Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 03/11/07 - 31/12/07

Iraq’s 18 provinces get $30 million each

Iraq’s 18 provinces will get $30 million each to help reduce rampant unemployment in the country, according to the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.

Mohammed al-Sheikh said the provinces were under obligation to use the money “solely for employment purposes.”

The money, Sheikh said, should only be disbursed for the start up of small businesses.

The project is hoped to eventually reduce the number of jobless in Iraq. At least 40 percent of Iraq’s working population is believed to be idle.

The ministry wants the money to be extended as part of soft loans and in a way that makes it easy for the beneficiaries to pay back.

Preferential treatment, according to the minister, will be given to unemployed university graduates and people who have lost businesses due to ongoing military operations in the country.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=4930

Badri blames financial speculations for high oil prices

OPEC Secretary General Abdullah al-Badri said that record high oil prices are the result of financial speculation rather than a supply shortage. "The high price is a subject of concern for consumers and producers and of benefit to no one," Badri said. He added that OPEC is ready to take a decision about the production during the meeting it will hold December 5th in Abu Dhabi if it deems that there is a supply Shortage. Badri, called to tighten the restrictive measures in oil markets in order to put an end to speculations.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Economics News | Badri blames financial speculations for high oil prices

Al Maliki accepts Accordance resignations

In response to Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s acceptance to the resignation of Accordance Front Ministers from the government, the front’s spokesman MP Salim Abdullah Al Jibouri said the ministers were considered resigned legally. In an interview with Sawa Radio, Al Jibouri explained that the Law allows for the Prime Minister not to proceed with resignations for one month only. However, the deadline has passed, thus Accordance Front Ministers are resigned legally. He added that the resigned legally is deprived from retirement and financial rights unlike the ones whose resignation is accepted within the one-month deadline. Al Jibouri confirmed that the front does not regret withdrawing from government, while criticizing Prime Minister Al Maliki for being influenced by the proposals of “close people” whom he accused of favoring their personal interests.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Iraq News | Al Maliki accepts Accordance resignations

Al Furat:PKK ready to negotiate with Turkey

In a statement reported by Al Furat News Agency, Kurdistan Workers Party declared its willingness to hold talks with the Turkish government which might lead the PKK to lay down their weapons. However, the statement explained that decisions of cease fire announced earlier by a unilateral party have failed to end the conflict.

In a related issue, representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, Sheikh Abdul Mehdi Al Karbalai, called on Turkey to resort to diplomatic and peaceful means to halt the activities of Kurdistan Workers Party. In his Friday prayer in Karbala, Al Karbalai confirmed that Ankara has the right to guarantee its territories’ security and protect its citizens from any threat. However, he stressed the necessity not to violate Iraq’s rights as a neighboring country or threaten its territory’s integrity and people’s safety.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Iraq News | Al Furat:PKK ready to negotiate with Turkey

Hakim: Iran-US talks on Iraq highly Constructive

Head of United Iraq Coalition (UIC) Seyed Abdelaziz Hakim said on Saturday that Iran-US talks, which indicate Tehran's support for the Iraqi people, have thus far been "highly constructive."

Speaking in an exclusive interview with IRNA, Hakim hoped the next round of talks would be more constructive and more transparent than the previous ones.

He appreciated Iran's endeavors to solve problems facing the Iraqi people and welcomed its initiatives on Iraq in the Istanbul meeting of Iraq neighboring states. He said some clauses of the initiative are positive and the others need further studies.

As for developments in northern Iraq, Hakim said, "We take the side of the Turkish government in that regard and the Iraqi government does not like any problem arising in the region in that connection."

Pointing to some articles of Iraq's constitution which says the Iraqi territory should not used for activities of terrorist groups, Hakim said some Turkish forces are present in certain parts of the country and "we hope there will remain no excuse to be used by Ankara."

On presence of the US troops in Iraq, Hakim said, "The Iraqi people are not the least interested in presence of the forces in their country and we hope conditions will be prepared for speedy withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraqi territory."

Hakim: Iran-US talks on Iraq highly constructive - Irna

I see other postings elsewhere that oil is over $100. However, this is relating to the Australian Dollar not $US. I saw the articles yesterday but decided not to post them as I think they are somewhat misleading for our purposes. (Although it is around $97/$98 US). So still interesting.

Oil pipeline set ablaze by bomb in Iraq

Iraqi insurgents blew up a roadside bomb under an oil pipeline in the central province of Salahudin on Saturday, setting up a huge fire, a provincial police source said.

The pipeline, which carries oil from the northern oil fields of Kirkuk to Beiji refinery, went into flames before midday in the Fatha area near the town of Beiji, 200 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Fire engines rushed to scene to put out the fire and prevented an escalation of the damage.
Thick black smoke billowed high into the sky, as intense heat from the fire prevented fire fighters from approaching the blaze, he said.

Oil pipeline set ablaze by bomb in Iraq_English_Xinhua

Al-Maliki urges return of ICRC staff to Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Saturday to return its staff to his country and pledged to provide all necessary protection to them countrywide.

During his meeting with visiting ICRC delegation, led by Beatrice Megevand-Roggo - the ICRC's head of operations for the Middle East and North Africa, at his office here, Al-Maliki said his government was fully ready to help the ICRC resume its humanitarian operations in Iraq and alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi people.

The premier vowed to ensure all necessary protection and security for the ICRC personnel so that they could work safely and smoothly.

He, meanwhile, called on the ICRC to develop project that better suite the needs of the current period of time and meet the basic needs of the majority of the poor people.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Mahmud Zebari received Beatrice Megevand-Roggo and her party at the premises of his ministry Friday.
He called for the return of ICRC staff to Iraq, citing the tangible improvement of the security situation in Iraq.

For her part, Beatrice Megevand-Roggo said her international organization was finalizing the legal procedures related to the return of its staff to Iraq.
The ICRC decided to pull back a large number of its staff from Iraq after it lost five lives in a terrorist attack in October, 2003.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesP...12&Language=en

Iran, Iraq sign MOU on expansion of cooperation in Academic and Oil fields

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq signed on Saturday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on expansion of mutual cooperation in academic and oil fields, the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Oil Ministry said in two separate statements on Saturday.

According to the statement, the two countries' academic centers are to cooperate in exchange of scientific information and instructors.
The MoU enables the Iraqi university students to continue higher education at MS, BS and Ph.D levels in Iranian universities.

In another statement, the Iraqi Oil Ministry declared that Iran and Iraq have signed an MoU on construction of two pipeline networks for transfer of oil as well as oil derivatives.

Iran, Iraq sign MoU on expansion of cooperation in academic, oil fields - Irna

17,000 sham names getting monthly salaries – anti-corruption board

Baghdad, Nov 10, (VOI) – The Iraqi anti-corruption board revealed there are 17,000 false names receiving monthly salaries from the state institutions, adding that files that had to do with corruption were lost.

Moussa Faraj, the board chief, during a press conference on Saturday, attributed the spread of corruption to the large financial appropriations cashed without any control or monitoring, not to mention the "clear weakness in the anti-corruption agencies' performance."

"The current strategy at the board is to focus on the basic aspects for citizens, including the poverty under which 60 percent of the Iraqis are groaning," said Faraj, noting "committees will be established to detect causes of poverty in all provinces."

Faraj, however, praised some of the Iraqi ministries for dealing with corruption related issues "individually."

Samy Ahmed Shabak, the board's deputy chief, said the board was preparing an inventory of the lost files compiled during the time of former board chief Radi al-Radi.

http://www.aswataliraq.info/look/eng...=2&NrSection=1