Thread: Iraqi/Dinar News before 3-12-2007 7:45PM CentralTimeZone

By STEVE WEIZMAN

JERUSALEM Mar 5, 2007 (AP)— An Israeli state-owned corporation has won a contract to supply the U.S. Marine Corps with state-of the-art armored vehicles for use in Iraq, the latest in a long line of Israeli defense sales for use in the war.

Amit Tzimer, spokesman for weapons maker Rafael, said Sunday that, in partnership with U.S. manufacturer PVI, Rafael has signed up to deliver 60 of its new Golan vehicles at a total price of $37 million.

Delivery will be made to the Marines in the United States in May, he said.

Rafael's sales catalog describes the Golan as a multipurpose vehicle, capable of withstanding armor-piercing machine-gun rounds, rocket fire and bomb blasts. It can carry up to 10 troops up to 360 miles on a tank of gas and can be outfitted as a fighting vehicle, mobile command post or ambulance.

Tzimer said that the initial deal was part of the first phase of a U.S. program to procure a total of 40,000 armored vehicles, and Rafael hoped for more orders in the future.

He added said that the firm previously supplied armor for the Bradley fighting vehicle.

A Pentagon survey released earlier this year said that hundreds of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced shortages of key protective equipment including armored vehicles.

Tel Aviv-based defense analyst Zeev Schiff said Rafael was only one of several Israeli companies that had long been providing and maintaining equipment for American forces in Iraq.

"Israel prefers to keep a low profile, but it's been doing that for years, not just for the (U.S.) Army but for the Navy, too," he said.

The Israeli Defense Ministry declined to comment on the sales of Israeli equipment destined for use in Iraq. The U.S. Defense Department did not respond to requests for a comment.

Robin Hughes, a Mideast military analyst at London-based Jane's Defense Information Group, said the issue of Israeli equipment in service in Iraq was a sensitive one, and both suppliers and customers generally preferred to avoid publicity.
There are systems that are deployed, and I wouldn't just say U.S. vehicles, maybe other coalition vehicles. I think that if you were to look carefully, you might spot other Israeli stuff," he said, without elaborating.

Israeli media have reported that Israeli businessman are active within Iraq itself, and last month the Israeli National Security Council issued a cryptic travel warning, citing the danger to Israelis traveling there and reminding them that such visits are a criminal offense under Israeli law.

Israeli citizens are forbidden by law to visit Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia or Yemen, all of which are technically at war with the Jewish state. Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab states to have signed peace treaties with Israel.


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Minister says power supplies to improve in summerf



Azzaman, March 5, 2007



The Minister of Electricity says Iraqis will see improvements in the supply of power in the summer.



The pledge by Kareem Waheed is the latest in a series of broken promises to improve the country’s ailing national grid which has been worsening since the 2003 U.S. invasion.



But Waheed said his ministry has signed contracts with both foreign and domestic firms to add more than 1,700 megawatts to the national grid.



He said he hoped that by the summer the national grid will have the capacity to produce about 6,000 megawatts.



The volume, if achieved, will still fall short of the country’s needs now estimated at more than 12,000 megawatts.



Currently supplies from the national grid are very erratic with the electricity off most of the day.



Iraqis now rely on small generators which serve inhabitants of small districts in major towns.



But even these generators are not working properly due to fuel shortages.

Police-seized weapons find their way to black market



Azzaman, March 5, 2007



The Ministry of Interior has launched an inquiry into how the weapons its forces capture during military operations find their way to black market again.



A ministry source, refusing to be named, said the investigation was started following reports that Iraqi police officers resell the illegal weapons they seize.



The source said initial findings point to covert links between gunmen and militia groups with ministry police forces.



He said several officers have already been detained but declined to give further details.

Tehran, March 6, IRNA
Iran-Cooperation-Iraq
The first Iran-Iraq Trade Cooperation Commission meeting will be held in Tehran from March 6-7.

According to a report released by the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Commerce, Iranian Commerce Minister Seyed Masoud Mir-Kazemi and Iraqi Trade Minister Abd al-Fallah Hassan al-Sudani will chair the two-day joint commission meeting on behalf of Iran and Iraq respectively.

Expansion of trade exchanges, investment, transport as well as banking and customs relations between the two sides will be high on the agenda of talks at the upcoming event.

As always, thank you for the excellent flow of news Mike!

RolClub MVP you are..... Most Valueable Poster!

Keep it comin'.......It's all good!

Iraqi Vice President in Syria on official visit

POL-SYRIA-IRAQ-VP
Iraqi Vice President in Syria on official visit

DAMASCUS, March 5 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Vice President Tareq Al-Hashimi arrived here Monday on a four-day official visit in response to an invitation by his Syrian counterpart Farouk Al-Shara.

Al-Hashimi and his delegation of top Iraqi officials will discuss with their Syrian counterparts, namely Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Al-Shara, the recent security and political developments on the Iraqi scene.

The talks will also focus on bilateral relations and proper means to reinforce them in addition to the status of Iraqis living in Syria.

The visit by the Iraqi official comes before a few days from Baghdad's international conference which will be held on March 10 with the participation of several neighboring states, permanent members of the United Nations' Security Council (UNSC), and the European Union (EU). (end) tk.

gta
KUNA 051521 Mar 07NNNN

Iraqi V.P. calls for boosting Arab, Int''l peace efforts in Iraq

POL-LD SYRIA-IRAQ-VP
Iraqi V.P. calls for boosting Arab, Int'l peace efforts in Iraq

DAMASCUS, March 5 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Vice President Tareq Al-Hashimi called here for reinforcing Arab and International efforts to put an end to the deterioration in his country.

The top Iraqi official told reporters that the situation in Iraq was becoming part of the Arab world's national security, saying that efforts there must be boosted in order for the region to be at peace.

Developing relations with Syria was an integral part of Iraq's policy, stated Al-Hashimi, adding that the visit, aimed at finding solutions for Iraq, would be among others to several Arab states.

On the current visit, Al-Hashimi hoped that bilateral relations would be boosted during talks with top officials here.

The Iraqi Vice President will meet with his Syrian counterpart Farouk Al-Shara today while the meeting with President Bashar Al-Assad will be scheduled for tomorrow.

Al-Hashimi will also meet with Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji Al-Utri and Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Arbash. (pickup pervious) tk.

gta
KUNA 051631 Mar 07NNNN

Iraq shall not serve as launch pad for aggression again -- Maliki

POL-IRAQ-MALIKI-NEIGHBORS
Iraq shall not serve as launch pad for aggression again -- Maliki

(with photos) BAGHDAD, March 4 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki Sunday stressed Iraq shall not stand being abused as a path for aggression against neighbors again and that a forthcoming Baghdad conference will serve to encourage regional dialogue.

"The concept of 'National Conciliation' means that we have to stand as one when we address the world. We would like to open up to the world apart from the policy of separating issues and, in the meantime, allow no interference in domestic Iraqi affairs," the Iraqi PM told a reconciliation conference for the Iraqi army officers.

"Hosting the conference in Baghdad implies that we are in a position that allows us to serve as focal point for regional dialogue which helps lead to harmony on the international scene," Al-Maliki said.

The aim of the conference, according to Al-Maliki, is to provide support to the Iraqi government, the political process, and the achievements that have been realized through elections and the drafting of the constitution. "We want the world to back us." He underlined the importance of overcoming tensions with all countries in the region with an "Iraq will an open mind." "We want to live free in Iraq; We assault no body and allow no aggression against us. This needs inner integrity. None should roll a red carpet for foreign interference," Maliki added.

"We do not want to be a point in the path of aggression against any body, but we'd rather like to be a base for communication and understanding." The Iraqi PM also said that Iraq had won the battle of national conciliation and "we only needed security plans when conciliation and dialogue were rejected. We said it so frankly that we are stretching a hand with olive branch and another enforcing rule of law with the other.

The new Baghdad security plan would extend to cover each and every spot in the country, the top official stressed.(end) ahh.ff.

msa
KUNA 041323 Mar 07NNNN

Iraqis reiterate their appreciation for Kuwaiti aid



KUWAIT, March 5 (KUNA) -- Iraqi physicians and academic figures agreed on Monday that statements of Iraqi Red Crescent representative at the Doha meeting reflected his own ideas and did not convey the gratitude and appreciation of the Iraqi people for the aid Kuwait presented to them.

Speaking at a meeting with head of the Kuwaiti Humanitarian Operations Center, retired Lieutenant General Ali Al-Momen, they said Kuwait was the first country to dispatch humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people upon the toppling of the Baathist regime and was the gateway for aid shipments.

Representative of the Iraqi Red Crescent Obaid Ahmad had denied in a conference in Doha Kuwait's humanitarian support for his country.

The Iraqi delegation said there were some Iraqi groups that were trying to undermine the volume of Kuwaiti and GCC aid and were using local media to do so, adding that their aim was to obstruct all that was in the interest of Iraq.

They reaffirmed that the first shipment to enter their country's southern borders was a Kuwaiti one.

A number of Iraqi officials, including government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh, had condemned statements of the representative and reiterated their appreciation for Kuwaiti aid.

Article originally published by KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) 05-Mar-07

Iraq Oil Contract Framework To Be Set By Mar 15 -Document


Sunday, Mar 04, 2007

By Hassan Hafidh

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Iraqi officials must first agree the framework of contracts to be used when negotiating with foreign oil companies by March 15 if the country's draft hydrocarbons law is to be submitted to parliament for its approval, according to a cabinet document seen by Dow Jones Newswires.

The draft hydrocarbon law, seen as essential to spur development of the country's ageing and conflict-damaged energy industry, was endorsed by the Iraqi cabinet on Feb. 27 and it referred in general terms to the types of contracts that Baghdad and regional governments could sign with foreign companies.

The contracts include those covering services and exploration risk, as well as Iraq's equivalent of production-sharing agreements.

"The oil and gas law and their four appendixes will be presented to the council of deputies after agreeing on general conditions and principles of contract models," the document says.

The Iraqi cabinet endorsed the draft oil law Monday. It is seen as crucial in helping to heal the country's sectarian divisions and to clear the way for foreign companies to invest in Iraq's vast oil reserves, the world third largest.

To become law the draft needs to be approved by the country's parliament, which is likely to debate it later this month. The government hopes the parliament will approve the law by the end of this month.

The draft law seen by Dow Jones Newswires states the Iraqi Oil MinistryOil Ministry should set contractual frameworks and that a federal oil and gas council needs to endorse them after consulting the regions.

The Kurdistan Regional Government in the country's oil-rich north has been agitating for strong local control over contracts and energy revenue, though it recently agreed to the principles of the long-delayed proposed hydrocarbon law.

-By Hassan Hafidh, Dow Jones Newswires; + 962 777 612 111; [email protected]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2007 06:16 ET (11:16 GMT)