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  1. #291
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    Quote Originally Posted by rev. dan frakes View Post
    this week on G M A Bush said that if congress will be patient he will have this war paid for by july , almost 400 billion. now , how do you think he will pay for it ? R.v then our tax money? hummmmmm just maybe.

    revdan
    RD what is GMA

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  3. #293
    Senior Member nikki's Avatar
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    Default Iraqi Papers Monday: 'SIIC' Annoucnes Itself

    Iraqi Papers Monday: 'SIIC' Annoucnes Itself
    In a Press Conference, the Reformed SCIRI Calls for Federalism in Iraq
    By AMER MOHSEN Posted 0 hr. 20 min. ago

    Pan-Arab al-Hayat reported on a press conference that was held in Baghdad by the leadership of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC- formerly SCIRI) to announce and comment on the latest changes to the party’s platform.

    A statement read by SIIC’s leader, 'Abd al-'Azeez al-Hakeem, confirmed earlier reports claiming that the powerful Shi'a party has decided to change its name and, more importantly, proclaim Ayatollah Sistani as the party’s main spiritual authority.

    SIIC occupies 30 seats in the Iraqi parliament and is, along with the Sadr Current, the largest player in the ruling Shi'a coalition.

    Al-Hakeem reiterated the argument claiming that the removal of the term “revolution” from the party’s name is due to the ousting of Saddam Husain “which made ‘revolution’ an outdated term,” al-Hakeem said.

    Another SIIC leader, Rida Jawad Taqi, added, in the same press conference, that “the general committee has approved the renaming in accordance with the new political system in Iraq, which is based on the constitution.”

    Taqi began his speech by praising the “supreme religious authority in Iraq, under the leadership of Ayatollah 'Ali al-Sistani” and vowed to “follow his guidance and path.”

    Earlier leaks regarding SIIC’s reforms were based on the testimonials of unnamed leaders and lacked official confirmation. Several observers remained skeptical towards the alleged changes; today’s press conference should put such questions to rest.

    In parallel, the media office of SIIC published a statement protesting the media’s use of “deformed statements attributed to the party’s leaders” and affirmed that the party’s new agenda “is not directed against anybody,” probably a reference to some analyses predicting that the party’s reforms indicate an aggressive rupture with Iran.

    However, the statement did not deny any of the substantive changes discussed in earlier media reports, and was, if anything, a confirmation of these amendments.

    SIIC’s move away from Khamena'i’s umbrella may have surprised observers (formerly, SCIRI’s constitution noted that the party follows the leadership of the institution of Wilayat al-Faqeeh, currently headed by Ayatollah 'Ali al-Khamena'i) especially that many of the core activists of SIIC consider themselves loyal followers to Ayatollah Khamena'i, but there are several facets to the issue.

    On the one hand, only a fraction of Iraqi Shi'a follows Khamena'i and adopts his theory of Wilayat al-Faqeeh. No accurate statistics exist to confirm this opinion, but many observers consider Ayatollah Sistani to be the most widely followed religious authority in Iraq.

    At the same time, SCIRI was founded in Iran, and hosted by the institution of the Iranian Revolution. SCIRI’s early membership mainly consisted of Iraqis who fled to Iran, in the hundreds of thousands; many of whom sympathized with and supported the revolution and, as a result, followed the institution of Wilayat al-Faqeeh.

    After the fall of Saddam’s regime and the return of many Iraqi exiles from Iran, a clear gulf was noticeable in the party’s ranks between those who returned from Iran propagating a Khomeinist version of activism, and SCIRI’s local supporters who felt alienated by the unfamiliar loyalties of their peers.

    The same applies to the larger Shi'a public, Sadrist and Fadhila supporters also tend to follow Sistani; and Sunnis often critiqued the “Iranian” iconography of SCIRI and frequently accused the party of being a tool for the Iranian clerical establishment. In that sense, SIIC’s decision to distance itself from Khamena'i may be a well-calculated stratagem to promote the party among the Shi'a populace.

    The press conference revealed another aspect of SIIC’s new strategy: Al-Hayat said that SIIC’s leaders made repeated calls for the creation of new “regions” in Iraq. The new Iraqi constitution allows the formation of quasi-autonomous “regions” through the grouping of several provinces into a single unit and the creation of local representative councils and a local government for the new entity.

    This arrangement was thought to be tailored to fit Kurdish needs - at the moment, Kurdistan is the only “region” in Iraq. But many voices warned that the constitutional article was, in effect, a prelude for a de facto division of Iraq between Shi'a, Kurdish and Sunni regions.

    SIIC’s demands for the creation of a Shi'a “region” in the South and the Center of the country support the opinion that SIIC hopes to foment a version of “Shi'a nationalism” not unlike that of the Kurdish parties. Such a posture would distinguish the federalist SIIC from the Sadrists and Fadhila, who largely oppose federalism and the division of Iraq, and are active in pursuing an Iraqi nationalist platform.

    linky...
    IraqSlogger: Iraqi Papers Monday: 'SIIC' Annoucnes Itself
    "The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is."
    --------------------------------------------------
    A wave of service, if it sweeps over the land catches everyone in it's enthusiasm, will be able to wipe off the mounds of hatred, malice and greed that infest the World.
    Attune your heart so it will vibrate in sympathy with the woes and joys of your fellow-man. Fill the World with Love. - Sathya Sai Baba

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  5. #294
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    Cool Just got in............

    Quote Originally Posted by rev. dan frakes View Post
    it was on good morning america , monday or tues, they were playing back a news tape . neno ,i just hope someone else saw it to. i hope you can confirm this.

    revdan
    Been to ABC News: Watch GMA All Week Long for the Latest in News, Feature Stories and Weather and looked for Archives... Not much luck yet and it is late. Will continue tomorrow. I did send this email below. Hopefully I get a response:

    Subject: Monday or Tuesday.
    To: [email protected]


    Hello GMA,

    I am in research for a segment piece that I have been told was done Monday or Tuesday. It was a Link or a Video of a few Statements from President Bush saying something with if the Congress we give him until July 07, he will have the War paid for, or the Deficit reduced.

    Would appreciate any link to the search.

    Thanks,
    Tommy



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  7. #295
    Senior Investor shotgunsusie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rvalreadydang View Post
    Central initiate the application of electronic payment system



    بغداد ـ الصباحBaghdad morning
    .The Central Bank of Iraq began applying electronic payments RTGS system, the accession of a number of Iraqi banks effectively.




    .A source in the World : talk that the payments system would facilitate payments between banks and between them and also to the central fact that all banks have accounts in the Central Bank reconciliations are moving through these accounts also added that the bank seeks to develop such a mechanism in the future and beyond the scope of the banking sector, pointing to link the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the work to link the Iraq market for securities, as well as remittances and bonds in the Central Bank. The source indicated that the bank was working on the establishment of a clearing instruments electronically and has a good and concrete preparations to develop the Iraqi banking sector to cope with global development.

    Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/
    JULY STILL AINT NO LIE!!!

    franny, were almost there!!

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    Senior Member cashNsoon's Avatar
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    FOR all investors in the Iraqi Dinar.........I would definetly read the link below concerning the Draft Oil Law. It Spells out just how critical and debated this oil law is and what is needed IMO before the RV. Notice even though this is a report from one person............make sure you read the portion that identifies his position in all this. I tried coping and pasting but didnt work.

    http://www.iraqrevenuewatch.org/docu...q_20070306.pdf
    Enjoying the thoughts of early retirement

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    Enjoying the thoughts of early retirement

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  12. #298
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    Quote Originally Posted by rvalreadydang View Post
    Central initiate the application of electronic payment system



    بغداد ـ الصباحBaghdad morning
    .The Central Bank of Iraq began applying electronic payments RTGS system, the accession of a number of Iraqi banks effectively.




    .A source in the World : talk that the payments system would facilitate payments between banks and between them and also to the central fact that all banks have accounts in the Central Bank reconciliations are moving through these accounts also added that the bank seeks to develop such a mechanism in the future and beyond the scope of the banking sector, pointing to link the Ministry of Finance pointed out that the work to link the Iraq market for securities, as well as remittances and bonds in the Central Bank. The source indicated that the bank was working on the establishment of a clearing instruments electronically and has a good and concrete preparations to develop the Iraqi banking sector to cope with global development.

    Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/
    EXCELLENT, YES, EXCELLENT, MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.....

    Now for the final pieces of the puzzle.


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  14. #299
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    Quote Originally Posted by cashNsoon View Post
    FOR all investors in the Iraqi Dinar.........I would definetly read the link below concerning the Draft Oil Law. It Spells out just how critical and debated this oil law is and what is needed IMO before the RV. Notice even though this is a report from one person............make sure you read the portion that identifies his position in all this. I tried coping and pasting but didnt work.

    http://www.iraqrevenuewatch.org/docu...q_20070306.pdf
    Here you go . . . What you do is copy the pdf doc to your clipboard & then paste it into a word doc / then copy it again & post it here . . . you can't copy an Adobe pdf doc. directly . . .

    This does not sound like it will be a quick fix?? !!


    Iraq Draft Petroleum Law: An Independent Perspective
    tariq Shafiq
    Director Petrolog & Associates
    Chair Fertile Crescent Oil Company
    [email protected]
    17 February 2007
    1
    Iraq Draft Petroleum Law: An Independent Perspective
    Content
    1.0 Introduction
    2.0 The Draft Petroleum Law
    3.0 The Negotiations
    4.0 Concluding Remarks
    2
    Iraq Draft Petroleum Law: An Independent Perspective

    1.0 Introduction
    1.1 Iraq may prove to have one of the greatest endowed petroleum resource
    base in the world, with oil potential reserves in excess of 215 billion barrels
    (mbpd) and proven reserves in the region of 115 billion barrels (bnb), which puts
    it on par with Saudi Arabia. Moreover, its finding and development costs are low
    – amongst the lowest in the Middle East. However, its historical maximum
    production rate in any one year has not exceeded 3.5mn barrel per day (mbpd),
    although its exploration and development history has stretched almost for eight
    decades. Iraq’s oil production level historically has lagged behind its oil reserve
    capability and has not reflected its low extraction costs.
    Present Iraq proven reserves can support a production plateau of 10 million
    barrels per day (mbpd) and maintain it for a decade. As such, priority should go
    to rehabilitation and production capacity build-up and not to exploration for quite
    a few years to come.
    Planning oil field development for production capacity growth ought to be carried
    out on a composite master plan, which examines the capacities of the discovered
    and producing fields (including each producing formation within every field) from
    a technical and economic feasibility point of view. In the mean time, it should take
    into consideration Iraq’s economic development plans and needs. This
    necessitates a centralisation of policy and planning.

    1.2 Finding cost per barrel of oil is estimated at: <US Cent 0.5. Development cost
    per barrel of oil is estimated at: US $0.5-1.0. This puts capital investment cost
    per 1 million barrels production capacity at US $3 billion for expansion of existing
    production facilities and US $6 billion, at the oil field boundary. These figures
    may go to up to US $4.5 and US $9 billion to account for security requirements
    and recent high oil equipment inflation cost. Operating cost per barrel is US $1-2.

    1.3 Today, Iraq’s production facilities are either dilapidated, looted, sabotaged or
    war-torn to the extent that in September 2003, the country’s production rate sank
    to around 1mbpd, in comparison to a pre-war level of March 2003 of some
    2.8mbpd. Thus far, at the beginning of 2007, Iraq is producing around 2mbpd
    and exports around 1.5mbpd, a rate which is declining.
    Iraq’s oil industry has been governed by the concession oil agreements until the
    early seventies, and decrees and regulations since then. It is about time Iraq had
    a petroleum law that sets out clear terms and conditions for good oil and gas
    industry exploitation plans, policy and execution.
    3

    2.0 The Draft Petroleum Law
    2.1 On the invitation of the Iraqi Minister of Oil, Dr Hussain Shahrestani, the Iraqi
    draft petroleum law was researched and drafted by a team of three independent
    Iraqi oil technocrats (including myself), who together have international, Middle
    East and Iraqi oil industry experience amounting to some 120 years. Invited to
    join the team was the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Oil, but
    that did not materialise.

    2.2 The law is based on Articles 111 and 112 of the new Iraqi Constitution, seen
    in the light of Articles 2, 49, 109 and 110, which broadly define the authorities
    and responsibilities of the Federal and Provincial authorities within the Petroleum
    sector.
    In order to clarify the imprecise nature of these Articles and to work on the basis
    of a fair and sound interpretation, an objective and independent legal consultancy
    was sought. Interpretation of Iraq’s Constitutional Articles Governing Oil & Gas
    was made by an independent legal firm and adopted by the Ministry of Oil (MoO).
    In the forthcoming review of the Constitution it is expected that a large sector of
    the nation and in particular the large majority of Iraqi oil technocrats, will vote for
    modification of these critical Articles 111 and 112 governing the ownership of oil
    and gas and management of production, plans and strategic policy, respectively,
    in light of this legal interpretation. The draft petroleum law has been written on
    the basis of this legal interpretation irrespective of whether the review takes
    place.

    2.3 The overall objectives of the MoO draft petroleum law is to optimise Iraq’s oil
    and gas exploitation, maximise return, and unite the country and nation.
    The draft petroleum law seeks uniformity of plans and policy throughout the
    country. It requires the MoO’s consultation and participation with the Provinces.
    Supervision of oil and gas operations is shared between the Provinces and the
    central Ministry. The decision making process has built-in checks and balances
    to enhance transparency and anticorruption practices.

    2.4 The law is investment friendly. It encourages private enterprise and
    welcomes the international oil companies (IOCs) to work in partnership with the
    Iraq National Oil Company (INOC).They have a recognised role to play in the
    transfer of up-to-date state-of-the-art technology, technical and managerial
    training of Iraqis, and in investment capital. Selection from among pre-qualified
    companies will be made through tendering in a transparent and accountable
    process.
    Contract negotiations and decisions will be tasked to a high level Federal Oil and
    Gas Commission (FOGC) assisted by a Negotiating Entity and an independent
    4
    advisory Think Tank. However, the function and task of the later tow entities has
    been changed in the latest and 3rd petroleum draft. Authority for signature is
    vested into the Council of Ministers by the Council of Representatives.
    INOC will be an independent holding company, with affiliated regional operating
    companies with an interrelated directorship, to ensure proper communication and
    management as well as the participation of the Provinces. All discovered fields
    will be ear marked to INOC.
    The central Ministry of Oil (MoO) will be tasked with the supervisory and
    regulatory role, in addition to the preparation of plans and policy in co-operation
    and participation with the Provinces. The 3rd draft had also tasked them and the
    Regional government of Kurdistan (KRG) with the role of negotiating oil and gas
    contracts

    3.0 The Negotiations
    3.1 As highlighted above, the overall objective of the draft petroleum law is to
    optimise oil and gas exploitation, maximise return, and unite the country. As
    such, the draft law was written by the drafting team to serve in the interest of the
    nation state as a whole, to apply equally to all parts of the country, with no
    margin for negotiation between the Federal Government and any one Region or
    Governorate or ethnic and sectarian groups.

    3.2 The petroleum draft prepared by the drafting team was adopted by the MoO
    without modification.
    However, with differences between rival sectarian and ethnic parties in the
    country at its peak, negotiations between the major parties have become the
    rule, in advance of democratic debate among the members of the Council of
    Representatives (the Parliament). The case of the draft petroleum law is no
    exception.
    Hard negotiations have been taking place, essentially, between KRG
    representatives and the rest of the members of the Ministerial Committee, which
    was set up to examine and make recommendations on the draft petroleum law to
    the Council of Ministers. Once approved by the Council, the law would be passed
    to the Council of Representatives for ratification.
    The KRG’s position, expressed in their published Draft Petroleum Law, was
    based on a radical interpretation of the pivotal Article 111, allowing for the oil and
    gas in the Kurdistan as the property of the people of Kurdistan, not the whole
    Iraqi nation as an undivided asset. Their petroleum law is so designed as to
    contain terms and conditions vis-à-vis the Federal draft petroleum law, with a
    large margin for negotiation as demonstrated in their negotiating strategy.
    5
    As a result, the current negotiated 3rd draft, in my view, induce material changes
    that weaken the built-in checks and balances, which were carefully designed to
    ensure transparency and accountability. These changes do in fact compromise
    the interests of the nation as a whole, as explained below.
    The Temporary Law for Administration (TAL), issued by the CPA, makes
    consultation or co-operation in the management of oil and gas resources by the
    Federal Government with the Regions and Governorates the only requirement,
    conditional on an agreed fair distribution of revenue.
    The Constitution, however, requires consultation and co-operation in the
    management of resource. The draft MoO Federal petroleum law goes beyond
    that in sharing with the Regions and Governorates management and decision-making.

    It has been drafted for the interests of the nation state as a whole and to
    apply equally to all parts of the nation, with no built in margin for negotiations
    between the Federal Government and any one Region or Governorate.

    3.3 The negotiations did not seem to start in earnest until the revenue sharing
    issue had been settled in principle.
    The negotiations were slow, proceeding in a stop and go fashion over the last
    five months. An important break-through occurred around or just post the time
    when a senior KRG Minister stated in an oil conference in London on 8
    December, 2006, that: following a recent definitive agreement between KRG and
    Federal Government negotiators over an acceptable scheme of oil revenue
    sharing, the KRG position on the interpretation of Articles 111 and 112 had
    changed and come into line with that of the central Government. He added that in
    due course, following the building of mutual confidence, the KRG might consent
    to the re-drafting of relevant constitutional articles. This was regarded by those
    Iraqis present as a genuine gesture by the Iraqi Kurdish nation acting in the
    common interests of the Iraqi nation.
    Despite this declaration, however, the KRG official stand appears to maintain its
    earlier position of authority to negotiate contracts with companies independently
    of the Federal Petroleum Commission and without the requirement for its
    approval.
    Another sticky issue is the KRG’s half a dozen PSA contracts with small oil
    companies. These provide windfall profits well above and multiples of the norm
    reasonably required by the current draft petroleum law, in the order of an internal
    discounted rate of return of 60-100%. The central Ministry has decreed them
    unacceptable and without legal basis. Whether they are to be cancelled or, more
    likely, reviewed to be brought into line with the terms of the Federal petroleum
    law is another issue which is yet to be settled.
    6
    In my opinion, if the KRG maintains this position it would amount to a de facto
    rejection of Articles 111, 112 and other relevant articles of the Constitution, which
    task the Federal Government with the responsibility for the proper management
    of oil and gas resources. It would leave the door open for other Regions and
    Governorates to follow suit and set a damaging precedence. It could lead to
    diversified contract terms and conditions within a potential lack of transparency,
    accountability or the checks and balances built into the MoO draft Federal law.
    However, recently a compromise solution has been reached. It would allow the
    KRG to negotiate contracts with companies in the presence of a representative
    from the central MoO and subject to the approval of the FOGC; and allow the
    KRG itself to re-negotiate existing PSA contracts to bring them in conformity with
    the Federal Petroleum Law, but their validity is subject to the approval of the
    FOGC. The wording is chosen rather diplomatically. However, it should not leave
    it subject to different interpretation or deny the FOGC having the final decision to
    approve or reject wholly or partly the negotiated contract.
    The content of the 3rd draft petroleum law of mid-January was agreed among the
    Negotiating Committee, but has not been approved yet by the decision makers in
    the KRG. They, also demand to defer final approval until such a time when a
    complete, agreed and legalised package is finalised that includes laws for the
    establishment of INOC, petroleum revenue distribution and the re-organisation of
    the ministry of oil.
    KRG approval has not been given despite the significant changes already made
    to the MoO draft during negotiations, which have adversely affected the process
    of checks and balances, and include changes to the management of INOC,
    efficiency and economy of planning and execution, amongst others. Among
    these are the following:

    a. The original MoO draft did not restrict the appointment of the INOC
    board of directors rigidly to the inclusion of members from the provinces
    and federal government as the latest 3rd draft seems to suggest. The
    original draft empasised however, the need for INOC’s independence
    financially and commercially. Such membership restriction could adversely
    affect the independence and efficiency of INOC’s operational
    management.

    b. Furthermore, the latest 3rd draft stipulates that oil and gas exploration
    and development programmes need to follow the geographic distribution.
    While social justice may require it, nature unfortunately does not as the
    prospectivity for oil and gas is not equally distributed in all the provinces.
    The petroleum law could include such a provision, provided it does not
    affect the economics and efficiency of exploration and development
    operations.
    7

    c. The role of the independent advisory professional think tank, named in
    this 3rd draft as the Oil and Gas Independent Consultants Bureau
    (OGICB), has been considerably weakened and lacks transparency. Its
    former scope to examine all issues has been reduced to only those issues
    selected by the FOGC. The requirement to publish its annual report has
    been removed.
    The appointment of its members is reduced to one year from five and the
    appointment requires unanimity of all the members of the FPC; a most
    strange rule, indeed. The appointments of the FOGC and OGICB
    members have been made to conform to Iraq’s sectarian and ethnic
    groups; an alarming indication of politicizing the most vital economic
    commodity that concerns the nation when, instead, sound independent
    professional management is badly needed.

    d. The FOGC has been enlarged from 9 to 20 or 30 members, depending
    on future development, which makes it more fit for a debating society than
    trusties tasked with a vital decision-making role on optimizing the proper
    resource development of the nation. Moreover, while its size has been
    inflated, its role has been considerably weakened. In fact, the negotiating
    role of the FOGC through the OGICB with regard to Kurdistan has been
    removed and given to the KRG. This is an invitation to the others to form
    Regions so as to follow suit without regard to the maturity of their
    institutions, and risking disharmony of practices which would neither
    encourage the major IOCs nor enhance the standards of the negotiated
    contracts.

    e. The grant of rights to enter into development and exploration contracts,
    stated in the latest draft appears to emphasize the form rather than the
    quality content of the contract. It recognises the soundness of the
    contractor’s qualifications, adherence of the negotiator to a form of
    negotiations process, and the use of model contracts, but does not
    examine the soundness of the terms and conditions agreed on. No
    contractor should be invited to bid unless it has been pre- qualified by the
    MoO in accordance with pre-set conditions and procedure. However, it is
    paramount that the proposed terms and conditions be examined by the
    FOGC and its OGICB to ensure maximum returns to the nation, as well
    as an adequate, fair and competitive rate of return for the contractor to
    operate efficiently.

    f. The resultant checks and balances in the third draft are now insufficient
    to cope with Iraq’s internal political complications, and are more of a
    façade, leaving the competence of authorities and the processes of the
    grant of rights open to manipulation by the political forces that prevail in
    today’s circumstances in Iraq.
    8

    g. Further and critically for the future of Iraq’s oil and gas industry, the
    balance of power in the management of Iraq’s oil and gas resource would
    have shifted alarmingly from the Centre to the Regions.
    h.The critical items that have been removed in the third petroleum draft
    are fundamental to professionalism, transparency and accountability. The
    principles are still there but the mechanisms for enforcing them, in a
    process of checks and balances within Iraq’s current turbulent situation,
    have been removed or circumvented in away that could produce
    damaging effects.
    I would like to ascertain that this third draft law is extremely disappointing, in my
    opinion and that of Farouk Al-Kasim, a member of the drafting team.

    4.0 Concluding Remarks
    4.1 Without a central unified policy there will be disharmony and competition
    between INOC (operating on production and marketing its export oil to provide
    the state’s income) and the Regions & Governorates (prioritising exploration for
    additional reserves that will not be required for many years to come), and among
    the various Regions and Governorates leading to disharmony and envy between
    the haves and have-nots.
    Such development would cause instability which is discouraging to investment,
    as well as a multitude of damaging consequences contributing to fragmentation,
    instead of promoting the uniformity of oil and gas practices and the unity of the
    nation and country.
    The Constitution has tasked the Federal Government with the job of
    management of the oil and gas resource management, not any one village,
    governorate or region. The initial draft law was drawn up to unify plans, policy
    and decision-making through participation (beyond cooperation or consultation)
    of the regions, governorates and the federal government at the centre without
    ignoring participation at the operating and supervisory processes.

    4.2 Instability would lead to an unhealthy oil industry and would discourage the
    serious IOCs, who have the required knowledge, capital and markets. Iraq would
    then find itself accepting speculators with more promises than they can deliver,
    and the minor companies which do not have the capability to develop Iraq’s giant
    oil fields.

    4.3 IOCs, in my view, are advised to aim for urgently needed rehabilitation of the
    infrastructure, expansion of production capacity of partially developed fields,
    improving damaged reservoir performance, and to develop the many discovered
    but not yet delineated oil fields in partnerships with INOC, rather than going for
    extensive exploration for unnecessary new oil. A rush for exploration and
    development contracts at this particular juncture of Iraq’s political and economic
    9
    development would be viewed as mortgaging the reserves of future generations.
    It would provide fuel to the view that the war was for oil.

    4.4 There are today a number of damaging trends of ‘Tsunami’ dimensions,
    engulfing Iraq. There is a widespread lack of security and law and order,
    widespread killing for reasons of identity, ethnicity, sect, or for no reason other
    than criminal ends.
    There is widespread lack of efficiency in government organisations and a near
    absence of institutional performance or sound management at the centre and,
    especially in the Provinces, in addition to a lack of investment and extremely high
    unemployment.
    Action to reverse these damaging trends ought to be all embracing in nature,
    co-ordinated and united in approach, and having the welfare of country and
    nation at heart above all considerations. A healthy and robust oil industry would
    provide the revenue necessary for social and economic reform and the right
    environment for easing much of the above trends.

    4.5 Last but not least I salute the stand of the MoO and the negotiators of the
    Federal government who were put in a position to reconcile two diametrically
    opposed views, the central MoO’s view, and that of the KRG’s radical and
    unacceptable interpretation of the constitutional articles governing oil and gas
    ownership and management. Furthermore, they have not been given their
    Federal government’s full backing against the KRG negotiators who had all the
    backing and political support of their regional government.
    Finally, I would appeal for a return to the spirit behind the declaration on 8th
    December by the senior representative of the KRG as a genuine gesture by the
    Iraqi Kurdish nation acting in the common interests of all the Iraqi nation.
    10
    11


    Best to all . . . RR . . .
    Φ Iligitimi Non Carborundum Φ....

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    Announcement No.(923)


    D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control
    The 923 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Monday 2007/5/14 so the results were as follows :
    Details NotesNumber of banks16-----
    Auction price selling dinar / US $1261-----
    Auction price buying dinar / US $1259-----
    Amount sold at auction price (US $)77.380.000-----
    Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) 1.000.000
    Total offers for buying (US $)77.380.000-----
    Total offers for selling (US $)1.000.000-----

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