Thread: Iraq/Dinar News until 5/23/07 Midnight CST

The 4th International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition

7 - 10 May 2007Amman Exhibitions Park, Amman, Jordan

REBUILD IRAQ 2007: The 4th International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition: Your Gateway to Construction Opportunity

Rebuild Iraq 2007 is going to be a high-profile event showcasing one of the most ambitious, investment-opportunity-laden reconstruction undertakings of your era. It's going to be the biggest, most comprehensive Iraq reconstruction event ever held. If you are a construction sector player eyeing the Iraq reconstruction market, looking for a well-timed point of entry, seeking to gain maximum exposure and brand consolidation for your projects, or simply looking for potentially-rewarding business contacts, then Rebuild Iraq 2007 is the show for you. And if you're already active in Iraq's thriving reconstruction market, then Rebuild Iraq 2007 is going to immeasurably polish your profile.

Rebuild Iraq 2007 will set a new gold standard for Middle East exhibitions, drawing on the success of past IFP Group-organized Rebuild Iraq conferences. The show will be jointly organized by IFP Group, its Jordanian arm IFP Jordan, and the Riyadh Exhibitions Company. Over 25 years, they have organized more than 320 internationally-accredited trade shows across the Middle East.

Massive Market Opportunities in Iraq and Jordan at Rebuild Iraq 2007 Seize Unique Investment Opportunities Offered by Iraq's $100 Billion Reconstruction Market, and Jordan's Development Boom
Iraq's reconstruction market is worth a stunning $100 billion - making it one of the biggest anywhere in the world - and is set to expand further, as yet more contracts are signed and projects drawn up. Frenzied construction activity surrounds hundreds of projects, worth billions of dollars, and spanning every single sector of Iraq's rebounding economy. Iraq's liberal, open markets - almost entirely free of restrictions - are helping fuel construction sector activity. Meanwhile, ever more leading manufacturers and suppliers from across the globe are seizing lucrative slices of Iraq's construction market, and in doing so are helping positively forge the future of the country. Benefits from Iraq's construction sector are set to increase further. The country's revenue generation potential - bolstered by abundant oil and other resources, as well as the long-term commitment of global donors to the reconstruction effort - is enormous. It can rival all other major regional economies.

Enjoy Access to Leading Middle East Construction Markets

Originally Posted by shotgunsusie

WTO | News - Events calendar

and todays bonus points go to the person who can tell me whats wrong with this calendar??

It still shows the meeting on the 25th at 10am on the link to the left that is noted as WTO meetings this week.

Bush urges Iraq's Maliki to move on reconciliation

Reuters
Monday, May 21, 2007; 11:25 AM



CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President George W. Bush called Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday and urged him to proceed with political reconciliation among warring groups there, the White House said.

Maliki has been under fire from U.S. lawmakers for not moving quickly enough to gain approval for an oil revenue-sharing law and other measures aimed at a political reconciliation in Iraq.

Bush gave renewed support to Maliki in the phone call marking his first anniversary as prime minister.

"The president reaffirmed his confidence in the prime minister and noted the courage he has shown during a challenging and difficult year," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said.

Maliki stressed his commitment to reconciliation and gave an update on reconciliation initiatives, which are aimed at drawing Sunni Arabs away from the insurgency and into the political process alongside majority Shi'ites and Kurds.

"The two leaders discussed the importance of political progress in Iraq, and the need to move forward with key reconciliation initiatives to secure Iraq's democratic gains," Fratto said.

The two leaders also discussed the regional situation and "the need for all of Iraq's neighbors to play a constructive role in helping Iraq's democracy succeed," the spokesman added.

Washington accuses Iran of stirring up trouble in Iraq and has been seeking support for the Iraqi government from Iraq's neighbors.

Gulf ministers call for uprooting terrorism
IANS Monday 21st May, 2007

Interior ministers of the Gulf region have called for concerted efforts to uproot the menace of terrorism.

Concluding the eighth consultative meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) here Sunday evening, the ministers voiced their concern over the deterioration of security situation in Iraq and reaffirmed their support for the war torn country to overcome its present crisis.

The meeting, which was chaired by Saudi Interior Minister Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, pledged support for all regional and international efforts to combat terrorism, news agency WAM reported.

The ministers denounced Israel's ceaseless atrocities against the Palestinians and urged the world community to help alleviate the sufferings of the people in Palestine.

Originally Posted by ordinaryseawoman

What does this mean?? Are they going to sign a letter of intent on the 25th? Have they already signed it?? And "Letter of Intent"--to do what? I just don't want to jump to any conclusions here--can someone fill me in??

Thanks!! OrdinarySeaWoman

It had been on the calendar for the 25th of May....I just saw it the other day...we had the articles saying that it was the mother of all events that Iraq had met all the conditions and would sign an letter of intent at that time...

SGS's link now shows that the schedule no longer mentions it and it is starting to seem that HCL and the ssudden inflow of oil contracts was what had spurred the WTO speeded up entry after all...

WHAT HAPPEN???

This morning it was all done...just needed to be introduced on Tuesday and there were the votes to pass it...it was a brokered deal between the members of the President's council, the President and the PM.

Bettcha, that the Shittis in the end could not vote for 140/142 and be safe! It seemed hard to belive that any Shitti politician would vote to remove Shitti Arabs from their homes to be replaced by Kurds and, thus...IMO sunk the deal...which sunk the HCL...which sunk the oil Conference...which sunk the WTO...which may have shipwreaked our RV till the distance future if ever now at all...it's all gone to cr*p in less than six hours...

Sorry!

Start enlarged meeting between the delegation and the Iraqi government Kurdstan

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, this morning, Mr. Najirfan Barzani, head of government territory Kurdstan.

And then began an expanded presence of the ministers of oil and finance between the Iraqi delegation and the Iraqi government Kurdstan.

It is noteworthy that the head of government territory Kurdstan who heads the delegation of political and administrative Kurdstan found several days ago in Baghdad to discuss a number of issues, including oil and natural wealth and permanent Iraqi constitution addition to a number of political and administrative matters.

Following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, head of the government of the Kurdstan, Mr. Najirfan Barzani told reporters that the delegation territory Kurdstan visiting Baghdad to coincide with the year before the formation of the Iraqi government headed by Maliki and congratulated the occasion. The added Mr. Barzani they Nigervan : "touched during their meeting with al-Maliki to the law and the distribution of oil revenues as well as a number of other issues. We have established joint committees to resolve outstanding issues. The President of the territorial government expressed optimism resolving those issues.

In his statements, through Mr. Barzani expressed Najirfan supporting the government of the Northern Territory government to Kurdstan Maliki.

In another part of his statements, Mr. Barzani Nigervan Kurdstan doors that open to tourists coming from other parts of Iraq, especially with the start of the tourist season in Kurdstan, head of the territorial government rejected any obstacles illegal obstacle to that.

KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government

Iraq's PM running out of time on reforms

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - After a year in power, Iraq's prime minister stands accused of failing to seize chances to make painful changes required to stabilise the country.
Nuri al-Maliki took power with the image of a strong man who could take tough decisions, particularly in curbing the Mehdi Army, a Shi'ite militia loyal to fiery cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, and which is accused of running sectarian death squads.

Officials from within and outside Maliki's coalition admit that stabilising Iraq could be "mission impossible", but they said Maliki should have reshuffled a weak government which has failed to deliver key services and security.

A series of U.S.- backed security plans has failed to end the violence in the country and insurgents seem to have intensified their attacks outside the capital.

Some Sunni Arab officials say that Maliki's advisers, most of whom come from Maliki's Shi'ite Dawa party, have given the prime minister a distorted and biased image of the situation.

A senior Shi'ite official said Sadr's supporters, the Sadrists, had initially allowed Maliki to crack down on the Mehdi army.

"The Sadrists have given Maliki a great chance. A chance which they did not give and will not give to any prime minister -- they gave him a green light to go after the militias," said the official, who is not from the Sadrist bloc.

He said that Maliki's weak government and incompetent security forces, which are infiltrated by militias, failed to make the most of that opportunity.

Analysts agree that Maliki's government is not capable of controlling major parts of Iraq and ending violence.

"Everybody knows now that the government is not delivering. Maliki himself knows this and that is why he kept promising people a reshuffle," a government official told Reuters.

Time is of the essence for Maliki.

The U.S. commander in Iraq will make a progress report in September on the impact of a U.S. military build up which has seen thousands of additional troops pour into Baghdad.

Washington wants targets key to ending the violence to be met by then. These "benchmarks" include constitutional change, an oil law to attract investments and ending a ban on Saddam Hussein's former Baath members from holding office.

POLITICAL TURMOIL

Maliki, who was dependent on Sadr for political support, has promised many times to reshuffle his cabinet and to bring in more competent ministers. But his pledges have come to nothing.

Last month, Sadrists pulled their six ministers from the government and left it to Maliki to pick replacements.

But Maliki is now accused from within his coalition of being too keen to promote his personal favourites and aides from his own Dawa party.

Officials in the government defend Maliki by saying that Iraq's fractured political system makes it difficult for one man to achieve major breakthroughs.

"You have to please everybody. Parliament, political factions, religious leadership, ethnic and sectarian groups are all on his list and he has to deal with all that," said another Shi'ite official.

"What adds to it is that all these groups do not work with each other or coordinate."

Ali al-Dabbagh, government spokesman, acknowledged that the situation was difficult, but said that Maliki's major achievement was promoting reconciliation among factions.

"This is a brave thing to do and he took it seriously," he said.

Many officials from the Sunni Arab minority, which make up the backbone of the insurgency, have told Reuters that Maliki needed to make a major change of personnel. They said the people around Maliki were offering him biased reports.

"When we are sitting with him he listens and he seems convinced of what we tell him and what are our complaints. He promises to work things out in a different way," said a Sunni official from the Accordance Front.

"But weeks later nothing changes. It is all the effect of the staff around him. They are all almost from one group and they send him a one-sided picture," he said.

Originally Posted by GSXR99

It still shows the meeting on the 25th at 10am on the link to the left that is noted as WTO meetings this week.

Thanks GSXR99....good eyes. I missed that too. Looks like meeting still on schedule.



Amanda

This still shows it for this friday ...
Friday 25 May 2007

9.30 am

India: Trade policy Review

10 am

Trade and Development Committee

10 am

Iraq: Membership negotiations (Working Party meeting)

WTO | News - What’s happening at the WTO