Thread: Iraq/Dinar News. 09/05 to 01/14/07

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IBO856012.htm

"Enough talk, now act," Iraq unity forum tells PM
18 Dec 2006 16:35:29 GMT
Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Iraq's government must offer a timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal and repeal a law banning ex-members of Saddam Hussein's party from public and military jobs, delegates to a reconciliation conference said on Monday.

"It is in the hands of the government now," said Naseer al- Ani, spokesman of the unity forum held in Baghdad over the weekend, which was aimed at easing soaring sectarian violence.

The conference brought together senior and mid-level Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and ethnic Kurdish politicians with members of Saddam's Baath party in exile and representatives of armed groups.

Most of the meetings were held behind closed doors in the heavily fortified Green Zone.

The committees also called on the government to disband militias, blamed for most of the communal bloodshed in Iraq, delegates said.

"If the government implements the recommendations it will be a real step forward," Ani said.

Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called in his opening remarks on Saturday for the return of all officers of Saddam's disbanded army -- an overture to disaffected Sunni Arabs.

He also urged a review of "debaathification", which has purged former Baath party members from public office.

Officials who took part in the talks described Maliki's words as positive but said they were not enough in themselves.

"It is good he said that, but he should not stop at saying it. He should also work on making it happen," said a Sunni Arab official who took part in the conference.

Shortly after the U.S. invasion to topple Saddam, U.S. administrator Paul Bremer dissolved the Iraqi army, a move that experts said drove many Sunni Arab soldiers and officers into the mostly Sunni insurgency fighting the Shi'ite-led government.

Maliki, who is struggling to rein in violence between Sunni Arabs and majority Shi'ites, has said Iraq's U.S.-trained forces will be ready to take over security from U.S. forces by June.

Washington says it will send its 140,000 U.S. troops home as Iraqi forces become more capable and assume security, but it has refused to offer a timetable for withdrawal.

Maliki, who took office seven months ago, has pledged several times to disband militias, many of which are tied to political parties in his coalition. Sunni Arabs accuse Shi'ite militias of targeting their community.

Ani said another reconciliation conference would follow in two months, with wider participation from representatives of armed groups that want to join the political process.

But he echoed comments by many political analysts that time was running out for Maliki.

"If the government puts the recommendations on hold then this conference will be like the other ones: no results," Ani said.

Originally Posted by lndmn_01

Actually they said they were going to move the rate to 1000 to the dollar. then they said they weren't. Later they said they would move the rate to 12XX to the dollar. Then they said that was wrong. The last thing they said was that they would increase the rate by 13%. I guess we'll see!

So if the GoI has stated their intentions to move the exchange rate to what you have posted above, why are so many people on this forum stating a huge RV is near? Surely a 13% increase is NOT what so many are getting so stoked about.

U.S.-Iraq Business Dialogue: Membership Opportunity - Deadline Extended
December 2006

The U.S. Department of Commerce and Iraqi Ministry of Trade have established the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialogue. The Business Dialogue is a bilateral forum to facilitate private sector business growth in Iraq and to strengthen trade and investment ties between the United States and Iraq. Further, the Business Dialogue will advise the U.S. Department of Commerce and Iraqi Ministry of Trade on private sector views of Iraq's business environment and make recommendations for ways to enhance Iraq’s commercial development. The application deadline has been extended to December 28, 2006. For more information, please review the Federal Register Notice and Notice of Deadline Extension

Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force

Baghdad, 19 December 2006 (Al-Sabaah)

A member at the Higher Committee of Reconciliation has indicted the positive effects of the Parties' conference which will appear over the next weeks.

Several MPs participate in the conference proceeding said that the conference had dropped the motto of the opposition and they see it as an indication on big initiatives to reconcile among quarreling parties, push the political process forward and equally work to eradicate terrorism focuses.Yondam Kanaa, the member of reconciliation committee affirmed that the conference will create many positive results will appear on the ground soon. He stated to as-Sabah newspaper that these results will appear over the few next weeks, referring that the recommendations, the committees had reached to be semi-imperative.

MPs regard conference push political process forward | Iraq Updates

19 December 2006 (Aljazeera)

Syria and Iraq on Monday signed an agreement on boosting security co-operation, less than a month after a renewal of diplomatic relations, the state news agency Sana reported.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Jawad al-Bolani, the visiting Iraqi interior minister, and General Bassam Abdul Majid, his Syrian counterpart.

It calls for closer co-operation in a bid to strengthen security on the border between Syria and Iraq, to step up measures against terrorism and ease the extradition of suspects, Sana said.

Bolani travelled to Syria from Amman, where he signed a similar pact with Jordan.

On November 21, Iraq and Syria announced the restoration of diplomatic ties, 26 years after Saddam Hussein, the then Iraqi president, severed relations in protest at Syria's support for Iran in its war against Iraq.

The move came at the end of a visit to Baghdad by Walid Moallem, the Syrian foreign minister, the first by a foreign minister from Damascus since the 2003 overthrow of Saddam in a US-led invasion.

Recommendations

In other news, Naseer al-Ani of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party and spokesperson for Iraq’s reconciliation conference said the meeting has come up with more than 30 recommendations, among them were the formation of some committees.

These recommendations will be semi-abiding if they were to be implemented, as he put it. The constitutional committee recommended reviewing the constitution, particularly the articles on federalism and banning of "Saddamist Baath" and its members from employment.

The army committee recommended that the formation an Iraqi army should be based on patriotic and professional bases, making use of the former Iraqi army and calling for compulsory military service.

The constitution power committee proposed setting a timetable for foreign forces' pullout from Iraq and urgently handing over security duties to Iraqis.

It suggested asking the Iraqi parliament to pass a law nullifying the so-called Bremer laws - laws passed on the watch L Paul Bremer, the US pro-consul in Iraq just after the invasion - that contradict the national interest.

Syria and Iraq sign security accord | Iraq Updates

Baghdad, 19 December 2006 (Al-Sabaah)

The specialist cadres at the Ministry of Water Resources have realized advanced levels within project of observing ground water levels in the provinces for investment and agricultural purposes over the future.

In statement to as-Sabah newspaper, an official source at the State Directorate of Digging Water Wells said that the specialist cadres at the board has accomplished until now the digging of several well in various regions in the provinces.

Advanced levels in water project | Iraq Updates

Originally Posted by Fidgets Father

So if the GoI has stated their intentions to move the exchange rate to what you have posted above, why are so many people on this forum stating a huge RV is near? Surely a 13% increase is NOT what so many are getting so stoked about.

Part of the reason, Fidgets, is because of articles with statements like this. The exchange rate HAS TO be higher before this law goes into effect (in my opinion).

Kuwait, Iraq to discuss cross-border oil fields

KUWAIT: Delegates from Kuwait and Iran will meet with Iraqi officials to consider sharing oil production agreements for cross-border fields, Dow Jones reports. Meetings with Iranian officials will take place this month, and discussions with Kuwaiti counterparts are planned for a later date.
Following the Iranian discussions, a company will be picked to appraise the reserves. It is worth mentioning that a modern fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit will be build for the refinery at Basra, for production of lighter products such as gasoline from heavy crude oil. Funds will also be utilized for a floating terminal in the Persian Gulf and a new pipeline.
An Iraq Petroleum Council will oversee all new contracts under a new hydrocarbon law which is scheduled to take effect in January. All previous contracts will be reviewed. Some details of the law still need to be finalised with Kurds in the north, who already established a separate licensing procedure.

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/localnews...tid=1684187300

Anbar, 19 December 2006 (Al-Sabaah)

Citizens from Ramadi people expressed to their hope about conference of parties and political powers conference to result in useful solutions of country's crisis and beginning Iraq reconstruction.

Member of Anbar salvage council Ahmed Bzeia'a said that some of blocs which participated in political process or other blocs want apply agendas of regional and international sides which support them not interest of Iraqi people so they didn’t participate at the conference. Meanwhile, another member said on condition of anonymity that he calls to reinstate compulsory military service because it's ideal solution to achieve peoples' unity.

Ramadi people hope positive results of conference | Iraq Updates

19 December 2006 (Al-Sabaah)

High committee of reconciliation received recommendations of four committees which formed by parties and powers' conference.

MP Yonadm Kanna said that these recommendations would be imperative because governmental, parliament and judicial sides assumed to achieve it before conference and mentioned to positive results which described it as major and important would appear during few weeks. Meanwhile, committees of balancing, constitution, Iraqi army and dissolved services and sovereignty recommended of about thirty parts as avoidance sectarianism and partiality at ministries, review constitution articles related to federalism, organize Debathification committee, form army resting on national participation, banning militias of any side, put timetable to withdraw foreign forces at the same time of develop Iraqi forces.

Conference raises 30 recommendations | Iraq Updates

Originally Posted by Fidgets Father

So if the GoI has stated their intentions to move the exchange rate to what you have posted above, why are so many people on this forum stating a huge RV is near? Surely a 13% increase is NOT what so many are getting so stoked about.

Because 13% is absurdly low. Vipor is right about needing a change before the

HCL, the most important part being revenue sharing. The government plans to

distribute 10 billion USD(1/3 of the oil revenues) to the Iraqi people every

month. This comes to about 1.38 trillion dinar per month. This is about 16% of

the physical dinar in circulation, meaning after six months the currency supply

would be gone(this is if none goes back into the cbi. If 1/2 makes it back

every month they will be out of cash in about 10 months).

There is also the FIL that should be in effect after the first of the year. At

the current rate shares on the ISX are very, very cheap (less than penny

stocks). It is the opinion of many people here that a strong reval is needed in

order to protect the shares on the ISX from being bought by outside

speculators for next to nothing.