrastani media campaign shaded Utek Dr. groups this campaign does not want the good of Iraq and Teh R. keenness on Iraq, and does not want this government to succeed, does not want the Iraqi people to proceed with the plan for the development of INA Mar country may be some of them engaged in this campaign propaganda tendentious, but the primary engines parties does not want the good of Iraq, pointing "to confirm that there is confusion accepts Badrur e to be beneficial for Iraq, the highest possible, in a contract Almtarfh for oil in the world and transparently through us Vssa Atnzar free, open to the nationality of the companies in the background the companies, but with companies capable of qualifying Cta Ware these fields.
He explained Mr. Alozerban ministry to be careful of the Iraqi oilfields will remain the hands of the Iraqis and fields of giant and the giant and very large and very large b the hands of the Iraqis and will be in accordance with "the law foundation the Iraqi National Oil Company and these contracts in Alka N. exclusively to the Iraqi National Oil Company to the vacant P Maiangeolon and lie about it in this campaign, the media here is unfair and we want to assure the Iraqi people that Law n develop Iraqi hands keen to protect the interests and says future generations.
Conference for businessmen to evaluate the projects in 2006
Dhi Qar : Conference for businessmen to evaluate the projects in 2006
(Voice of Iraq) - 27-02-2007 shall Sotaliraq.com - ÕæÊ ÇáÚÑÇÞ
Nasiriyah News Network / Mortada Hamid :
Under the banner (for the development of a better strategy in Mahafezt Na) filed the businessmen of Dhi Qar, the reconstruction Wa for economic development in the Dhi Qar and the Conference Hall refuge The danger was attended by a large number of officials, clerics marking oasis Sheikh Mohammad Mehdi Nassiri, Mr. Ahsan Tai President of the Provincial and Mr. Aziz Kadhim Alwan governor Dhi Qar and members of the Iraqi parliament has been through a discussion of the recommendations and studies on projects implemented in 2006 and the problems they faced and caused confusion in the implementation, and the extent of benefit to avoid recurrence in 2007 and had the number of engineers and members of the preservation d the head on this subject has met Nasser News Network Yeh Engineer Kazem Hussein Jaber, deputy chairman of the Federation of men a to work in Dhi Qar on the purpose and objective of the conference and the a confirmed (that the objective is to gather officials and Amestthmri n to the same table for discussion in the projects implemented in in 2006, which passed through the drawbacks and take need not to repeat these mistakes of 2007 ... and Sekou n debate by all officials present at the pain Atmer) note that the number of projects carried out during the age e years has received a lot of resentment and the officials citizens of poor implementation.