Iraq Reconstruction News
3 May 2007
1. STATEMENT FROM MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT - IRAQ. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) clarifies its position regarding the latest developments on the Draft Oil Law. http://www.krg.org/pdf/MNR_Statement_20070427.pdf
2. Iran gives $1b in credit to rebuild Iraq - Tehran: Iran has extended $1 billion in credits for reconstruction projects in Iraq, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday ahead of an international conference on stabilizing Iraq. Ali Larijani, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, said a committee of experts from both countries was discussing possible development projects, including some involving energy, the state-run news agency IRNA reported. http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iran/10122372.html
3. Iraq wins debt relief - Iraq has won a trickle of debt relief pledges at a big international conference in Egypt. Egypt and three East European countries agreed to waive debts owed by Iraq as part of an International Compact to support Iraqi institutions in exchange for political and economic reforms by the Baghdad government. http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1096446
4. Report: U.S. investment in Iraqi reconstruction at risk -- BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Poor construction, improper design, substandard materials and lack of maintenance have brought into question the usefulness of seven of eight U.S.-funded Iraq reconstruction projects. So says an inspector general report that recently examined the eight reconstruction projects. http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/30/iraq.reconstruction/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
5. U.S.-funded projects falter in Iraq - USA Today -Widespread corruption, an unwieldy bureaucracy and inadequate funding threaten the Iraqi government's ability to complete or maintain U.S.-funded reconstruction projects, according to an oversight report to be released today. The report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction says some projects portrayed as successes by U.S. officials have started breaking down because of poor maintenance, shoddy construction or simple neglect. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-04-29-us-funded-projects_N.htm
6. Iraq to but more of Iran electricity - Iran's electricity export to Iraq is set to increase to 500 megawatts as a new power line comes on stream in Khosravi, Kermanshah Province. The 400-kilovolt transmission line, which will be 200 kilometers long, is scheduled to be put into operation through a 450 billion rial (roughly $48.64 million) investment, said Aziz Karimi, Managing Director of the West Regional Power Company. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=8084§ionid=351020103
7. Rick Barton Discusses Iraq Reconstruction - On 30 April 2007, CSIS PCR Co-Director Rick Barton appeared on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 to discuss ongoing problems with the U.S.-led reconstruction effort in Iraq. Read the transcript here: http://pcrproject.com/blog/2007/05/01/rick-barton-discusses-iraq-reconstruction/
8. Iraq Not Getting Power Invest Needed For Reconstruction - Minister -- LONDON - (Dow Jones)- Iraq isn't receiving all investment it needs to rebuild its dilapidated electricity sector and reduce the widespread power cuts experienced every day across the country, Electricity Minister Karim Hasan said. "We have spoken with many investors and there is project money being put into (the power sector in) Iraq but we have many needs and much more is needed," Hasan told a small group of journalists in London. http://news.morningstar.com/news/ViewNews.asp?article=/DJ/200704260650DOWJONESDJONLINE000565_univ.xml
9. Program to combat administrative corruption in Missan - Missan, Apr 13, (VOI) - The New Iraq Academic staff Organization in Missan started on Friday a program for combating the administrative corruption in the province in cooperation with the Development of Civil Society Centre in the southern section of Iraq. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=41881&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
10. Baghdad International Airport: Iraq's Gateway to the World - Blackanthem Military News, BAGHDAD, Iraq – Baghdad International Airport currently has between 18 and 24 flights transporting more than 1,000 passengers daily to destinations inside and outside the country. The environment there feels like any other airport in the world with its duty free shops, restaurant and other stores that sell books and clothes. Allan Nelson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, says about 1,200 Iraqis are employed there and he’s proud of the numerous improvements that have been completed over the past two years. http://www.blackanthem.com/News/U_S_Military_19/Baghdad_International_Airport_Iraq_s_Gateway_to_the_World6053.shtml
11. Iran halves tariffs on Iraq-bound goods -- TEHRAN, (MNA) -- Iran’s Ports and Shipping Organization (PSO) Sunday announced that it has reduced by 50 percent the port tariffs and costs for the vessels that transport goods to Iraq. In line with the objectives of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the maritime cooperation between Iran and Iraq, PSO made the decision. http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=474448
12. Mixed messages - Economist.com - For some, it was a golden age in Iraq's history: those oil-boom years in the 1970s and early 1980s when women in Iraq combined jobs and children with greater ease than many non-superwomen in the West. Rather than relying on migrant labour like other Arab oil states, Iraq tapped its own unused resource—women—and tempted them to work with generous maternity benefits, free child care and transport to and from school and workplace. Peasant women were taught to read and write. Yet these were also the years when Saddam Hussein was committing some of his worst atrocities against Iraq's Kurds and Shias, men and women. http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8998263
13. Iraqi government scraps wireless auction plans, reaches deal with current operators - Iraq has scrapped its long-delayed cellular auction and instead decided to license the three national mobile phone carriers in June under an arrangement calling for revenue-sharing and an upfront cash payment of at least $250 million from each operator, according to Iraqi government and industry sources. http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070420/FREE/70420007/1005/allnews
14. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF FAILURE IN IRAQ: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION - This article examines the course of the disastrous U.S. reconstruction of Iraq from the invasion through the fall of 2006. It locates the source of America's many failings not only in the ignorance that governed the Bush Administration's assumptions about the ease of postwar reconstruction and the absence of appropriate or realistic planning that resulted, but also in a series of equally mistaken decisions by the Bush Administration, the Coalition Provisional Authority, and the U.S. military in the years that followed. It argues that the political deadlock, security vacuum, and absence of a functional Iraqi economy today are all the result of these problems and that only dramatic changes in U.S. policy--not the tactical tinkering that the Bush Administration has engaged in over the past 18 months and that many of its critics continue to recommend today--have any chance of undoing the damage of this long chain of needless mistakes. http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2006/issue4/jv10no4a1.html
15. Ministry plans to create 3 million jobs -- Azzaman -- The Ministry of Agriculture has unveiled a three-year development plan under which it hopes to create ‘three million jobs’. Agriculture Minister Nadhem al-Abadi said most of the new jobs will be created in the southern and central parts of the country. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-04-14\kurd1.htm
16. Iraq corruption commissioner says rampant problem has cost $8B - [JURIST] Iraq has lost $8 billion through corruption over the past three years, Radi al-Radhi, the head of Iraq's public corruption commission, told AP Wednesday. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/04/iraq-corruption-commissioner-says.php
17. Thousands without food and supplies due to failing distribution system - BAGHDAD (IRIN) - Thousands of Iraqis are going without food and basic supplies as the country's food distribution infrastructure crumbles, according to a new report. The country's Public Distribution System (PDS), set up in 1995 as part of the UN's Oil-for-Food programme, has been hit by insecurity, poor management, corruption and a lack of political will. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/3a7e2aaa336e0e7fc808050218b70e6a.htm
18. Years after Widespread Looting of Museums, Iraq's Antiquities Remain Vulnerable. Although home to some of the world's earliest civilizations, Iraq's basic security needs have overshadowed efforts to protect the country's treasured archeological sites, resulting in an increase in vandalism and theft. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/middle_east/jan-june07/artifacts_04-30.html
END
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
2 May 2007
1. SIGIR April 2007 Quarterly Report http://www.sigir.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/Apr07/Default.aspx
2. SIGIR: Status of the Advanced First Responder Network http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/07-002.pdf
3. SIGIR Project Assessment Reports http://www.sigir.mil/reports/onsite.aspx
4. Brookings Iraq Index 30 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
5. Report Cites Problems with Iraq Rebuilding Costs - Morning Edition, April 30, 2007 · A report from the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction says Iraqis are doing a poor job maintaining buildings and equipment paid for with U.S. money. The report offers a snapshot on how more than $20 billion of U.S. taxpayer funds are being spent. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9910519
6. New Report Details Reconstruction Failures in Iraq - Billions of U.S. dollars have been invested in improving Iraq's infrastructure since 2003, but the effort has been beset by problems. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen discusses his latest report. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/bowen_04-30.html
7. Kurds Will Oppose Oil and Gas Law - Kurdish MPs have reversed their position on the US-backed draft legislation that would regulate Iraq’s oil and gas industries, Reuters reports. On Monday, Kurdish spokesman Khalid Saleh said that Kurdish lawmakers would oppose the bill on the basis of a provision added since February, when the Kurdish bloc said it would support the draft legislation. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2595/Kurds_Will_Oppose_Oil_and_Gas_Law
8. Iraqi blocs opposed to draft oil bill - ERBIL, Iraq: Kurdish and Sunni Arab officials expressed deep reservations on Wednesday about the draft version of a national oil law and related legislation, misgivings that could derail one of the benchmark measures of progress in Iraq laid down by President George W. Bush. The draft law, which establishes a framework for the distribution of oil revenues, was approved by the Iraqi cabinet in late February after months of negotiations. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/03/africa/03iraq.php
9. Iraq’s oil law architect confident draft will pass - Reuters - BAGHDAD - Iraq’s deputy prime minister said on Tuesday he was confident a draft oil law will be approved in parliament after officials from the central government and Kurdistan meet to iron out differences. Barham Salih said the meetings could take place as early as the weekend. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/May/focusoniraq_May4.xml§ion=focusoniraq
10. Analysis: Fight rages over Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, April 27 (UPI) -- Discussions turned contentious among the more than 60 Iraqi oil officials reviewing Iraq's draft hydrocarbons bill last week in the United Arab Emirates. But the dispute highlighted the need for further negotiations on the proposed law that was stalled in talks for nearly eight months, then pushed through Iraq's Cabinet without most key provisions. Tariq Shafiq, one of three authors of the law, said he attended the Dubai summit "reluctantly," at the request of Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/27/analysis_fight_rages_over_iraq_oil_law/
11. Analysis: Iraq oil law author now a critic -- WASHINGTON, May 2 (UPI) -- A critic of Iraq's draft oil law with perhaps the biggest shadow -- one of its original authors -- says the version penned by oil experts has been compromised by politics and he no longer wants it approved. "I think really the majority of the oil technocrats are against it," Tariq Shafiq, director of the oil consultant firm Petrolog & Associates and one of three authors of Iraq's draft hydrocarbons law, told United Press International in a telephone interview from his home in Amman, Jordan. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/05/02/analysis_iraq_oil_law_author_now_a_critic/
12. SOC Takes Control of South Rumaylah Gas Compressor Station - Blackanthem Military News, BASRAH, Iraq – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently turned over the biggest gas compressor station in Basrah to the Southern Oil Company which will help to boost Iraq’s economic position in the global marketplace. http://www.blackanthem.com/News/U_S_Military_19/SOC_Takes_Control_of_South_Rumaylah_Gas_Compressor_Station6279.shtml
13. Iraq’s Petroleum Law: Politicized Management Vis-à-Vis Optimal Resource Management - The following article was written for MEES by Tariq Shafiq, Founding Executive Director, Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), Director, Petrolog & Associates, and Chair, Fertile Crescent Oil Development Co (based in Baghdad).
http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/v50n18-5OD01.htm
14. Foreign Oil Projects Stall In Wait for Iraqi Permits -- ZAKHO, Iraq -- After building a 42 kilometer pipeline and sending out a flurry of optimistic news releases over the past three years, Det Norske Oljeselskap, a small Norwegian oil company, is still waiting for permission to open the taps on what could be post-Saddam Hussein Iraq's first foreign-developed oil field. The holdup: Iraqi politicians in Baghdad, a nine-hour drive south of here, have yet to approve a hydrocarbon law laying down the legal framework for foreign investment in the country's sensitive oil industry. Lawmakers could vote on a version of the law in May, but the legislation has already missed a series of deadlines since the American-led invasion four years ago. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117789465618586522.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
15. Iraqi oil reserves may surpass those of Saudi Arabia, oil minister says - Azzaman, May 1, 2007 - Explorations and surveys done in the past four years show that Iraqi oil reserves may exceed those of Saudi Arabi, said Oil Minister Husain al-Shahristani. Speaking at Babylon University in the southern city of Hilla, the minister said Iraq has 115 billion barrels of proven reserves already explored and perhaps more than that number of reserves yet to be explored. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2007-05-01%5Ckurd1.htm
16. Foreign Minister Song to attend Egypt conference on reconstruction of Iraq -- SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Song Min-soon arrived in Cairo Wednesday to attend an international conference on the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq, the Foreign Ministry said. The inaugural meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) will be held Thursday at the Sharm el-Sheikh International Congress Center with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other political leaders from across the world attending, the ministry said in a press release. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070502/630000000020070502092322E2.html
17. Iraq pleads for funds to rebuild - BBC - Iraq's prime minister has appealed for other countries to write off its debts, at the start of a summit called to try to rebuild and stabilise the country. Nouri Maliki urged delegates at the talks in Egypt to help "build a united, democratic and federal Iraq". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6616841.stm
18. China to grant Iraq 6.5m dollars in aid in 2007 - foreign minister. Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) ["China To Grant Iraq 50 Mln Yuan in Aid This Year: FM" - Xinhua headline] Sharm El-shaykh, Egypt, May 3 (Xinhua) - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi announced here on Thursday morning that the Chinese government will give a grant of 50m yuan of RMB ( about 6.5m US dollars) to Iraq in 2007 and forgive all the debts owed by the Iraqi government. The sum will be used to provide assistance in Iraq's public health and education, Yang said at a ministerial meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) opened in the day at this Egyptian Red Sea resort. "The Chinese government is ready to substantially reduce and forgive the debts owed by Iraq. In particular, it will forgive all the debts owed by the Iraqi government," he said. Yang, who was named as Chinese foreign minister on April 27, also said China is ready to resolve through continued friendly consultation with Iraq the issue regarding its request for debt reduction and forgiveness according to the arrangement of the Paris Club. Yang, who arrived at this Red Sea resort on Wednesday afternoon, was on his first international mission after he replaced retired Li Zhaoxing as Chinese foreign minister. The ICI meeting, with the attendance of some 60 nations and 12 regional and international organizations, was the largest international meeting on Iraq ever since the US-led coalition forces seized Baghdad in April of 2003. The ICI was initially launched on July 28, 2006, in the hope of creating "a permanent partnership between Iraq and the international community" to help Iraq in its reconstruction efforts and to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years. The initiative, with strong support from the United States, looks like a type of five-year plan for Iraq, yet it is also based on economic, political and security commitments by the Iraqi government in the next five years. The ICI is supposed to be chaired jointly by Iraq and the UN, with the support of the World Bank. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0920 gmt 3 May 07
19. Police Pay-Wagons of Iraq - How Do Iraq’s Finest Get Paid? Not exactly the way New York’s finest get paid, as Richard Miniter - on assignment for PJM in Iraq - discovered. Since so few have a bank account, Iraqi cops (and other public officials) are paid in cash - just as they were under Saddam. And they like it that way. http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/04/iraqi_pay_wagons.php
20. War News Radio: Expatriate Dreams http://warnewsradio.org/
END
2 May 2007
1. SIGIR April 2007 Quarterly Report http://www.sigir.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/Apr07/Default.aspx
2. SIGIR: Status of the Advanced First Responder Network http://www.sigir.mil/reports/pdf/audits/07-002.pdf
3. SIGIR Project Assessment Reports http://www.sigir.mil/reports/onsite.aspx
4. Brookings Iraq Index 30 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
5. Report Cites Problems with Iraq Rebuilding Costs - Morning Edition, April 30, 2007 · A report from the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction says Iraqis are doing a poor job maintaining buildings and equipment paid for with U.S. money. The report offers a snapshot on how more than $20 billion of U.S. taxpayer funds are being spent. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9910519
6. New Report Details Reconstruction Failures in Iraq - Billions of U.S. dollars have been invested in improving Iraq's infrastructure since 2003, but the effort has been beset by problems. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen discusses his latest report. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/bowen_04-30.html
7. Kurds Will Oppose Oil and Gas Law - Kurdish MPs have reversed their position on the US-backed draft legislation that would regulate Iraq’s oil and gas industries, Reuters reports. On Monday, Kurdish spokesman Khalid Saleh said that Kurdish lawmakers would oppose the bill on the basis of a provision added since February, when the Kurdish bloc said it would support the draft legislation. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2595/Kurds_Will_Oppose_Oil_and_Gas_Law
8. Iraqi blocs opposed to draft oil bill - ERBIL, Iraq: Kurdish and Sunni Arab officials expressed deep reservations on Wednesday about the draft version of a national oil law and related legislation, misgivings that could derail one of the benchmark measures of progress in Iraq laid down by President George W. Bush. The draft law, which establishes a framework for the distribution of oil revenues, was approved by the Iraqi cabinet in late February after months of negotiations. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/03/africa/03iraq.php
9. Iraq’s oil law architect confident draft will pass - Reuters - BAGHDAD - Iraq’s deputy prime minister said on Tuesday he was confident a draft oil law will be approved in parliament after officials from the central government and Kurdistan meet to iron out differences. Barham Salih said the meetings could take place as early as the weekend. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/May/focusoniraq_May4.xml§ion=focusoniraq
10. Analysis: Fight rages over Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, April 27 (UPI) -- Discussions turned contentious among the more than 60 Iraqi oil officials reviewing Iraq's draft hydrocarbons bill last week in the United Arab Emirates. But the dispute highlighted the need for further negotiations on the proposed law that was stalled in talks for nearly eight months, then pushed through Iraq's Cabinet without most key provisions. Tariq Shafiq, one of three authors of the law, said he attended the Dubai summit "reluctantly," at the request of Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/27/analysis_fight_rages_over_iraq_oil_law/
11. Analysis: Iraq oil law author now a critic -- WASHINGTON, May 2 (UPI) -- A critic of Iraq's draft oil law with perhaps the biggest shadow -- one of its original authors -- says the version penned by oil experts has been compromised by politics and he no longer wants it approved. "I think really the majority of the oil technocrats are against it," Tariq Shafiq, director of the oil consultant firm Petrolog & Associates and one of three authors of Iraq's draft hydrocarbons law, told United Press International in a telephone interview from his home in Amman, Jordan. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/05/02/analysis_iraq_oil_law_author_now_a_critic/
12. SOC Takes Control of South Rumaylah Gas Compressor Station - Blackanthem Military News, BASRAH, Iraq – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently turned over the biggest gas compressor station in Basrah to the Southern Oil Company which will help to boost Iraq’s economic position in the global marketplace. http://www.blackanthem.com/News/U_S_Military_19/SOC_Takes_Control_of_South_Rumaylah_Gas_Compressor_Station6279.shtml
13. Iraq’s Petroleum Law: Politicized Management Vis-à-Vis Optimal Resource Management - The following article was written for MEES by Tariq Shafiq, Founding Executive Director, Iraq National Oil Company (INOC), Director, Petrolog & Associates, and Chair, Fertile Crescent Oil Development Co (based in Baghdad).
http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/v50n18-5OD01.htm
14. Foreign Oil Projects Stall In Wait for Iraqi Permits -- ZAKHO, Iraq -- After building a 42 kilometer pipeline and sending out a flurry of optimistic news releases over the past three years, Det Norske Oljeselskap, a small Norwegian oil company, is still waiting for permission to open the taps on what could be post-Saddam Hussein Iraq's first foreign-developed oil field. The holdup: Iraqi politicians in Baghdad, a nine-hour drive south of here, have yet to approve a hydrocarbon law laying down the legal framework for foreign investment in the country's sensitive oil industry. Lawmakers could vote on a version of the law in May, but the legislation has already missed a series of deadlines since the American-led invasion four years ago. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117789465618586522.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
15. Iraqi oil reserves may surpass those of Saudi Arabia, oil minister says - Azzaman, May 1, 2007 - Explorations and surveys done in the past four years show that Iraqi oil reserves may exceed those of Saudi Arabi, said Oil Minister Husain al-Shahristani. Speaking at Babylon University in the southern city of Hilla, the minister said Iraq has 115 billion barrels of proven reserves already explored and perhaps more than that number of reserves yet to be explored. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2007-05-01%5Ckurd1.htm
16. Foreign Minister Song to attend Egypt conference on reconstruction of Iraq -- SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Song Min-soon arrived in Cairo Wednesday to attend an international conference on the reconstruction of war-torn Iraq, the Foreign Ministry said. The inaugural meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) will be held Thursday at the Sharm el-Sheikh International Congress Center with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other political leaders from across the world attending, the ministry said in a press release. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070502/630000000020070502092322E2.html
17. Iraq pleads for funds to rebuild - BBC - Iraq's prime minister has appealed for other countries to write off its debts, at the start of a summit called to try to rebuild and stabilise the country. Nouri Maliki urged delegates at the talks in Egypt to help "build a united, democratic and federal Iraq". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6616841.stm
18. China to grant Iraq 6.5m dollars in aid in 2007 - foreign minister. Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) ["China To Grant Iraq 50 Mln Yuan in Aid This Year: FM" - Xinhua headline] Sharm El-shaykh, Egypt, May 3 (Xinhua) - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi announced here on Thursday morning that the Chinese government will give a grant of 50m yuan of RMB ( about 6.5m US dollars) to Iraq in 2007 and forgive all the debts owed by the Iraqi government. The sum will be used to provide assistance in Iraq's public health and education, Yang said at a ministerial meeting of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI) opened in the day at this Egyptian Red Sea resort. "The Chinese government is ready to substantially reduce and forgive the debts owed by Iraq. In particular, it will forgive all the debts owed by the Iraqi government," he said. Yang, who was named as Chinese foreign minister on April 27, also said China is ready to resolve through continued friendly consultation with Iraq the issue regarding its request for debt reduction and forgiveness according to the arrangement of the Paris Club. Yang, who arrived at this Red Sea resort on Wednesday afternoon, was on his first international mission after he replaced retired Li Zhaoxing as Chinese foreign minister. The ICI meeting, with the attendance of some 60 nations and 12 regional and international organizations, was the largest international meeting on Iraq ever since the US-led coalition forces seized Baghdad in April of 2003. The ICI was initially launched on July 28, 2006, in the hope of creating "a permanent partnership between Iraq and the international community" to help Iraq in its reconstruction efforts and to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years. The initiative, with strong support from the United States, looks like a type of five-year plan for Iraq, yet it is also based on economic, political and security commitments by the Iraqi government in the next five years. The ICI is supposed to be chaired jointly by Iraq and the UN, with the support of the World Bank. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0920 gmt 3 May 07
19. Police Pay-Wagons of Iraq - How Do Iraq’s Finest Get Paid? Not exactly the way New York’s finest get paid, as Richard Miniter - on assignment for PJM in Iraq - discovered. Since so few have a bank account, Iraqi cops (and other public officials) are paid in cash - just as they were under Saddam. And they like it that way. http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/04/iraqi_pay_wagons.php
20. War News Radio: Expatriate Dreams http://warnewsradio.org/
END
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
28 April 2007
1. Iraq Weekly Status Report 25 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/84026.pdf
2 Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government - IHT - Iraq's oil minister warned Thursday that international oil companies should not sign contracts that bypass the central government and the Oil Ministry, a clear warning against deals with the Kurdistan regional administration, Dow Jones Newswires reported. http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-25932.html
3 Iraqi Papers Saturday: Oil Politics - IraqSlogger.com - Al-Mada newspaper quoted, on its front page, a recent report by IHS, an energy-focused firm, affirming that Iraq’s oil reserves may exceed 200 billion barrels. The report also claimed that Iraq’s Western Desert, which has not been extensively explored for oil resources, may hold over 100 billion barrels of crude oil. For the sake of comparison, US oil reserves stand at a little over 20 billion barrels. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/topic/55
4 Iraq's economy. Oil's not well in Iraq - The announcement of a study that suggests that Iraq's oil reserves could be almost as large as those of Saudi Arabia, the world's leader, has come amid fresh evidence of the monumental difficulty of realising that potential, as bombs in Baghdad left 200 people dead in a single day and Iraqi MPs wrangled over the details of new oil legislation. The reminder of the scale of Iraq's unrealised oil wealth has come in the form of a report by IHS, an industry consultant, providing details of existing oil reserves and of more than 400 undrilled prospects and undeveloped discoveries. The Iraq Atlas estimates that Iraq has proven reserves of 116bn barrels (slightly higher than the standard industry figure), which could be supplemented by a further 100bn barrels in the barely explored desert region to the west of Baghdad. Saudi Arabia's reserves are put at 264bn barrels, with Iran occupying second place in the world ranking with 138bn barrels. http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9060287
5 KRG MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES RESPONDS TO STATEMENTS FROM BAGHDAD DETERRING OIL INVESTMENT IN IRAQ - KRG.org - Today the KRG Minister of Natural Resources issued a statement responding to the lack of progress by the Iraq Federal Government in finalising the draft Oil and Gas Law for Iraq. Officials from the Federal Government have recently issued documents, in the form of "Annexes" to the draft Law, attempting to give an unaccountable Iraq national oil company, "INOC", almost 93% of Iraq's proven petroleum reserves. They have said the draft Law and Annexes will be submitted to the Iraq Council of Representatives (Parliament). Those same officials stated at a public conference in Dubai last week that none of the petroleum fields to be given to INOC will be open to inward investment from outside Iraq. http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=&ArticleNr=17573&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
6 Iran to explore for oil inside Iraqi territory - Azzaman, April 26, 2007 - The Iranian military have occupied an Iraqi border post and are planning to explore for oil inside Iraqi territory. The Iranians first ordered Iraqi border guards to leave the post before storming it. The Iranians claim that they have already notified the Iraqi authorities of the move, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-04-26\kurd.htm
7 Kuwait Still Won't Forgive Iraqi Debt -- KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwaiti lawmakers' refusal to forgive Iraq's debt has shone a troubling light on the lingering bitterness many of its neighbors feel toward Saddam Hussein's rule _ and their suspicion of Iraq's new Shiite-led government. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki struggled against those misgivings when he tried this week to persuade Kuwait to forgive most of his country' $15 billion debt. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/26/AR2007042601295.html
8 UN chief Ban to Egypt for Iraq reconstruction summit - UNITED NATIONS, April 26, 2007 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Thursday that he will co-chair the May 3-4 conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Iraq's reconstruction along with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki. "The international community should help the Iraqi people and government to restore peace and security," Ban told reporters after returning from a trip to Europe and the Middle East. http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/3313/152/
9 Nations Balk at Compact For Iraq. Countries Resist Total Debt Relief - Washington Post - U.S. and Iraqi efforts to win international support to help stabilize Iraq are running up against serious obstacles, with key countries balking at provisions for debt relief and others concerned about blanket endorsement of an Iraqi government that has failed to follow through on many political promises, according to sources involved in the negotiations. Kuwait, Russia, China, Iran and other governments are concerned about signing a proposed resolution that calls for 100 percent debt relief for oil-rich Iraq, given the tens of billions of dollars each country is owed in debt or in war compensation by Baghdad. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402346.html
10. Iraq ditches wireless auction plans - TeleGeography.com - Iraq plans to license the three national mobile phone carriers, MTC Atheer, Orascom and Asia-Cell in June under an arrangement calling for revenue-sharing and an upfront cash payment of at least USD250 million each, according to government and industry sources. The decision comes after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, reacting to complaints over licensing uncertainty from the three cellcos, created a committee to address the matter. http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=17522&email=html
11. Baghdad International Airport: Iraq's Gateway to the World - http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-04-22-2.pdf
12. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 5 -- Businessmen in the Kurdish region complain about Turkey not facilitating visas. However, in spite of these complaints, the shelves in the biggest supermarkets in Arbil are filled with Turkish goods. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70823
13. Iraq accounting is still a muddle. Contract fails to produce system to detect fraud -- USA TODAY -- WASHINGTON — A newly formed consulting firm hired to account for more than $7.3 billion in Iraqi reconstruction money did not deliver a database that could help investigators track waste and fraud, a recent report found. The result: Two years after uncovering one major fraud case, auditors still haven't determined whether there was more graft in the spending of Iraqi oil proceeds.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070405/a_iraqaccount05.art.htm
14. Wasting Money in Iraq - CDI.org - According to the State Department, U.S. companies win the majority of contracts for reconstruction and relief operations in Iraq. But, as CDI Scoville Fellow Richard May points out, if the United States eventually wants to leave a country that has potential to be politically and economically stable, they should engage Iraqis in every aspect of reconstruction, not just the political process. http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=3920&from_page=../index.cfm
15. War News Radio: No Method to the Madness http://warnewsradio.org/2007/04/20/no-method-to-the-madness/
END
28 April 2007
1. Iraq Weekly Status Report 25 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/84026.pdf
2 Oil minister says contracts should be done through central government - IHT - Iraq's oil minister warned Thursday that international oil companies should not sign contracts that bypass the central government and the Oil Ministry, a clear warning against deals with the Kurdistan regional administration, Dow Jones Newswires reported. http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-25932.html
3 Iraqi Papers Saturday: Oil Politics - IraqSlogger.com - Al-Mada newspaper quoted, on its front page, a recent report by IHS, an energy-focused firm, affirming that Iraq’s oil reserves may exceed 200 billion barrels. The report also claimed that Iraq’s Western Desert, which has not been extensively explored for oil resources, may hold over 100 billion barrels of crude oil. For the sake of comparison, US oil reserves stand at a little over 20 billion barrels. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/topic/55
4 Iraq's economy. Oil's not well in Iraq - The announcement of a study that suggests that Iraq's oil reserves could be almost as large as those of Saudi Arabia, the world's leader, has come amid fresh evidence of the monumental difficulty of realising that potential, as bombs in Baghdad left 200 people dead in a single day and Iraqi MPs wrangled over the details of new oil legislation. The reminder of the scale of Iraq's unrealised oil wealth has come in the form of a report by IHS, an industry consultant, providing details of existing oil reserves and of more than 400 undrilled prospects and undeveloped discoveries. The Iraq Atlas estimates that Iraq has proven reserves of 116bn barrels (slightly higher than the standard industry figure), which could be supplemented by a further 100bn barrels in the barely explored desert region to the west of Baghdad. Saudi Arabia's reserves are put at 264bn barrels, with Iran occupying second place in the world ranking with 138bn barrels. http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9060287
5 KRG MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES RESPONDS TO STATEMENTS FROM BAGHDAD DETERRING OIL INVESTMENT IN IRAQ - KRG.org - Today the KRG Minister of Natural Resources issued a statement responding to the lack of progress by the Iraq Federal Government in finalising the draft Oil and Gas Law for Iraq. Officials from the Federal Government have recently issued documents, in the form of "Annexes" to the draft Law, attempting to give an unaccountable Iraq national oil company, "INOC", almost 93% of Iraq's proven petroleum reserves. They have said the draft Law and Annexes will be submitted to the Iraq Council of Representatives (Parliament). Those same officials stated at a public conference in Dubai last week that none of the petroleum fields to be given to INOC will be open to inward investment from outside Iraq. http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=&ArticleNr=17573&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
6 Iran to explore for oil inside Iraqi territory - Azzaman, April 26, 2007 - The Iranian military have occupied an Iraqi border post and are planning to explore for oil inside Iraqi territory. The Iranians first ordered Iraqi border guards to leave the post before storming it. The Iranians claim that they have already notified the Iraqi authorities of the move, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-04-26\kurd.htm
7 Kuwait Still Won't Forgive Iraqi Debt -- KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwaiti lawmakers' refusal to forgive Iraq's debt has shone a troubling light on the lingering bitterness many of its neighbors feel toward Saddam Hussein's rule _ and their suspicion of Iraq's new Shiite-led government. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki struggled against those misgivings when he tried this week to persuade Kuwait to forgive most of his country' $15 billion debt. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/26/AR2007042601295.html
8 UN chief Ban to Egypt for Iraq reconstruction summit - UNITED NATIONS, April 26, 2007 (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Thursday that he will co-chair the May 3-4 conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Iraq's reconstruction along with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki. "The international community should help the Iraqi people and government to restore peace and security," Ban told reporters after returning from a trip to Europe and the Middle East. http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/3313/152/
9 Nations Balk at Compact For Iraq. Countries Resist Total Debt Relief - Washington Post - U.S. and Iraqi efforts to win international support to help stabilize Iraq are running up against serious obstacles, with key countries balking at provisions for debt relief and others concerned about blanket endorsement of an Iraqi government that has failed to follow through on many political promises, according to sources involved in the negotiations. Kuwait, Russia, China, Iran and other governments are concerned about signing a proposed resolution that calls for 100 percent debt relief for oil-rich Iraq, given the tens of billions of dollars each country is owed in debt or in war compensation by Baghdad. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042402346.html
10. Iraq ditches wireless auction plans - TeleGeography.com - Iraq plans to license the three national mobile phone carriers, MTC Atheer, Orascom and Asia-Cell in June under an arrangement calling for revenue-sharing and an upfront cash payment of at least USD250 million each, according to government and industry sources. The decision comes after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, reacting to complaints over licensing uncertainty from the three cellcos, created a committee to address the matter. http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=17522&email=html
11. Baghdad International Airport: Iraq's Gateway to the World - http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-04-22-2.pdf
12. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 5 -- Businessmen in the Kurdish region complain about Turkey not facilitating visas. However, in spite of these complaints, the shelves in the biggest supermarkets in Arbil are filled with Turkish goods. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70823
13. Iraq accounting is still a muddle. Contract fails to produce system to detect fraud -- USA TODAY -- WASHINGTON — A newly formed consulting firm hired to account for more than $7.3 billion in Iraqi reconstruction money did not deliver a database that could help investigators track waste and fraud, a recent report found. The result: Two years after uncovering one major fraud case, auditors still haven't determined whether there was more graft in the spending of Iraqi oil proceeds.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070405/a_iraqaccount05.art.htm
14. Wasting Money in Iraq - CDI.org - According to the State Department, U.S. companies win the majority of contracts for reconstruction and relief operations in Iraq. But, as CDI Scoville Fellow Richard May points out, if the United States eventually wants to leave a country that has potential to be politically and economically stable, they should engage Iraqis in every aspect of reconstruction, not just the political process. http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=3920&from_page=../index.cfm
15. War News Radio: No Method to the Madness http://warnewsradio.org/2007/04/20/no-method-to-the-madness/
END
Friday, April 27, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
27 April 2007
1. Turkey, Iraq strike tentative oil deal -- ANKARA, Turkey April 25 (UPI) -- Turkish officials say meetings with Iraqi leaders last week included new oil export deals with Baghdad, bypassing Iraqi Kurds. Turkey threatened to stop exporting needed fuel products to Iraq after Baghdad told Ankara it would have to deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding shipments. Kurdistan, like the rest of Iraq, faces a shortage of transportation, cooking and heating fuels. http://www.upi.com:80/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/25/turkey_iraq_strike_tentative_oil_deal/
2 Asian Countries Hope to Win Oil Contracts in Iraq - As Iraq is debating a new law that will set guidelines under which authorities can negotiate with foreign oil firms, several energy-hungry countries in Asia hope to be among the first to sign contracts to explore the world's third largest oil reserves. Claudia Blume at VOA's Asia News in Hong Kong reports. http://voanews.com:80/english/2007-04-25-voa17.cfm
3 Iraqi, Kurdish Officials to Iron Out Oil Law -- (Reuters) -- Officials from Iraq's central government and the Kurdistan region will meet this week to iron out last-minute disputes over a draft oil law that will decide control of the world's third largest oil reserves. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said last week the law would be ready for submission this week to parliament, and he expected lawmakers to make no major amendments. But Kurdish energy officials have called the draft's annexes unconstitutional, raising the prospect of more disagreements and delays that dogged the lengthy law-writing process.
http://www.aina.org/news/2007042493231.htm
4 Moscow backs Lukoil Iraq project - FT.com - The Russian government is throwing its full support behind Lukoil's ambition to become the first big international energy group to develop a major Iraqi oil field following the 2003 US invasion. Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil's chief executive, said in an interview on Tuesday: "The Russian government supports us, the foreign ministry supports us, the president of the federation supports us. They support the idea of putting those Iraqi fields [into production] as soon as possible. In all these areas we have the support of the Russian government." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18294996/
5 Iraq oil law no closer to completion -- BAGHDAD April 24 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil minister said a draft law governing its oil would head to Parliament this week, but major roadblocks still need to be overcome. More than 60 current and former Iraqi oil officials met in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, last week to talk frankly about the hydrocarbons law. Instead, what was revealed was negotiations are a long way from concluding. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/24/iraq_oil_law_no_closer_to_completion/
6 Iraq’s oil deals must only be signed with central government - Iraq's oil ministry said on Thursday foreign firms should sign oil contracts only with the central government until a new oil law is passed, adding that deals outside its jurisdiction would be considered illegal. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=109594&bolum=107
7 Iraqi Oil Min Warns Companies Against Deals Bypassing Central Govt - Dow Jones Newswire - Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani Thursday warned international oil companies from signing oil contracts that bypass the federal government in Baghdad and the Oil Ministry, in a clear reference to deals signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government with a number of foreign firms. "Foreign companies shouldn't sign any contract that isn't through the federal government (in Baghdad) and the oil ministry," al-Shahristani said in a statement handed to reporters. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=44417
8 Japan Lends Iraq 102.8 Billion Yen for Oil Facilities -- (Bloomberg) -- Japan, which imports almost all its oil, agreed today to give 102.8 billion yen ($862 million) in loans to Iraq for reconstruction of the war-torn nation's oil pipelines and facilities such as power lines. The 40-year loan will be given at 0.75 percent interest, according to a statement from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The financing agreement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki visited Tokyo to meet with Trade Minister Akira Amari and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aX3Z1Bl1TTKI&refer=japan
9 Turkey vows $3.5 bln trade volume with Iraq, despite tension - ANKARA – Turkish Daily News - State Minister for Foreign Trade Kürşad Tüzmen yesterday said that the government aims to raise bilateral trade with Iraq to $3.5 billion, while playing down concerns over possible implications of Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani's harsh rhetoric on an international Iraq fair scheduled May 23-27 in Gaziantep. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70408XX.
10. Medical waste a growing health hazard - BAGHDAD/MOSUL , 8 April 2007 (IRIN) - Raghed Sarmad, 32, and her two children, aged seven and eight, spend their days scavenging through piles of rubbish in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in search of anything they can sell for food. She prefers medical waste, because there is a greater chance of finding items of some value. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71225
11. Iraqi Army receives donation from NATO - AD DIWANIYAH – In an official ceremony on April 3, the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) turned over four Bozena mine clearance vehicles and a large quantity of ammunition to the Iraqi Army. This donation is estimated to be worth a substantial amount of money and was given to the 8th Iraqi Army Division, which is based in Ad Diwaniyah in Southern Iraq. During the past two years, NTM-I has coordinated donations of equipment to Iraq from a number of NATO countries worth more than $100 million. These donations include personnel transport and general-purpose cargo trucks, various types of ammunition, refurbished T-72 tanks and BMP armored personnel carriers as well as personnel protective equipment. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1813986/posts
12. Fix the Public Distribution System to meet needs of the displaced - Reuters - Iraq's internally displaced are in desperate need of assistance as the Public Distribution System (PDS) that they and other Iraqis depend on for food and fuel is broken. Poor management is to blame for its shortcomings, as well as terrible security and a general lack of political will on the part of the Government of Iraq to acknowledge the scope of the crisis. With the central government unable or at times unwilling to protect and assist Iraqi civilians, donor governments must step in to fill the gaps. Reform of the PDS should be a priority, and agencies such as the US Department of Agriculture and the UN World Food Program (WFP) must provide the technical assistance required to ensure the system is once again fully functional and able to reach the most vulnerable Iraqis. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/219053/117631901137.htm
13. Oil flowing to Jordan within months - Iraqi Minister of State for National Security Affairs, Shirwan Alwaeli, said that an agreement was concluded with companies operating under the private sector to protect the roads linking between Iraq and Jordan, with the aim of raising the volume of trade exchange, and start transferring the expected amount of Iraqi oil to Jordan. Alwaeli said that the current security situation deferred supplying Jordan with the oil agreed at between the two countries, of 10 thousand barrels, accounting for 10% of Jordan’s consumption of crude oil per day, but efforts are being made to protect the road netween Amman and Baghdad. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3548
14. Seven Questions: Iraq's Economy - To defeat the Iraqi insurgency, there are few tasks more vital than improving the country’s struggling economy.Prior to Iraq’s December parliamentary elections, FP sat down with Ali Allawi, Iraq’s finance minister, to talk about reconstruction, corruption, and the U.S. presence in Iraq. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3330
15. Iraq PRTs to double in number by year's end -- WASHINGTON (AFNEWS) -- Plans are under way to double the number of provincial reconstruction teams now operating in Iraq by the end of the year, a senior U.S. official said April 9. "We will both double the number of PRTs and we will double the number of individuals who are working in the PRTs," said Rick Olson, chief of the national coordination team in charge of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123048138
END
27 April 2007
1. Turkey, Iraq strike tentative oil deal -- ANKARA, Turkey April 25 (UPI) -- Turkish officials say meetings with Iraqi leaders last week included new oil export deals with Baghdad, bypassing Iraqi Kurds. Turkey threatened to stop exporting needed fuel products to Iraq after Baghdad told Ankara it would have to deal with the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding shipments. Kurdistan, like the rest of Iraq, faces a shortage of transportation, cooking and heating fuels. http://www.upi.com:80/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/25/turkey_iraq_strike_tentative_oil_deal/
2 Asian Countries Hope to Win Oil Contracts in Iraq - As Iraq is debating a new law that will set guidelines under which authorities can negotiate with foreign oil firms, several energy-hungry countries in Asia hope to be among the first to sign contracts to explore the world's third largest oil reserves. Claudia Blume at VOA's Asia News in Hong Kong reports. http://voanews.com:80/english/2007-04-25-voa17.cfm
3 Iraqi, Kurdish Officials to Iron Out Oil Law -- (Reuters) -- Officials from Iraq's central government and the Kurdistan region will meet this week to iron out last-minute disputes over a draft oil law that will decide control of the world's third largest oil reserves. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said last week the law would be ready for submission this week to parliament, and he expected lawmakers to make no major amendments. But Kurdish energy officials have called the draft's annexes unconstitutional, raising the prospect of more disagreements and delays that dogged the lengthy law-writing process.
http://www.aina.org/news/2007042493231.htm
4 Moscow backs Lukoil Iraq project - FT.com - The Russian government is throwing its full support behind Lukoil's ambition to become the first big international energy group to develop a major Iraqi oil field following the 2003 US invasion. Vagit Alekperov, Lukoil's chief executive, said in an interview on Tuesday: "The Russian government supports us, the foreign ministry supports us, the president of the federation supports us. They support the idea of putting those Iraqi fields [into production] as soon as possible. In all these areas we have the support of the Russian government." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18294996/
5 Iraq oil law no closer to completion -- BAGHDAD April 24 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil minister said a draft law governing its oil would head to Parliament this week, but major roadblocks still need to be overcome. More than 60 current and former Iraqi oil officials met in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, last week to talk frankly about the hydrocarbons law. Instead, what was revealed was negotiations are a long way from concluding. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/24/iraq_oil_law_no_closer_to_completion/
6 Iraq’s oil deals must only be signed with central government - Iraq's oil ministry said on Thursday foreign firms should sign oil contracts only with the central government until a new oil law is passed, adding that deals outside its jurisdiction would be considered illegal. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=109594&bolum=107
7 Iraqi Oil Min Warns Companies Against Deals Bypassing Central Govt - Dow Jones Newswire - Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani Thursday warned international oil companies from signing oil contracts that bypass the federal government in Baghdad and the Oil Ministry, in a clear reference to deals signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government with a number of foreign firms. "Foreign companies shouldn't sign any contract that isn't through the federal government (in Baghdad) and the oil ministry," al-Shahristani said in a statement handed to reporters. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=44417
8 Japan Lends Iraq 102.8 Billion Yen for Oil Facilities -- (Bloomberg) -- Japan, which imports almost all its oil, agreed today to give 102.8 billion yen ($862 million) in loans to Iraq for reconstruction of the war-torn nation's oil pipelines and facilities such as power lines. The 40-year loan will be given at 0.75 percent interest, according to a statement from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The financing agreement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki visited Tokyo to meet with Trade Minister Akira Amari and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aX3Z1Bl1TTKI&refer=japan
9 Turkey vows $3.5 bln trade volume with Iraq, despite tension - ANKARA – Turkish Daily News - State Minister for Foreign Trade Kürşad Tüzmen yesterday said that the government aims to raise bilateral trade with Iraq to $3.5 billion, while playing down concerns over possible implications of Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani's harsh rhetoric on an international Iraq fair scheduled May 23-27 in Gaziantep. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70408XX.
10. Medical waste a growing health hazard - BAGHDAD/MOSUL , 8 April 2007 (IRIN) - Raghed Sarmad, 32, and her two children, aged seven and eight, spend their days scavenging through piles of rubbish in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in search of anything they can sell for food. She prefers medical waste, because there is a greater chance of finding items of some value. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71225
11. Iraqi Army receives donation from NATO - AD DIWANIYAH – In an official ceremony on April 3, the NATO Training Mission - Iraq (NTM-I) turned over four Bozena mine clearance vehicles and a large quantity of ammunition to the Iraqi Army. This donation is estimated to be worth a substantial amount of money and was given to the 8th Iraqi Army Division, which is based in Ad Diwaniyah in Southern Iraq. During the past two years, NTM-I has coordinated donations of equipment to Iraq from a number of NATO countries worth more than $100 million. These donations include personnel transport and general-purpose cargo trucks, various types of ammunition, refurbished T-72 tanks and BMP armored personnel carriers as well as personnel protective equipment. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1813986/posts
12. Fix the Public Distribution System to meet needs of the displaced - Reuters - Iraq's internally displaced are in desperate need of assistance as the Public Distribution System (PDS) that they and other Iraqis depend on for food and fuel is broken. Poor management is to blame for its shortcomings, as well as terrible security and a general lack of political will on the part of the Government of Iraq to acknowledge the scope of the crisis. With the central government unable or at times unwilling to protect and assist Iraqi civilians, donor governments must step in to fill the gaps. Reform of the PDS should be a priority, and agencies such as the US Department of Agriculture and the UN World Food Program (WFP) must provide the technical assistance required to ensure the system is once again fully functional and able to reach the most vulnerable Iraqis. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/219053/117631901137.htm
13. Oil flowing to Jordan within months - Iraqi Minister of State for National Security Affairs, Shirwan Alwaeli, said that an agreement was concluded with companies operating under the private sector to protect the roads linking between Iraq and Jordan, with the aim of raising the volume of trade exchange, and start transferring the expected amount of Iraqi oil to Jordan. Alwaeli said that the current security situation deferred supplying Jordan with the oil agreed at between the two countries, of 10 thousand barrels, accounting for 10% of Jordan’s consumption of crude oil per day, but efforts are being made to protect the road netween Amman and Baghdad. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3548
14. Seven Questions: Iraq's Economy - To defeat the Iraqi insurgency, there are few tasks more vital than improving the country’s struggling economy.Prior to Iraq’s December parliamentary elections, FP sat down with Ali Allawi, Iraq’s finance minister, to talk about reconstruction, corruption, and the U.S. presence in Iraq. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3330
15. Iraq PRTs to double in number by year's end -- WASHINGTON (AFNEWS) -- Plans are under way to double the number of provincial reconstruction teams now operating in Iraq by the end of the year, a senior U.S. official said April 9. "We will both double the number of PRTs and we will double the number of individuals who are working in the PRTs," said Rick Olson, chief of the national coordination team in charge of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123048138
END
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Bankrolling Basra - 2
You can download Chapter 1 of Andrew Alderson's book, "Bankrolling Basra" at http://offthepage.typepad.com/off_the_page/files/BankrollingBasra.pdf
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
24 April 2007
1. Public/Private Joint Venture Investment Opportunities in Iraq. Proposal Deadline: June 06, 2007. Iraq’s Ministry of Industry and Minerals (MIM) is seeking strong international investors to enter into joint venture production-sharing partnerships with its state-owned plants in several industries, including cement, glass and ceramics, paper, petrochemical, iron and steel, sanitary ware, and automotive. Interested investors should visit MIM's Web site to review the opportunities and contact MIM's Investment Department to obtain the full investment file. For more information about these investment opportunities, interested parties may contact Mr. John Lyons, U.S. Embassy/Baghdad Senior Consultant to MIM. Senior MIM officials will be meeting with potential investors during the Rebuild Iraq 2007 expo and conference, to be held May 07-10 in Amman, Jordan. His Excellency Fawzi al-Hariri, MIM Minister, is scheduled to attend the event and MIM officials will be available during the exhibition for networking and other consultations. For more information about Rebuild Iraq, please visit the event Web site.
2. Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: Conditions in Iraq Are Conducive to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, unclassified version of testimony delivered by David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States before a closed hearing by the Subcommittee on Defense, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-07-525T, April 23. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-525T
3. Brookings Iraq Index 23 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
4. Iraq Weekly Status Report 18 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/83369.pdf
5. Iraq's oil production capacity could double, report says -- IHS, Inc., has announced the upcoming launch of the Iraq Atlas - a detailed analysis of oil reserves, production and development opportunities. According to IHS, the Iraq Atlas - which will be available May 9 - "is a unique overview of all known prospects and fields in Iraq." The Iraq Atlas estimates oil reserves in Iraq at up to 116 billion barrels, ranking Iraq third internationally. The Iraq Atlas estimates that there could potentially be another 100 billion barrels of oil in the Western Desert of Iraq. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Iraq%27s+oil+production+capacity+could+double%2C+report+says__1112535.html
6. Twice the oil in Iraq? - Marketplace Radio - A new IHS report claims Iraq is sitting on massive oil reserves — 100 billion barrels more than expected. But skeptics say there's no way the group can be certain of its findings, especially given the ongoing violence there. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2007/04/19/AM200704195.html
7. Iraqi oil law nears final stage - BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's hotly debated draft oil law is to be sent to parliament "within the coming few days if everything goes well," the Oil Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. "The draft is with the State Shura Council now to be put in a legal form after being written in technical language," Assem Jihad told The Associated Press in a phone interview. He gave no date for the bill's introduction. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_oil_law
8. Crucial Iraq Oil Law Set For Parliament - (CBS/AP) Iraq's hotly debated draft oil law was to be sent to parliament next week, the country's oil minister said on Wednesday. Hussain al-Shahristani, who was attending an oil conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, did not give a specific day but said the measure would go to lawmakers before the next week was out. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/19/iraq/main2703622.shtml
9. Friedland's next frontier: Drilling for oil in Iraq. Ivanhoe Energy pursues project 'far from Baghdad' -- VANCOUVER -- In keeping with its co-founder's penchant for doing business in risky places, a junior oil and gas company in Robert Friedland's stable of resource plays has struck a deal to pursue a project in Iraq. Vancouver-based Ivanhoe Energy Inc. yesterday said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese oil and gas firm Inpex Corp. to develop a heavy oil field in north central Iraq, close to Iraqi Kurdistan. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070420.RIVANHOE20/TPStory/Business
10. Iraq plans to renew oil tanker fleet in S.Korea -- Reuters -- Iraq aims to rebuild its ageing fleet of tankers to carry its crude oil exports and is planning to form a joint venture shipping company with a South Korean firm, the oil ministry's spokesman said on Monday. "Iraq needs new huge oil shipping tankers to be capable of shipping exported crude oil," Asim Jihad said. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1589.htm
11. Iraq, foreign companies make tanker deal -- BAGHDAD April 23 (UPI) -- Iraq's old oil system will get an update of modern oil tankers, which it will pay for with oil. Assem Jihad, spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said the ministry and foreign companies struck a deal in order to improve performance of the sector. "The agreements provide that these foreign companies have to have a modern fleet of oil tankers to be at the disposal of the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company," Jihad said. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/23/iraq_foreign_companies_make_tanker_deal/
12. Iraq's economy: Oil's not well in Iraq -- The announcement of a study that suggests that Iraq's oil reserves could be almost as large as those of Saudi Arabia, the world's leader, has come amid fresh evidence of the monumental difficulty of realising that potential, as bombs in Baghdad left 200 people dead in a single day and Iraqi MPs wrangled over the details of new oil legislation. http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9060287
13. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 4 -- Expected to pass through parliament in May, the Iraq Oil Law gives Turkey the possibility of receiving a share of oil revenue via its partners. TTOPCO, founded by General Energy, a subsidiary of the Çukurova Group, and Addax Petroleum of Switzerland, is the first company to sign a contract with the Iraqi Kurdistan administration for oil exploration. The second is Petoil, a subsidiary of Pet Holding. They are making investments related to exploring, producing and exporting oil. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr:80/article.php?enewsid=70739
14. UN chief sets launch date for Iraq compact -- Middle East Times -- BERN -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said he intends "to officially launch an International Compact with Iraq [ICI] on May 3 in Sharm El Sheikh, together with Prime Minister [Nuri Al] Maliki of Iraq." Speaking Thursday in the Swiss capital Bern, the UN chief said he hoped the ICI would grant an "important momentum to help the Iraqi government to restore peace and security" to war-torn Iraq. http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070420-114820-7444r
15. MMR vaccination campaign aims to reach 3.9 million children - BAGHDAD, 22 April 2007 (IRIN) - BAGHDAD, 22 April 2007 (IRIN) - Despite serious ongoing violence in Iraq, the government and international aid agencies started a major immunisation drive on Sunday to avert an outbreak of measles. "One million children have no immunity to measles - more than enough to spark a dangerous outbreak in which many children could die or be left with lasting disabilities," Claire Hajaj, UNICEF's chief of communications at its Iraq Support Centre in Amman (ISCA). http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/f3ae75c8932d0130132b9a8f47a83ee5.htm
16. General: Key to building Iraqi air force is training more pilots - BAGHDAD — The biggest challenge the United States faces in helping rebuild the Iraqi air force is training more pilots, Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey said Sunday. Dempsey, who is in charge of U.S. efforts to train Iraqi military and police, told reporters that the air force already uses C-130 cargo planes to transport wounded Iraqi soldiers to treatment. http://www.estripes.com:80/article.asp?section=104&article=45293
17. War News Radio: Fact and Fantasy http://warnewsradio.org/
END
24 April 2007
1. Public/Private Joint Venture Investment Opportunities in Iraq. Proposal Deadline: June 06, 2007. Iraq’s Ministry of Industry and Minerals (MIM) is seeking strong international investors to enter into joint venture production-sharing partnerships with its state-owned plants in several industries, including cement, glass and ceramics, paper, petrochemical, iron and steel, sanitary ware, and automotive. Interested investors should visit MIM's Web site to review the opportunities and contact MIM's Investment Department to obtain the full investment file. For more information about these investment opportunities, interested parties may contact Mr. John Lyons, U.S. Embassy/Baghdad Senior Consultant to MIM. Senior MIM officials will be meeting with potential investors during the Rebuild Iraq 2007 expo and conference, to be held May 07-10 in Amman, Jordan. His Excellency Fawzi al-Hariri, MIM Minister, is scheduled to attend the event and MIM officials will be available during the exhibition for networking and other consultations. For more information about Rebuild Iraq, please visit the event Web site.
2. Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: Conditions in Iraq Are Conducive to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, unclassified version of testimony delivered by David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States before a closed hearing by the Subcommittee on Defense, House Committee on Appropriations. GAO-07-525T, April 23. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-525T
3. Brookings Iraq Index 23 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
4. Iraq Weekly Status Report 18 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/83369.pdf
5. Iraq's oil production capacity could double, report says -- IHS, Inc., has announced the upcoming launch of the Iraq Atlas - a detailed analysis of oil reserves, production and development opportunities. According to IHS, the Iraq Atlas - which will be available May 9 - "is a unique overview of all known prospects and fields in Iraq." The Iraq Atlas estimates oil reserves in Iraq at up to 116 billion barrels, ranking Iraq third internationally. The Iraq Atlas estimates that there could potentially be another 100 billion barrels of oil in the Western Desert of Iraq. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Iraq%27s+oil+production+capacity+could+double%2C+report+says__1112535.html
6. Twice the oil in Iraq? - Marketplace Radio - A new IHS report claims Iraq is sitting on massive oil reserves — 100 billion barrels more than expected. But skeptics say there's no way the group can be certain of its findings, especially given the ongoing violence there. http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2007/04/19/AM200704195.html
7. Iraqi oil law nears final stage - BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's hotly debated draft oil law is to be sent to parliament "within the coming few days if everything goes well," the Oil Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. "The draft is with the State Shura Council now to be put in a legal form after being written in technical language," Assem Jihad told The Associated Press in a phone interview. He gave no date for the bill's introduction. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_oil_law
8. Crucial Iraq Oil Law Set For Parliament - (CBS/AP) Iraq's hotly debated draft oil law was to be sent to parliament next week, the country's oil minister said on Wednesday. Hussain al-Shahristani, who was attending an oil conference in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, did not give a specific day but said the measure would go to lawmakers before the next week was out. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/19/iraq/main2703622.shtml
9. Friedland's next frontier: Drilling for oil in Iraq. Ivanhoe Energy pursues project 'far from Baghdad' -- VANCOUVER -- In keeping with its co-founder's penchant for doing business in risky places, a junior oil and gas company in Robert Friedland's stable of resource plays has struck a deal to pursue a project in Iraq. Vancouver-based Ivanhoe Energy Inc. yesterday said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese oil and gas firm Inpex Corp. to develop a heavy oil field in north central Iraq, close to Iraqi Kurdistan. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070420.RIVANHOE20/TPStory/Business
10. Iraq plans to renew oil tanker fleet in S.Korea -- Reuters -- Iraq aims to rebuild its ageing fleet of tankers to carry its crude oil exports and is planning to form a joint venture shipping company with a South Korean firm, the oil ministry's spokesman said on Monday. "Iraq needs new huge oil shipping tankers to be capable of shipping exported crude oil," Asim Jihad said. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1589.htm
11. Iraq, foreign companies make tanker deal -- BAGHDAD April 23 (UPI) -- Iraq's old oil system will get an update of modern oil tankers, which it will pay for with oil. Assem Jihad, spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said the ministry and foreign companies struck a deal in order to improve performance of the sector. "The agreements provide that these foreign companies have to have a modern fleet of oil tankers to be at the disposal of the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company," Jihad said. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/23/iraq_foreign_companies_make_tanker_deal/
12. Iraq's economy: Oil's not well in Iraq -- The announcement of a study that suggests that Iraq's oil reserves could be almost as large as those of Saudi Arabia, the world's leader, has come amid fresh evidence of the monumental difficulty of realising that potential, as bombs in Baghdad left 200 people dead in a single day and Iraqi MPs wrangled over the details of new oil legislation. http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9060287
13. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 4 -- Expected to pass through parliament in May, the Iraq Oil Law gives Turkey the possibility of receiving a share of oil revenue via its partners. TTOPCO, founded by General Energy, a subsidiary of the Çukurova Group, and Addax Petroleum of Switzerland, is the first company to sign a contract with the Iraqi Kurdistan administration for oil exploration. The second is Petoil, a subsidiary of Pet Holding. They are making investments related to exploring, producing and exporting oil. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr:80/article.php?enewsid=70739
14. UN chief sets launch date for Iraq compact -- Middle East Times -- BERN -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said he intends "to officially launch an International Compact with Iraq [ICI] on May 3 in Sharm El Sheikh, together with Prime Minister [Nuri Al] Maliki of Iraq." Speaking Thursday in the Swiss capital Bern, the UN chief said he hoped the ICI would grant an "important momentum to help the Iraqi government to restore peace and security" to war-torn Iraq. http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070420-114820-7444r
15. MMR vaccination campaign aims to reach 3.9 million children - BAGHDAD, 22 April 2007 (IRIN) - BAGHDAD, 22 April 2007 (IRIN) - Despite serious ongoing violence in Iraq, the government and international aid agencies started a major immunisation drive on Sunday to avert an outbreak of measles. "One million children have no immunity to measles - more than enough to spark a dangerous outbreak in which many children could die or be left with lasting disabilities," Claire Hajaj, UNICEF's chief of communications at its Iraq Support Centre in Amman (ISCA). http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/f3ae75c8932d0130132b9a8f47a83ee5.htm
16. General: Key to building Iraqi air force is training more pilots - BAGHDAD — The biggest challenge the United States faces in helping rebuild the Iraqi air force is training more pilots, Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey said Sunday. Dempsey, who is in charge of U.S. efforts to train Iraqi military and police, told reporters that the air force already uses C-130 cargo planes to transport wounded Iraqi soldiers to treatment. http://www.estripes.com:80/article.asp?section=104&article=45293
17. War News Radio: Fact and Fantasy http://warnewsradio.org/
END
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Bankrolling Basra
Andrew Alderson, late of CPA-South, has written a book, ‘Bankrolling Basra’ http://www.bankrollingbasra.com which will will be published next week. It was featured in the London Sunday Times at the weekend on the front page of the review section http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1654443.ece this week.
Buy early and buy often!
Buy early and buy often!
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