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
Saturday, April 28, 2007
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!
Iraq Reconstruction News
18 April 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 04/16/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5A
2. Top Iraqi Officials Arrive in Dubai to Discuss Draft Oil Law - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraqi officials and businessmen arrived in the United Arab Emirates Tuesday ahead of a meeting in Dubai on April 18 to discuss their country's controversial but crucial draft hydrocarbon law, intended to attract investments into the country's ailing energy sector. The 85-strong Iraqi delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih and also comprises Planning Minister Ali Baban, Oil Minister Hussein Al Sharistani, former oil minister Thamir Ghadban and several other parliamentarians as well as Iraqi oil specialists and businessmen. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43956
3. Iraq oil law to go to parliament next week: minister - DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraqi cabinet will present an oil law to parliament next week that aims to lure billions of dollars in foreign investment, the country's oil minister said on Wednesday. "It will be ready next week to be presented to parliament," Hussain al-Shahristani told reporters in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070418/wl_nm/iraq_oil_law_dc_1;_ylt=At3NPBTEuNdSJSSPTpy0JCuAsnsA
4. Iraq out $165M a day in pipeline attacks -- KIRKUK, Iraq, April 9, 2007 (UPI) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry says northern pipeline attacks cost $165 million a day in potential revenue and wants the Kirkuk council to do more to prevent it. The Voices of Iraq news agency reports the ministry said the pipeline from Kirkuk, in Iraq's north, to a port in Ceyhan, Turkey, is "now defunct" because of attacks. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/09/iraq_out_165m_a_day_in_pipeline_attacks/
5. Oil, gas law national achievement for Iraqis - minister - Baghdad, (VOI) - Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani said on Wednesday the enactment of an oil and gas law is a national achievement for Iraq’s people, underlining that it would have a positive affect on Iraq’s unity. "The law tops Iraqis' interests and its clauses are based on realizing national interests," the state-run al-Iraqia satellite channel quoted the minister as saying during a forum held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=42332&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
6. Analysis: Oil victim of Turkey, Kurd fight -- WASHINGTON April 17 (UPI) -- Iraq's already-fragile northern oil sector could be the victim -- along with Iraqis and Turks -- if Ankara gives the green light for troops to invade northern Iraq on the hunt for the Kurdistan Workers Party. The PKK -- the party's Turkish acronym -- is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. It's accused of slipping into Turkey from bases in Iraq's Qandil Mountains to plant mines and detonate bombs. Sixteen PKK fighters were killed in the Kurdish area of Turkey Sunday and Monday by Turkish soldiers. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/17/analysis_oil_victim_of_turkey_kurd_fight/
7. Kurds wary as Iraq oil law goes to vote - Upstream.com - Iraq's Cabinet will present a much-awaited oil law to parliament next week, Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said today, despite reports that officials from the Kurdish region are deeply unhappy with aspects of the emerging legislation. http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article131413.ece
8. Price Check: Baghdad Neighborhoods - IraqSlogger.com - http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2264/Price_Check_Baghdad_Neighborhoods
9. Smoke and Mirrors - What the State Department is not accomplishing in Iraq - The Atlantic - http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200704u/iraq-state-department
10. USACE Installs New 132kv Overhead Lines South of Iraq http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-04-13.pdf
11. In a Major Step, Saudi Arabia Agrees to Write Off 80 Percent of Iraqi Debt -- Washington Post -- Saudi Arabia has agreed to forgive 80 percent of the more than $15 billion that Iraq owes the kingdom, Iraqi and Saudi officials said yesterday, a major step given Saudi reluctance to provide financial assistance to the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad. But Iraqi Finance Minister Bayan Jabr said in an interview that Russia was holding out on debt forgiveness until talks begin on concessions that Russian oil and gas companies had under Saddam Hussein. Russian Embassy officials in Washington declined to comment late yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701950.html
12. Iraq's Northern Kurdish Area Offers Business Opportunities -- VOA -- Few foreign companies, aside from those dealing directly with the military, are contemplating business in Iraq until the security situation improves. Yet despite the violence, U.S. officials say opportunities do exist, primarily in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region where the economy is expanding rapidly. As VOA's Bill Rodgers reports, U.S. officials are touting the northern Kurdistan area as a gateway for eventually doing business in the rest of the country. http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-04-12-voa36.cfm
13. UN official urges ad for Iraq -- NEW YORK, April 12, 2007 (UPI) -- The U.N. official monitoring Iraqi reconstruction is urging other countries to provide aid for economic development. Ibrahim Gambari, a U.N. undersecretary-general, told the Washington Times in an interview this week that he is optimistic about the May 3 conference to be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik. He said that the results would be disastrous if international donors fail to respond. http://www.upi.com:80/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/04/12/un_official_urges_aid_for_iraq/
14. Reconstruction Team Arrives on Taji - CAMP TAJI, Iraq, April 12, 2007 — The 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, just received a helping hand as it works with Iraqis to rebuild government capabilities and capacities which are necessary to enable the new Iraqi nation’s transition to a self-reliant government under the control of the Iraqi people. This new-found assistance comes in the form of members of the brigade’s newest attachment, the Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (EPRT), which arrived here, April 10. http://www.defendamerica.mil:80/articles/apr2007/a041207ej2.html
15. Forgiving Iraq's Debts - The French were at it again in April 2003. Any reduction in Iraq's mountainous $120 billion external debt should be negotiated within the Paris Club of creditor nations, they insisted. It ought not - indeed, cannot - be tackled bilaterally. And what about another $200 billion in war reparations and contractual obligations? This, said French Foreign Ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau, is to be discussed. http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2632&cid=2&sid=38
16. Turks are reconstructing northern Iraq - 3 -- Under the control of Iraq President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Sulaimaniye is getting a university similar to Bilkent, which is Turkey's first private university. Founder of Bilkent University and the Tepe group İhsan Doğramacı, who was born in Arbil, is heading the “Sulaimaniye University Campus” project on a 370,000 square meter construction site at a cost of $260 million. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70656
17. Iraq: Oil Lamps Return To Iraqis' Lives - April 17, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Below RFE/RL presents a transcript of the last broadcast report of Khamail Muhsin Khalaf, a Radio Free Iraq correspondent in Baghdad who was found killed on April 5. http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/04/E42196EC-DB83-47A3-8EE4-0F7EB4F25141.html
END
18 April 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 04/16/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5A
2. Top Iraqi Officials Arrive in Dubai to Discuss Draft Oil Law - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraqi officials and businessmen arrived in the United Arab Emirates Tuesday ahead of a meeting in Dubai on April 18 to discuss their country's controversial but crucial draft hydrocarbon law, intended to attract investments into the country's ailing energy sector. The 85-strong Iraqi delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih and also comprises Planning Minister Ali Baban, Oil Minister Hussein Al Sharistani, former oil minister Thamir Ghadban and several other parliamentarians as well as Iraqi oil specialists and businessmen. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43956
3. Iraq oil law to go to parliament next week: minister - DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraqi cabinet will present an oil law to parliament next week that aims to lure billions of dollars in foreign investment, the country's oil minister said on Wednesday. "It will be ready next week to be presented to parliament," Hussain al-Shahristani told reporters in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070418/wl_nm/iraq_oil_law_dc_1;_ylt=At3NPBTEuNdSJSSPTpy0JCuAsnsA
4. Iraq out $165M a day in pipeline attacks -- KIRKUK, Iraq, April 9, 2007 (UPI) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry says northern pipeline attacks cost $165 million a day in potential revenue and wants the Kirkuk council to do more to prevent it. The Voices of Iraq news agency reports the ministry said the pipeline from Kirkuk, in Iraq's north, to a port in Ceyhan, Turkey, is "now defunct" because of attacks. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/04/09/iraq_out_165m_a_day_in_pipeline_attacks/
5. Oil, gas law national achievement for Iraqis - minister - Baghdad, (VOI) - Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani said on Wednesday the enactment of an oil and gas law is a national achievement for Iraq’s people, underlining that it would have a positive affect on Iraq’s unity. "The law tops Iraqis' interests and its clauses are based on realizing national interests," the state-run al-Iraqia satellite channel quoted the minister as saying during a forum held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=42332&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
6. Analysis: Oil victim of Turkey, Kurd fight -- WASHINGTON April 17 (UPI) -- Iraq's already-fragile northern oil sector could be the victim -- along with Iraqis and Turks -- if Ankara gives the green light for troops to invade northern Iraq on the hunt for the Kurdistan Workers Party. The PKK -- the party's Turkish acronym -- is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. It's accused of slipping into Turkey from bases in Iraq's Qandil Mountains to plant mines and detonate bombs. Sixteen PKK fighters were killed in the Kurdish area of Turkey Sunday and Monday by Turkish soldiers. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/17/analysis_oil_victim_of_turkey_kurd_fight/
7. Kurds wary as Iraq oil law goes to vote - Upstream.com - Iraq's Cabinet will present a much-awaited oil law to parliament next week, Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said today, despite reports that officials from the Kurdish region are deeply unhappy with aspects of the emerging legislation. http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article131413.ece
8. Price Check: Baghdad Neighborhoods - IraqSlogger.com - http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2264/Price_Check_Baghdad_Neighborhoods
9. Smoke and Mirrors - What the State Department is not accomplishing in Iraq - The Atlantic - http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200704u/iraq-state-department
10. USACE Installs New 132kv Overhead Lines South of Iraq http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-04-13.pdf
11. In a Major Step, Saudi Arabia Agrees to Write Off 80 Percent of Iraqi Debt -- Washington Post -- Saudi Arabia has agreed to forgive 80 percent of the more than $15 billion that Iraq owes the kingdom, Iraqi and Saudi officials said yesterday, a major step given Saudi reluctance to provide financial assistance to the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad. But Iraqi Finance Minister Bayan Jabr said in an interview that Russia was holding out on debt forgiveness until talks begin on concessions that Russian oil and gas companies had under Saddam Hussein. Russian Embassy officials in Washington declined to comment late yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701950.html
12. Iraq's Northern Kurdish Area Offers Business Opportunities -- VOA -- Few foreign companies, aside from those dealing directly with the military, are contemplating business in Iraq until the security situation improves. Yet despite the violence, U.S. officials say opportunities do exist, primarily in the semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region where the economy is expanding rapidly. As VOA's Bill Rodgers reports, U.S. officials are touting the northern Kurdistan area as a gateway for eventually doing business in the rest of the country. http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-04-12-voa36.cfm
13. UN official urges ad for Iraq -- NEW YORK, April 12, 2007 (UPI) -- The U.N. official monitoring Iraqi reconstruction is urging other countries to provide aid for economic development. Ibrahim Gambari, a U.N. undersecretary-general, told the Washington Times in an interview this week that he is optimistic about the May 3 conference to be held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik. He said that the results would be disastrous if international donors fail to respond. http://www.upi.com:80/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/04/12/un_official_urges_aid_for_iraq/
14. Reconstruction Team Arrives on Taji - CAMP TAJI, Iraq, April 12, 2007 — The 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, just received a helping hand as it works with Iraqis to rebuild government capabilities and capacities which are necessary to enable the new Iraqi nation’s transition to a self-reliant government under the control of the Iraqi people. This new-found assistance comes in the form of members of the brigade’s newest attachment, the Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team (EPRT), which arrived here, April 10. http://www.defendamerica.mil:80/articles/apr2007/a041207ej2.html
15. Forgiving Iraq's Debts - The French were at it again in April 2003. Any reduction in Iraq's mountainous $120 billion external debt should be negotiated within the Paris Club of creditor nations, they insisted. It ought not - indeed, cannot - be tackled bilaterally. And what about another $200 billion in war reparations and contractual obligations? This, said French Foreign Ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau, is to be discussed. http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2632&cid=2&sid=38
16. Turks are reconstructing northern Iraq - 3 -- Under the control of Iraq President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Sulaimaniye is getting a university similar to Bilkent, which is Turkey's first private university. Founder of Bilkent University and the Tepe group İhsan Doğramacı, who was born in Arbil, is heading the “Sulaimaniye University Campus” project on a 370,000 square meter construction site at a cost of $260 million. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70656
17. Iraq: Oil Lamps Return To Iraqis' Lives - April 17, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Below RFE/RL presents a transcript of the last broadcast report of Khamail Muhsin Khalaf, a Radio Free Iraq correspondent in Baghdad who was found killed on April 5. http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/04/E42196EC-DB83-47A3-8EE4-0F7EB4F25141.html
END
Monday, April 16, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
16 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 16 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. BP Eyes Role in Iraq, Awaits Oil Law, Security -- DUBAI (Reuters) -- Energy giant BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile , Research) is interested in working on a range of oil and gas projects in Iraq, but is waiting for the country's parliament to pass an oil law and for security to improve before increasing its role, a senior BP executive said on Monday. http://www.aina.org/news/20070416100308.htm
3. And Iraq's big oil contracts go to... Companies from China, India and other Asian nations are seen getting the first contracts. But don't write off Big Oil just yet -- NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite claims by some critics that the Bush administration invaded Iraq to take control of its oil, the first contracts with major oil firms from Iraq's new government are likely to go not to U.S. companies, but rather to companies from China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. While Iraqi lawmakers struggle to pass an agreement on exactly who will award the contracts and how the revenue will be shared, experts say a draft version that passed the cabinet earlier this year will likely uphold agreements previously signed by those countries under Saddam Hussein's government. http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/05/news/international/iraq_oil/index.htm
4. A giant ship for oil transport at Khor Al-Zubair - The Associate Director of Khor Al-Zubair port in Basrah said last Saturday that the port received the largest ship to transport Iraqi oil, pointing out that this is the first time in the history of the port to receive a giant ship of this size. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3576
5. Japan loan to help Iraq oil pipeline -- TOKYO, April 9, 2007 (UPI) -- Japan will provide an $862 million loan to Iraqi reconstruction efforts, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday after meeting with Iraq's leader. http://www.upi.com/International_Intelligence/Briefing/2007/04/09/japan_loan_to_help_iraq_oil_pipeline/
6. Dana Gas signs Agreements with Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq - Sharjah, Asharq Al-Awsat- Dana Gas, the Middle East’s first regional private-sector natural gas company, announced that it has concluded important agreements, including a Strategic Alliance Protocol, with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. These agreements form part of a strategy to advance the considerable economic benefits available to the region through the successful development of its substantial gas resources. http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8652
7. Iraq Targets 3 Million Bpd 2007 Oil Production - Oil Minister - 12/04/2007 - SEOUL (Reuters) - Iraq hopes to raise oil production by nearly 1 million barrels per day (bpd) this year, achieving its long-held target of 3 million bpd by restoring northern exports, its oil minister said on Thursday. Iraq has struggled to overcome the sabotage and outdated infrastructure that has hobbled its production since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, largely due to unrelenting attacks on a key pipeline that runs north through Turkey. http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8618
8. Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction -- CongressDaily -- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post. "I like the idea," Lieberman told CongressDaily in an interview Thursday. "For all the people who have argued that the administration has been too focused on the military aspect of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a way of saying, as I understand it, that ultimate victory is going to come not just because of military success but also . . . mostly because of political and economic success." The Washington Post reported this week that aides to President Bush are evaluating a plan to create a so-called czar for Iraq and Afghanistan who would be empowered to cut through bureaucratic obstacles. Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36621&dcn=e_gvet
9. UAE firms eye mega projects in N Iraq area - ERBIL, Iraq: Several companies from the UAE, including giant property developer Emaar Properties, are looking at investing billions of dollars in energy, infrastructure and property projects in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=143666&version=1&template_id=48&parent_id=28
10. Duhuk: A sign of boom in Iraq's Kurdistan region? - Duhuk, Apr 15, (VOI) - The seven story building of Duhuk's Agricultural Department was once the most famous building in the province. Now Duhuk has more than 50 buildings of five, seven and even 10 stories, indicating an economic boom in the province. This is how Akram Saleh Mamani, a member of the Kurdistan Economists Syndicate (KES), sees the signs of economic development in Duhuk, one of the most significant channels through which trade is conducted with Turkey. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=42056&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
11. The U.S. Foreign Service role in Iraq PRTs http://www.afsa.org/fsj/mar07/iraq_prts.pdf
12. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 2 - ISTANBUL - Milliyet - It took many long years for the establishment of the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government. In 1970, an “autonomous region” agreement, the basis for today's developments, was signed with Iraq's executed leader Saddam Hussein; it remained one-sided rule. The Baath regime continued to carry out massacres against the Kurds, Shiites and Turkmen. Lowering his sails after the 1991 Gulf War against America, Saddam was unable to prevent the establishment in 1992 of the Kurdistan Parliament, which includes the provinces of Arbil, Sulaimaniya and Dohuk. In that period, the agreements made between Baghdad and Arbil had no international sanction. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70550
13. Japan pledges support to rebuild Iraq - TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan assured the visiting Iraqi prime minister on Monday it would keep helping his country to rebuild, as Iraqis back home staged a big anti-U.S. protest in the city of Najaf on the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall. "There is no change in our policy to actively help with the reconstruction of Iraq through official development assistance and activities of the Self-Defence Forces," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quoted as telling Nuri al-Maliki. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/9/worldupdates/2007-04-09T193705Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_-293580-4&sec=Worldupdates
14. Iraqi prime minister discusses South Korea visit, projects, investments Text of report by Iraqi TV station Al-Iraqiyah TV on 15 April [Interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamil al-Maliki by Razzaq al-Uqayli; place and date not given - recorded] [Anchor] Prime Minister Nuri Kamil al-Maliki has stated that the South Korean companies have expressed readiness to work in the calm governorates of Iraq, start reconstruction process, and then expand their work by entering the unstable governorates after the restoration of calm there. The prime minister announced this during an interview he gave to our colleague Razzaq al-Uqayli. [Begin recording] [A-Uqayli] Has there been any response from the South Korean officials concerning the call on Korean industrial and investment companies to work in Iraq? Have you agreed on specific projects? [Al-Maliki] In fact there was a sort of hesitation, or perhaps apprehensions, by the Korean companies. They wanted to enter the Iraqi arena but the picture was not clear. These companies have been expressing apprehensions with regard to their plans to compete with other companies in the Iraqi market. Therefore, we went on this visit accompanied by this delegation. The Iraqi ministers have been able to explain the facts of the situation to Korean company managers and government officials and we explained to them that in Iraq there are big areas and governorates where they can invest and that there are potentials in Iraq which will serve the interests of the two countries and peoples when the Korean companies arrive. We explained to them that we wanted Korea to be present in Iraq, based on the good relations that we have been having and the positive stand of Korea towards Iraq and towards the political process, the Iraqi constitution, and the participation in security operations. Therefore, a large part of the ambiguity and fogginess about the situation has been removed from the minds of the officials in the Korean companies and government and we have reached full agreement and conviction that the companies will come to Iraq and end the state of hesitation and reluctance. Moreover, what we and the ministers discussed with them was to invest in all important and vital sectors. We do not want Iraq to be preoccupied with the daily incidents that the killers and terrorists and the backward elements are implementing but we want to release the building and reconstruction process and renew the entire structure of Iraq. We told them that we want to embark on projects that raise the standard of living of the individual and promote his happiness. We told them: Even though there were no resources in Korea - no natural resources, oil, or agricultural ability - the Koreans were united in their will to reconstruct. They are now the seventh or eighth industrial power in the world. They built this on nothing. Therefore, Iraq, which possesses all these resources, will definitely be able to progress. We told them that we wanted to renew everything in the country. We have great amount of oil and gas in Iraq. We raised the issue of car manufacturing, agricultural machine tools industry, petrochemicals, electric power stations, and refineries, and told them that we, the government, are eager to develop and renew everything in Iraq. They responded to this readiness positively. We held an expanded meeting with the companies and they all voiced readiness to respond. The government, the president, and the prime minister, expressed readiness to back the companies and encourage them to go to Iraq. These companies will come. [A-Uqayli] Mr Prime Minister, do you believe that the general security situation in Iraq, after the implementation of the Baghdad Security plan, is now appropriate for the entry of these companies into the Iraqi market? [Al-Maliki] We explained to them this issue, over which they had apprehensions. We told them that there were safe areas and governorates and these governorates are hosting investment companies - in the south, in the centre, and in Kurdistan. As for the areas where there are incidents, the Iraqi political and security efforts are being strongly exerted in the Baghdad Security Plan for the sake of controlling the situation. God willing, these unstable governorates will join the other calm governorates. These calm governorates will receive the companies and their investments in the hope that we will eventually establish security in Baghdad, Al-Anbar, Diyala, and Mosul, so we can open the door for investment in these governorates to Korean and other companies. [A-Uqayli] Mr Prime Minister, do you believe that your visits to Japan and South Korea placed Iraq into the place it should occupy in terms of international relation and relations with these two countries? [Al-Maliki] I never have belittled this goal. Indeed, one of the great aims which I had been working to realize was restoring Iraq to its international and regional position, and reinstating it in international establishments. Iraq had been besieged because of the ignorant Saddamist policy that lasted throughout his rule. It was considered a country that was isolated from world establishments, and when it was present its presence was physical but not substantive. Iraq is a great country, a respectable country in terms of its history, its men, its knowledge and its economy, and the entire world would like to look towards Iraq with the respect that it deserves. But how could they treat Iraq in this way if it was ruled by tyranny, dictatorship, and the rule of ignorant people who wanted to realize only their private interests and the interest of their group? Therefore I was extremely conscious of this issue. One of the issues that I raised and discussed was to bolster political ties. This and the other visits that I will make after I return home will be devoted to restoring Iraq to its Arab and Islamic surroundings, to its international surroundings, as an effective, respectable, and strong state that participates in the modern world culture, in adopting humanitarian stands, and in facing challenges that affect human beings more than they affect countries. [A-Uqayli] Thank You, Mr Prime Minister. Source: Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1517 gmt 15 Apr 07
15. Iraq's Quiet Exodus - MSNBC - More than 2 million Iraqis have left their country, seeking safety abroad—and robbing the nation of its best and brightest.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17997100/site/newsweek/
END
16 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 16 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. BP Eyes Role in Iraq, Awaits Oil Law, Security -- DUBAI (Reuters) -- Energy giant BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile , Research) is interested in working on a range of oil and gas projects in Iraq, but is waiting for the country's parliament to pass an oil law and for security to improve before increasing its role, a senior BP executive said on Monday. http://www.aina.org/news/20070416100308.htm
3. And Iraq's big oil contracts go to... Companies from China, India and other Asian nations are seen getting the first contracts. But don't write off Big Oil just yet -- NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite claims by some critics that the Bush administration invaded Iraq to take control of its oil, the first contracts with major oil firms from Iraq's new government are likely to go not to U.S. companies, but rather to companies from China, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. While Iraqi lawmakers struggle to pass an agreement on exactly who will award the contracts and how the revenue will be shared, experts say a draft version that passed the cabinet earlier this year will likely uphold agreements previously signed by those countries under Saddam Hussein's government. http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/05/news/international/iraq_oil/index.htm
4. A giant ship for oil transport at Khor Al-Zubair - The Associate Director of Khor Al-Zubair port in Basrah said last Saturday that the port received the largest ship to transport Iraqi oil, pointing out that this is the first time in the history of the port to receive a giant ship of this size. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3576
5. Japan loan to help Iraq oil pipeline -- TOKYO, April 9, 2007 (UPI) -- Japan will provide an $862 million loan to Iraqi reconstruction efforts, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday after meeting with Iraq's leader. http://www.upi.com/International_Intelligence/Briefing/2007/04/09/japan_loan_to_help_iraq_oil_pipeline/
6. Dana Gas signs Agreements with Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq - Sharjah, Asharq Al-Awsat- Dana Gas, the Middle East’s first regional private-sector natural gas company, announced that it has concluded important agreements, including a Strategic Alliance Protocol, with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq. These agreements form part of a strategy to advance the considerable economic benefits available to the region through the successful development of its substantial gas resources. http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8652
7. Iraq Targets 3 Million Bpd 2007 Oil Production - Oil Minister - 12/04/2007 - SEOUL (Reuters) - Iraq hopes to raise oil production by nearly 1 million barrels per day (bpd) this year, achieving its long-held target of 3 million bpd by restoring northern exports, its oil minister said on Thursday. Iraq has struggled to overcome the sabotage and outdated infrastructure that has hobbled its production since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, largely due to unrelenting attacks on a key pipeline that runs north through Turkey. http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8618
8. Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction -- CongressDaily -- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post. "I like the idea," Lieberman told CongressDaily in an interview Thursday. "For all the people who have argued that the administration has been too focused on the military aspect of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a way of saying, as I understand it, that ultimate victory is going to come not just because of military success but also . . . mostly because of political and economic success." The Washington Post reported this week that aides to President Bush are evaluating a plan to create a so-called czar for Iraq and Afghanistan who would be empowered to cut through bureaucratic obstacles. Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36621&dcn=e_gvet
9. UAE firms eye mega projects in N Iraq area - ERBIL, Iraq: Several companies from the UAE, including giant property developer Emaar Properties, are looking at investing billions of dollars in energy, infrastructure and property projects in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=143666&version=1&template_id=48&parent_id=28
10. Duhuk: A sign of boom in Iraq's Kurdistan region? - Duhuk, Apr 15, (VOI) - The seven story building of Duhuk's Agricultural Department was once the most famous building in the province. Now Duhuk has more than 50 buildings of five, seven and even 10 stories, indicating an economic boom in the province. This is how Akram Saleh Mamani, a member of the Kurdistan Economists Syndicate (KES), sees the signs of economic development in Duhuk, one of the most significant channels through which trade is conducted with Turkey. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=42056&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
11. The U.S. Foreign Service role in Iraq PRTs http://www.afsa.org/fsj/mar07/iraq_prts.pdf
12. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 2 - ISTANBUL - Milliyet - It took many long years for the establishment of the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government. In 1970, an “autonomous region” agreement, the basis for today's developments, was signed with Iraq's executed leader Saddam Hussein; it remained one-sided rule. The Baath regime continued to carry out massacres against the Kurds, Shiites and Turkmen. Lowering his sails after the 1991 Gulf War against America, Saddam was unable to prevent the establishment in 1992 of the Kurdistan Parliament, which includes the provinces of Arbil, Sulaimaniya and Dohuk. In that period, the agreements made between Baghdad and Arbil had no international sanction. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70550
13. Japan pledges support to rebuild Iraq - TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan assured the visiting Iraqi prime minister on Monday it would keep helping his country to rebuild, as Iraqis back home staged a big anti-U.S. protest in the city of Najaf on the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall. "There is no change in our policy to actively help with the reconstruction of Iraq through official development assistance and activities of the Self-Defence Forces," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quoted as telling Nuri al-Maliki. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/9/worldupdates/2007-04-09T193705Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_-293580-4&sec=Worldupdates
14. Iraqi prime minister discusses South Korea visit, projects, investments Text of report by Iraqi TV station Al-Iraqiyah TV on 15 April [Interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamil al-Maliki by Razzaq al-Uqayli; place and date not given - recorded] [Anchor] Prime Minister Nuri Kamil al-Maliki has stated that the South Korean companies have expressed readiness to work in the calm governorates of Iraq, start reconstruction process, and then expand their work by entering the unstable governorates after the restoration of calm there. The prime minister announced this during an interview he gave to our colleague Razzaq al-Uqayli. [Begin recording] [A-Uqayli] Has there been any response from the South Korean officials concerning the call on Korean industrial and investment companies to work in Iraq? Have you agreed on specific projects? [Al-Maliki] In fact there was a sort of hesitation, or perhaps apprehensions, by the Korean companies. They wanted to enter the Iraqi arena but the picture was not clear. These companies have been expressing apprehensions with regard to their plans to compete with other companies in the Iraqi market. Therefore, we went on this visit accompanied by this delegation. The Iraqi ministers have been able to explain the facts of the situation to Korean company managers and government officials and we explained to them that in Iraq there are big areas and governorates where they can invest and that there are potentials in Iraq which will serve the interests of the two countries and peoples when the Korean companies arrive. We explained to them that we wanted Korea to be present in Iraq, based on the good relations that we have been having and the positive stand of Korea towards Iraq and towards the political process, the Iraqi constitution, and the participation in security operations. Therefore, a large part of the ambiguity and fogginess about the situation has been removed from the minds of the officials in the Korean companies and government and we have reached full agreement and conviction that the companies will come to Iraq and end the state of hesitation and reluctance. Moreover, what we and the ministers discussed with them was to invest in all important and vital sectors. We do not want Iraq to be preoccupied with the daily incidents that the killers and terrorists and the backward elements are implementing but we want to release the building and reconstruction process and renew the entire structure of Iraq. We told them that we want to embark on projects that raise the standard of living of the individual and promote his happiness. We told them: Even though there were no resources in Korea - no natural resources, oil, or agricultural ability - the Koreans were united in their will to reconstruct. They are now the seventh or eighth industrial power in the world. They built this on nothing. Therefore, Iraq, which possesses all these resources, will definitely be able to progress. We told them that we wanted to renew everything in the country. We have great amount of oil and gas in Iraq. We raised the issue of car manufacturing, agricultural machine tools industry, petrochemicals, electric power stations, and refineries, and told them that we, the government, are eager to develop and renew everything in Iraq. They responded to this readiness positively. We held an expanded meeting with the companies and they all voiced readiness to respond. The government, the president, and the prime minister, expressed readiness to back the companies and encourage them to go to Iraq. These companies will come. [A-Uqayli] Mr Prime Minister, do you believe that the general security situation in Iraq, after the implementation of the Baghdad Security plan, is now appropriate for the entry of these companies into the Iraqi market? [Al-Maliki] We explained to them this issue, over which they had apprehensions. We told them that there were safe areas and governorates and these governorates are hosting investment companies - in the south, in the centre, and in Kurdistan. As for the areas where there are incidents, the Iraqi political and security efforts are being strongly exerted in the Baghdad Security Plan for the sake of controlling the situation. God willing, these unstable governorates will join the other calm governorates. These calm governorates will receive the companies and their investments in the hope that we will eventually establish security in Baghdad, Al-Anbar, Diyala, and Mosul, so we can open the door for investment in these governorates to Korean and other companies. [A-Uqayli] Mr Prime Minister, do you believe that your visits to Japan and South Korea placed Iraq into the place it should occupy in terms of international relation and relations with these two countries? [Al-Maliki] I never have belittled this goal. Indeed, one of the great aims which I had been working to realize was restoring Iraq to its international and regional position, and reinstating it in international establishments. Iraq had been besieged because of the ignorant Saddamist policy that lasted throughout his rule. It was considered a country that was isolated from world establishments, and when it was present its presence was physical but not substantive. Iraq is a great country, a respectable country in terms of its history, its men, its knowledge and its economy, and the entire world would like to look towards Iraq with the respect that it deserves. But how could they treat Iraq in this way if it was ruled by tyranny, dictatorship, and the rule of ignorant people who wanted to realize only their private interests and the interest of their group? Therefore I was extremely conscious of this issue. One of the issues that I raised and discussed was to bolster political ties. This and the other visits that I will make after I return home will be devoted to restoring Iraq to its Arab and Islamic surroundings, to its international surroundings, as an effective, respectable, and strong state that participates in the modern world culture, in adopting humanitarian stands, and in facing challenges that affect human beings more than they affect countries. [A-Uqayli] Thank You, Mr Prime Minister. Source: Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 1517 gmt 15 Apr 07
15. Iraq's Quiet Exodus - MSNBC - More than 2 million Iraqis have left their country, seeking safety abroad—and robbing the nation of its best and brightest.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17997100/site/newsweek/
END
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News 14 April 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
14 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 12 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Turkish deal could pave way for Shell’s return to Iraq after 35 years -- Shell is poised to become the first oil and gas major to agree terms to reenter Iraq following reports that it has struck a deal with Turkey’s state oil company, TPAO, to extract gas in the war-torn country. The Anglo-Dutch giant is expected to work in partnership with TPAO to build a pipeline from the Kirkuk field near Kurdistan to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean, according to reports.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1647557.ece
3. S. Korea signs MOU with Iraq on oil field development -- SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iraq Thursday to cooperate in the development of oil fields in the Middle Eastern country, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday. The agreement, reached at a ministerial meeting in Seoul, calls on Baghdad to support bids by South Korean firms to develop oil fields and to facilitate the exchange of information and personnel between state-run petroleum companies. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070412/650000000020070412183322E9.html
4. South Korea, Iraq Sign Memo to Jointly Develop Oil, Gas Projects -- Dow Jones Newswires -- South Korea and Iraq have signed an initial agreement to jointly develop crude oil and natural gas projects, Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday. Under the agreement, the South Korean government will help its nation's companies expand investments in new oil field development projects in Iraq, the energy ministry said in a statement. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43791
4. Analysis: Violence threatens oil, Iraq -- WASHINGTON, April 12, 2007 (UPI) -- Two Shiite political factions seem to have temporarily set down their arms in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, the center of its oil industry and the port through which all Iraq's income flows. But the area and the oil sector still face violence while militias and gangs battle for power and control of the oil smuggling trade. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/12/analysis_violence_threatens_oil_iraq/
5. Iraq Oil Law Turns Back the Clock to 1951 -- The supplementary spending bill passed by Congress last month contained one of the most telling pieces of Iraq-related legislation since the U.S. invasion, and it wasn't the August 31, 2008, deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops. It was an obscure and little-understood bill called the Iraqi Hydrocarbons Law, and it could dramatically undermine economic and political progress in Iraq. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2347/Iraq_Oil_Law_Turns_Back_the_Clock_to_1951
6. Corruption Mars Iraqi Oil Production and Transport. Chairman Waxman asks Secretary Rice to investigate persistent allegations of corruption that have slowed the recovery of the Iraqi oil industry. http://reform.democrats.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1241
7. TPAO, Shell agree on partnership in northern Iraq -- The state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origin have struck a deal to extract gas in northern Iraq, though the agreement still needs to be ratified by the central Iraqi government in Baghdad. http://www.todayszaman.com:80/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=108376&bolum=106
8. Japan loan to help rebuild Iraq -- BBC -- Tokyo said it would provide 102.8bn yen ($862m; £437m) in loans to repair Iraqi oil pipelines, export facilities and power supply infrastructure. A further 57.7bn yen for water and electricity projects was also agreed on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's four-day trip to Japan. Japan depends on the Middle East for nearly all of its crude oil. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6541475.stm
9. Iraq says reconstruction meeting set for early May -- BAGHDAD, April 6 (Reuters) - A high-level meeting to launch a five-year international reconstruction plan for Iraq will be held in early May, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Friday. Dabbagh declined to say where the meeting, which is expected to involve numerous governments and international agencies, would take place. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06421428.htm
10. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 1 -- ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News - Taking off from Istanbul to Arbil, “Freebird” was written on the body of our plane. Free bird was going to perch on neighboring land on Turkey's border that is trying to erase the traces of a war lasting 35 years. Three planes a week fly from Istanbul to northern Iraq's two largest cities, Arbil and Sulaimaniye. In the summer, Antalya is going to be added to these flights. However, the first flight to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region established after 2003 was from Frankfurt. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70442
11. VoEx International LLC (TM) Signs a 10 Year $200 Million Joint Venture Contract with Kalimat Telecom to Design Build & Operate Iraq's First National CDMA WLL Network -- VoEx International LLC (TM) and Kalimat Telecom finalized and signed a 10 Year Joint Venture Contract estimated about $200 Million US Dollars to design build and operate Iraq's First National CDMA WLL Network with advanced WiMAX capabilities. This network will be the First Middle East state of the art CDMA Limited Mobility Network with EvDo & WiMAX capability and full iP based voice, video and data offerings. http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/4/emw511945.htm
12. IRAQI PM ASKS KOREAN FIRMS TO JOIN RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT - Seoul, 13 April (AKI/WAM) - Iraqi prime minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has called on South Korean companies to participate in war-torn Iraq's efforts to develop its oil fields and rebuild its industrial facilities, including power plants, power supply systems and plants, Yonhap News quoted the office of South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun as saying. Al-Maliki is on the last leg of a three-day visit to the Asian country that ends on Friday. http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.404334698&par=0
13. Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction -- CongressDaily -- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0407/041307cdpm2.htm
14. Fixing Iraq -- Between revenue from oil exports and foreign aid, over $100 billion has been pledged to Iraq’s “relief and reconstruction” in the last four years. Yet there is precious little to show for it. About half of this amount is Iraq’s own money. The United States has allocated a total of $38.28 billion in aid as of the end of 2006, but only $12 billion has been spent on civilian reconstruction with most it going to the Iraqi army and police. Other donors have pledged just over $15 billion, but most of this has not been delivered because of the chaos and violence in the country. http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4106
15. Weighing up losses to Iraq's heritage - CAIRO (AFP) - Archaeology in Iraq these days, explains the new caretaker of the country's 5,000-year-old heritage, is less about making new discoveries than finding out what has already been stolen. "We need a government that takes responsibility for protecting the monuments of all Iraqis," antiquities director Abbas Ali al-Hussainy told AFP in an interview during a recent visit to Cairo. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070315/lf_afp/iraqarchaeology_070315182710
16. Baghdad Metro Project: is it the definitive solution to the problem of transportation? - The secretariat of Baghdad announced that it included Baghdad Metro project within its plan for 2007; one billion dinars have been allocated to do the detailed surveys and designs only, which have a total cost of about $ 10 million. The secretariat will start the implementation of the first phase of the project, "32 km" at the end of the current year. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3563
17. Implementing a conducting line for electricity in Nasiriyah - A Turkish company started the implementation of a conducting line for electric power linking the electricity station in Nasiriyah with the secondary one at Shatrah. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3561
18. Europeans in knee socks latest invaders -- BAGHDAD — Asma'a Sami is a proud Iraqi who has never left her country. Recently, though, she has become almost as British as the Beatles. Every time the Manchester United soccer team takes the field, she dons her Manchester United T-shirt, waves her team flag and cheers on the team on television. "Since I was a child, I've been a big fan of the club," said Sami, 27. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-04-05-life-in-iraq_N.htm
END
14 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 12 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Turkish deal could pave way for Shell’s return to Iraq after 35 years -- Shell is poised to become the first oil and gas major to agree terms to reenter Iraq following reports that it has struck a deal with Turkey’s state oil company, TPAO, to extract gas in the war-torn country. The Anglo-Dutch giant is expected to work in partnership with TPAO to build a pipeline from the Kirkuk field near Kurdistan to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean, according to reports.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1647557.ece
3. S. Korea signs MOU with Iraq on oil field development -- SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iraq Thursday to cooperate in the development of oil fields in the Middle Eastern country, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday. The agreement, reached at a ministerial meeting in Seoul, calls on Baghdad to support bids by South Korean firms to develop oil fields and to facilitate the exchange of information and personnel between state-run petroleum companies. http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20070412/650000000020070412183322E9.html
4. South Korea, Iraq Sign Memo to Jointly Develop Oil, Gas Projects -- Dow Jones Newswires -- South Korea and Iraq have signed an initial agreement to jointly develop crude oil and natural gas projects, Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday. Under the agreement, the South Korean government will help its nation's companies expand investments in new oil field development projects in Iraq, the energy ministry said in a statement. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43791
4. Analysis: Violence threatens oil, Iraq -- WASHINGTON, April 12, 2007 (UPI) -- Two Shiite political factions seem to have temporarily set down their arms in Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, the center of its oil industry and the port through which all Iraq's income flows. But the area and the oil sector still face violence while militias and gangs battle for power and control of the oil smuggling trade. http://www.upi.com/Energy/Analysis/2007/04/12/analysis_violence_threatens_oil_iraq/
5. Iraq Oil Law Turns Back the Clock to 1951 -- The supplementary spending bill passed by Congress last month contained one of the most telling pieces of Iraq-related legislation since the U.S. invasion, and it wasn't the August 31, 2008, deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops. It was an obscure and little-understood bill called the Iraqi Hydrocarbons Law, and it could dramatically undermine economic and political progress in Iraq. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2347/Iraq_Oil_Law_Turns_Back_the_Clock_to_1951
6. Corruption Mars Iraqi Oil Production and Transport. Chairman Waxman asks Secretary Rice to investigate persistent allegations of corruption that have slowed the recovery of the Iraqi oil industry. http://reform.democrats.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1241
7. TPAO, Shell agree on partnership in northern Iraq -- The state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origin have struck a deal to extract gas in northern Iraq, though the agreement still needs to be ratified by the central Iraqi government in Baghdad. http://www.todayszaman.com:80/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=108376&bolum=106
8. Japan loan to help rebuild Iraq -- BBC -- Tokyo said it would provide 102.8bn yen ($862m; £437m) in loans to repair Iraqi oil pipelines, export facilities and power supply infrastructure. A further 57.7bn yen for water and electricity projects was also agreed on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's four-day trip to Japan. Japan depends on the Middle East for nearly all of its crude oil. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6541475.stm
9. Iraq says reconstruction meeting set for early May -- BAGHDAD, April 6 (Reuters) - A high-level meeting to launch a five-year international reconstruction plan for Iraq will be held in early May, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Friday. Dabbagh declined to say where the meeting, which is expected to involve numerous governments and international agencies, would take place. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06421428.htm
10. Turks are reconstructing Northern Iraq - 1 -- ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News - Taking off from Istanbul to Arbil, “Freebird” was written on the body of our plane. Free bird was going to perch on neighboring land on Turkey's border that is trying to erase the traces of a war lasting 35 years. Three planes a week fly from Istanbul to northern Iraq's two largest cities, Arbil and Sulaimaniye. In the summer, Antalya is going to be added to these flights. However, the first flight to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region established after 2003 was from Frankfurt. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=70442
11. VoEx International LLC (TM) Signs a 10 Year $200 Million Joint Venture Contract with Kalimat Telecom to Design Build & Operate Iraq's First National CDMA WLL Network -- VoEx International LLC (TM) and Kalimat Telecom finalized and signed a 10 Year Joint Venture Contract estimated about $200 Million US Dollars to design build and operate Iraq's First National CDMA WLL Network with advanced WiMAX capabilities. This network will be the First Middle East state of the art CDMA Limited Mobility Network with EvDo & WiMAX capability and full iP based voice, video and data offerings. http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/4/emw511945.htm
12. IRAQI PM ASKS KOREAN FIRMS TO JOIN RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT - Seoul, 13 April (AKI/WAM) - Iraqi prime minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has called on South Korean companies to participate in war-torn Iraq's efforts to develop its oil fields and rebuild its industrial facilities, including power plants, power supply systems and plants, Yonhap News quoted the office of South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun as saying. Al-Maliki is on the last leg of a three-day visit to the Asian country that ends on Friday. http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.404334698&par=0
13. Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction -- CongressDaily -- Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0407/041307cdpm2.htm
14. Fixing Iraq -- Between revenue from oil exports and foreign aid, over $100 billion has been pledged to Iraq’s “relief and reconstruction” in the last four years. Yet there is precious little to show for it. About half of this amount is Iraq’s own money. The United States has allocated a total of $38.28 billion in aid as of the end of 2006, but only $12 billion has been spent on civilian reconstruction with most it going to the Iraqi army and police. Other donors have pledged just over $15 billion, but most of this has not been delivered because of the chaos and violence in the country. http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4106
15. Weighing up losses to Iraq's heritage - CAIRO (AFP) - Archaeology in Iraq these days, explains the new caretaker of the country's 5,000-year-old heritage, is less about making new discoveries than finding out what has already been stolen. "We need a government that takes responsibility for protecting the monuments of all Iraqis," antiquities director Abbas Ali al-Hussainy told AFP in an interview during a recent visit to Cairo. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070315/lf_afp/iraqarchaeology_070315182710
16. Baghdad Metro Project: is it the definitive solution to the problem of transportation? - The secretariat of Baghdad announced that it included Baghdad Metro project within its plan for 2007; one billion dinars have been allocated to do the detailed surveys and designs only, which have a total cost of about $ 10 million. The secretariat will start the implementation of the first phase of the project, "32 km" at the end of the current year. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3563
17. Implementing a conducting line for electricity in Nasiriyah - A Turkish company started the implementation of a conducting line for electric power linking the electricity station in Nasiriyah with the secondary one at Shatrah. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3561
18. Europeans in knee socks latest invaders -- BAGHDAD — Asma'a Sami is a proud Iraqi who has never left her country. Recently, though, she has become almost as British as the Beatles. Every time the Manchester United soccer team takes the field, she dons her Manchester United T-shirt, waves her team flag and cheers on the team on television. "Since I was a child, I've been a big fan of the club," said Sami, 27. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-04-05-life-in-iraq_N.htm
END
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News 12 April 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
12 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 9 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 4 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82776.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 11 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/83098.pdf
4. Shell strikes deal to extract Iraqi gas -- timesonline.co.uk -- Shell is poised to become the first oil major to step back into Iraq after reports that it had signed a deal to extract natural gas in the Kurdish northern region. A Turkish news agency claimed that the Anglo-Dutch giant would work in partnership with TPAO, the Turkish state oil company. http://business.timesonline.co.uk:80/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1643808.ece
5. S. Korea signs MOU with Iraq on oil field development -- People's Daily Online -- South Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy announced on Thursday that South Korean and Iraqi governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the development of Iraqi oil fields. The MOU was signed by Kim Young-ju, South Korea's minister of commerce, industry and energy, and Hussain al-Shahristani, Iraqi oil minister, on Thursday here after a ministerial meeting. http://english.people.com.cn/200704/12/eng20070412_365977.html
6. "The Laws of Targeting Petroleum-Related Interests and a Review of the Laws Pertaining to the Economic Jihad”, by Shaykh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Rashid (aka Abdelaziz bin Rashid al-Anzi) http://www.globalterroralert.com/pdf/0306/oiljihad0306.pdf
7. Explosion Strikes Oil Pipeline in Iraq -- A bomb struck an oil pipeline Thursday, cutting off supplies and causing a huge fire in southern Iraq near the border with Kuwait, an official said. The pipeline carries oil from surrounding fields to storage tanks in Basra for export to the Gulf region, according to the official with the South Oil Co. But he said the tanks were full and export supplies had not yet been affected. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43583
8. Crescent holds talks on exploration in Iraq -- Dubai: Sharjah-based Crescent Petroleum yesterday said it held talks with representatives of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil in Amman last week to implement their joint study of an exploration area near the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/04/06/10116246.html
8. Japan sees Iraq oil as 'national interest' -- TOKYO, April 4 (UPI) -- Japan needs good relations with Iraq, given that the country is a huge source of petroleum, the Japanese government said Wednesday. http://www.upi.com:80/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20070404-081729-2261r
9. Iraq loses $8 billion through corruption -- BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's top corruption fighter said Wednesday that $8 billion in government money had been wasted or stolen over the past three years and claimed he had been threatened with death after opening an investigation into scores of oil ministry employees. In the chaos and lawlessness of Iraq, such threats are not taken lightly. Radi al-Radhi, who runs the Public Integrity Commission, leads one of the more dangerous missions in the country today. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that 20 members of the organization have been murdered since it began its work. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-04-04-corruption-probe_N.htm
10. Al Musayib Maternity Hospital Partnering Agreement Reached -- Blackanthem Military News, AN NASIRIYAH, Iraq -- In an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust and cooperation, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Council (PRDC), and the Iraq Ministry of Health (MoH) signed a partnering agreement March 28 to build Al Musayib Maternity Hospital (MMH) in Iraq's Babil Province. http://www.blackanthem.com:80/News/U_S_Military_19/Al_Musayib_Maternity_Hospital_Partnering_Agreement_Reached5473.shtml
11. Iraqi leadership improves fuel distribution -- TIKRIT — Iraqi provincial, security and oil officials organized an unprecedented one-day delivery of nearly 5 million liters of petroleum products to Ninewa Province Monday. After months of unsuccessful or inadequate fuel deliveries from the Bayji Oil Refinery, 135 fuel tankers carrying approximately 36,000 liters of benzene, diesel or kerosene products each were convoyed, under Iraqi Army escort, from the refinery to multiple fuel distribution centers in Mosul, Iraq. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11128&Itemid=128
12. Iraq's Restructured Insurance Market: A Critical Review http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/a47n19d01.htm
14. Iraq's Economy -- Economist.com -- You would be hard pushed to find an area keener on attracting foreign investors than Iraqi Kurdistan. The region is almost entirely dependent on imports, as the authorities search for ways to rebuild an economic base that was all but destroyed during the Anfal campaign of Saddam Hussein in the late 1980s. http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8960605
15. War News Radio: The Past as Prologue http://warnewsradio.org/
END
12 April 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 9 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 4 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82776.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 11 April 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/83098.pdf
4. Shell strikes deal to extract Iraqi gas -- timesonline.co.uk -- Shell is poised to become the first oil major to step back into Iraq after reports that it had signed a deal to extract natural gas in the Kurdish northern region. A Turkish news agency claimed that the Anglo-Dutch giant would work in partnership with TPAO, the Turkish state oil company. http://business.timesonline.co.uk:80/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article1643808.ece
5. S. Korea signs MOU with Iraq on oil field development -- People's Daily Online -- South Korea's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy announced on Thursday that South Korean and Iraqi governments signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the development of Iraqi oil fields. The MOU was signed by Kim Young-ju, South Korea's minister of commerce, industry and energy, and Hussain al-Shahristani, Iraqi oil minister, on Thursday here after a ministerial meeting. http://english.people.com.cn/200704/12/eng20070412_365977.html
6. "The Laws of Targeting Petroleum-Related Interests and a Review of the Laws Pertaining to the Economic Jihad”, by Shaykh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Rashid (aka Abdelaziz bin Rashid al-Anzi) http://www.globalterroralert.com/pdf/0306/oiljihad0306.pdf
7. Explosion Strikes Oil Pipeline in Iraq -- A bomb struck an oil pipeline Thursday, cutting off supplies and causing a huge fire in southern Iraq near the border with Kuwait, an official said. The pipeline carries oil from surrounding fields to storage tanks in Basra for export to the Gulf region, according to the official with the South Oil Co. But he said the tanks were full and export supplies had not yet been affected. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43583
8. Crescent holds talks on exploration in Iraq -- Dubai: Sharjah-based Crescent Petroleum yesterday said it held talks with representatives of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil in Amman last week to implement their joint study of an exploration area near the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/04/06/10116246.html
8. Japan sees Iraq oil as 'national interest' -- TOKYO, April 4 (UPI) -- Japan needs good relations with Iraq, given that the country is a huge source of petroleum, the Japanese government said Wednesday. http://www.upi.com:80/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20070404-081729-2261r
9. Iraq loses $8 billion through corruption -- BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's top corruption fighter said Wednesday that $8 billion in government money had been wasted or stolen over the past three years and claimed he had been threatened with death after opening an investigation into scores of oil ministry employees. In the chaos and lawlessness of Iraq, such threats are not taken lightly. Radi al-Radhi, who runs the Public Integrity Commission, leads one of the more dangerous missions in the country today. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that 20 members of the organization have been murdered since it began its work. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-04-04-corruption-probe_N.htm
10. Al Musayib Maternity Hospital Partnering Agreement Reached -- Blackanthem Military News, AN NASIRIYAH, Iraq -- In an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust and cooperation, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Council (PRDC), and the Iraq Ministry of Health (MoH) signed a partnering agreement March 28 to build Al Musayib Maternity Hospital (MMH) in Iraq's Babil Province. http://www.blackanthem.com:80/News/U_S_Military_19/Al_Musayib_Maternity_Hospital_Partnering_Agreement_Reached5473.shtml
11. Iraqi leadership improves fuel distribution -- TIKRIT — Iraqi provincial, security and oil officials organized an unprecedented one-day delivery of nearly 5 million liters of petroleum products to Ninewa Province Monday. After months of unsuccessful or inadequate fuel deliveries from the Bayji Oil Refinery, 135 fuel tankers carrying approximately 36,000 liters of benzene, diesel or kerosene products each were convoyed, under Iraqi Army escort, from the refinery to multiple fuel distribution centers in Mosul, Iraq. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11128&Itemid=128
12. Iraq's Restructured Insurance Market: A Critical Review http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/a47n19d01.htm
14. Iraq's Economy -- Economist.com -- You would be hard pushed to find an area keener on attracting foreign investors than Iraqi Kurdistan. The region is almost entirely dependent on imports, as the authorities search for ways to rebuild an economic base that was all but destroyed during the Anfal campaign of Saddam Hussein in the late 1980s. http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8960605
15. War News Radio: The Past as Prologue http://warnewsradio.org/
END
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News 4 April 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
4 April 2007
1. After Action Report - GEN McCaffrey visit to Iraq and Kuwait March 2007 http://www.militarytimes.com/static/projects/pages/AARMcCaffreyIraq032607.pdf
2. Iraq's Draft Oil Law: The Federal Dimension http://historiae.org/oil-law.asp
3. Iraq Invites 15 International Oil Companies to Drill 50 Wells in the South - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraq has invited 15 international oil companies to drill 50 new oil wells in southern oil fields which would increase the country's output by 70,000 barrels a day, an Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. "The Oil Ministry has instructed the South Oil Company to invite 15 specialized and well known international oil companies to take part in a tender to drill some 50 oil wells in Maysan province," the spokesman said in a statement, a copy of which obtained by Dow Jones Newswires.
http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43460
4. Iraq calls in the drillers -- Iraq has asked 15 Arab, Asian and American companies to tender for a drilling job in the country's south, an Oil Ministry official said today. Asim Jihad told Reuters that the tender, issued at the end of March, will close at the end of May. The state-run South Oil Company will review the offers, he said. http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article130562.ece
5. Lukoil counts on Kremlin in Iraq -- Russian oil producer Lukoil signed a partnership deal with the Russia's Foreign Ministry today, saying it counted on its support as it prepares for talks to revive a giant oil deal in Iraq. Lukoil and the ministry said in a statement that the deal, the first of its kind in Russia, aims to support Lukoil's projects abroad, defend the company's interests by diplomatic means and facilitate its meetings abroad. http://www.upstreamonline.com/incoming/article130534.ece
6. Japan and Iraq to engage in oil talks -- Sapa-AFP - Tokyo - Japan will agree to help Iraq improve crude oil output and push for reconciliation in the war-torn country when Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki comes here next week, officials said Tuesday. Maliki will pay his maiden visit to the world's second-largest economy from Sunday to Wednesday and meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito, Japan's foreign ministry said. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=126&art_id=nw20070403080026202C629669
7. Iraq losing corruption battle -- AFP - Baghdad - Iraq has lost some $8bn to administrative and financial corruption since the 2003 US-led invasion which toppled the Saddam Hussein regime, an anti-corruption panel said on Tuesday. http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/companies/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&lvl2=comp&ArticleID=1518-1783_2093535
8. Saudi company to establish electricity station -- An important Saudi company has expressed its readiness to establish electricity station in Muthana province within reconstruction and building projects, depending on financing from the Saudi donation. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15701
9. Kuwaiti diplomat underscores committment to Iraq's re-construction process -- ISTANBUL, March 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ambassador to Turkey Abdullah Thuwaikh on Tuesday underscored the significance of the 5th Iraq International Conference of Donor Countries which is currently held here. Thuwaikh, who leads Kuwait's delegation to the conference, told KUNA that Kuwait was always keen on participating in such events, noting that Kuwait has presented a USD 1.5 billion of cash in support of Iraq and that there is USD 500 million more for the reconstruction of Iraq to be executed in cooperation with the Iraqi government. http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=963552
10. Iraqi water minister calls for transparency - ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News - Sharing information between neighbors, coordination and consultation are the key to collaboration, Iraqi Minister for Water Resources Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashed told the TDN in an interview. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68824
11. Economic restructuring in Iraq: intended and unintended consequences -- http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29753148_ITM
12. The World Bank supports electricity rehabilitation in Iraq -- Washington, March 29, 2007 -- The WB approved today a credit of US$124 million for Iraq for the Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million. The World Bank has approved an additional US$6 million from the WB ITF; and the Government of Iraq is contributing US$20 million of its own resources. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/64168382-1092419012421/21279096/Iraqpressrelease28March.pdf
13. LDP approves 2-yr extension of Iraq reconstruction support law http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=305902
14. Newly Trained Iraqi Loan Officers To Expand Microfinance Services in Baghdad - As a future loan officer of an indigenous microfinance institution based in Baghdad, Manar, a 27-year-old female, has an ambition: to assist in the economic development of her country. Manar is one of 18 proud graduates of the Microfinance Basics course organized by the USAID IZDIHAR program. http://www.izdihar-iraq.com/news/stories.html#story124
15. Betrayed - The Iraqis who trusted America the most. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/03/26/070326fa_fact_packer
END
4 April 2007
1. After Action Report - GEN McCaffrey visit to Iraq and Kuwait March 2007 http://www.militarytimes.com/static/projects/pages/AARMcCaffreyIraq032607.pdf
2. Iraq's Draft Oil Law: The Federal Dimension http://historiae.org/oil-law.asp
3. Iraq Invites 15 International Oil Companies to Drill 50 Wells in the South - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraq has invited 15 international oil companies to drill 50 new oil wells in southern oil fields which would increase the country's output by 70,000 barrels a day, an Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. "The Oil Ministry has instructed the South Oil Company to invite 15 specialized and well known international oil companies to take part in a tender to drill some 50 oil wells in Maysan province," the spokesman said in a statement, a copy of which obtained by Dow Jones Newswires.
http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43460
4. Iraq calls in the drillers -- Iraq has asked 15 Arab, Asian and American companies to tender for a drilling job in the country's south, an Oil Ministry official said today. Asim Jihad told Reuters that the tender, issued at the end of March, will close at the end of May. The state-run South Oil Company will review the offers, he said. http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article130562.ece
5. Lukoil counts on Kremlin in Iraq -- Russian oil producer Lukoil signed a partnership deal with the Russia's Foreign Ministry today, saying it counted on its support as it prepares for talks to revive a giant oil deal in Iraq. Lukoil and the ministry said in a statement that the deal, the first of its kind in Russia, aims to support Lukoil's projects abroad, defend the company's interests by diplomatic means and facilitate its meetings abroad. http://www.upstreamonline.com/incoming/article130534.ece
6. Japan and Iraq to engage in oil talks -- Sapa-AFP - Tokyo - Japan will agree to help Iraq improve crude oil output and push for reconciliation in the war-torn country when Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki comes here next week, officials said Tuesday. Maliki will pay his maiden visit to the world's second-largest economy from Sunday to Wednesday and meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito, Japan's foreign ministry said. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=126&art_id=nw20070403080026202C629669
7. Iraq losing corruption battle -- AFP - Baghdad - Iraq has lost some $8bn to administrative and financial corruption since the 2003 US-led invasion which toppled the Saddam Hussein regime, an anti-corruption panel said on Tuesday. http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/companies/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&lvl2=comp&ArticleID=1518-1783_2093535
8. Saudi company to establish electricity station -- An important Saudi company has expressed its readiness to establish electricity station in Muthana province within reconstruction and building projects, depending on financing from the Saudi donation. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15701
9. Kuwaiti diplomat underscores committment to Iraq's re-construction process -- ISTANBUL, March 20 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ambassador to Turkey Abdullah Thuwaikh on Tuesday underscored the significance of the 5th Iraq International Conference of Donor Countries which is currently held here. Thuwaikh, who leads Kuwait's delegation to the conference, told KUNA that Kuwait was always keen on participating in such events, noting that Kuwait has presented a USD 1.5 billion of cash in support of Iraq and that there is USD 500 million more for the reconstruction of Iraq to be executed in cooperation with the Iraqi government. http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=963552
10. Iraqi water minister calls for transparency - ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News - Sharing information between neighbors, coordination and consultation are the key to collaboration, Iraqi Minister for Water Resources Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashed told the TDN in an interview. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68824
11. Economic restructuring in Iraq: intended and unintended consequences -- http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29753148_ITM
12. The World Bank supports electricity rehabilitation in Iraq -- Washington, March 29, 2007 -- The WB approved today a credit of US$124 million for Iraq for the Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million. The World Bank has approved an additional US$6 million from the WB ITF; and the Government of Iraq is contributing US$20 million of its own resources. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/64168382-1092419012421/21279096/Iraqpressrelease28March.pdf
13. LDP approves 2-yr extension of Iraq reconstruction support law http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=305902
14. Newly Trained Iraqi Loan Officers To Expand Microfinance Services in Baghdad - As a future loan officer of an indigenous microfinance institution based in Baghdad, Manar, a 27-year-old female, has an ambition: to assist in the economic development of her country. Manar is one of 18 proud graduates of the Microfinance Basics course organized by the USAID IZDIHAR program. http://www.izdihar-iraq.com/news/stories.html#story124
15. Betrayed - The Iraqis who trusted America the most. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/03/26/070326fa_fact_packer
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 3 April 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
3 April 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/30/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Brookings Iraq Index 2 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 28 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82522.pdf
4. Oil ministry invites 15 companies to drill 50 new wells - Baghdad, Apr 2, (VOI) – Iraq's oil ministry requested the country's South Oil company to invite 15 international corporations to dig 15 new wells, the ministry spokesman said. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40939&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
5. Russia oil producer seeks backing for Iraq oil deal -- MOSCOW: Russia’s top oil producer LUKOIL signed a partnership deal with the foreign ministry on Monday and said it counted on its support as it prepares for talks to revive a giant oil deal in Iraq. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C04%5C03%5Cstory_3-4-2007_pg5_33
6. US oil companies look to invest in riskier regions -- NEW YORK, April 2 (Reuters) - Major oil companies are looking to invest in increasingly risky corners of the world, as high oil prices and tightening access to oil reserves make these regions more attractive. As oil prices have increased, resource-rich countries such as Venezuela and Russia have tightened their grip on oil and gas assets, shrinking the pool of available reserves for companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM.N: Quote, Profile , Research), Chevron Corp. (CVX.N: Quote, Profile , Research), and ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile , Research). http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&storyID=2007-04-02T184340Z_01_N02440894_RTRIDST_0_OIL-RISK.XML
7. Nation-building in Iraq: the good, the not-so-bad, and the ugly http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/2007/04/nationbuilding_in_iraq_the_goo.html
8. 4.7 million dollar sewage project in Nassiriya - Dhi Qar, March 31 (VOI) – A project to treat sewage water for some areas of Dhi Qar province was inaugurated, after experimental operation early last week, at a cost of 6 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly 4.7 million U.S. dollars), a media spokesman for the provincial council said on Saturday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40833&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
9. Wassit environment warns of grave consequences of industrial waste - Kut, Apr 2, (VOI) - Director of the environment department in Wassit province, on Monday, warned of the dire consequences of getting rid of industrial waste in the streets and the Tigris river, considering it an attack on the environment. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40991&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
10. Kurdistan region leads the way in Iraq's aviation sector -- LONDON -- The Kurdistan Region’s new international airports were showcased as the leading examples in Iraq during an aviation and security conference held in London this week. International delegates met with Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government officials, airport directors and airline operators to discuss the continued development of Iraq’s airports which are critical to international support, access and investment. http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2007/3/investkurdistan233.htm
11. Basra's Khour Zubair port receives super oil tanker - Basra, March 31 (VOI) – The Khour Zubair port in Basra received for the first time a super tanker carrying Iraqi oil, the port's assistant director said. "Tanker West Star, which anchored in the port on Friday, weighs 70,000 tons and is 243 meters long and 32 meters wide," engineer Mohammed Yousuf told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40824&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
12. 224.904 billion dinars allocated for investment in Wassit - Kut, Apr 2, (VOI) - A total of 224.904 billion dinars ($176,811 million US dollars) has been allocated to implement an investment plan in Wassit province, central Iraq, during the fiscal year 2007, the largest allocation, compared to other Iraqi provinces, after Baghdad, an official source in the province said on Monday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40999&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
13. Iraq to import refining equipment from Iran -- Iraq will pay $64 million for importing equipment from Iran to upgrade one of its refineries. The equipment will be imported to upgrade Najaf Oil Refinery located in 150 km south of Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, a provincial official of Najaf has said. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=4620§ionid=351020102
14. Generating electricity from solar energy -- Head of the Reconstruction Committee in Baghdad City Council, Ali Al-Attar, said that the Council is doing an extensive study for the endorsement of the project of generating electricity from solar energy. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3549
15. Iraqi cabinet endorses 50 m dinars loans for small projects - Baghdad, Apr 3, (VOI) - Iraqi cabinet on Tuesday endorsed offering loans up to 50 million dinars ($ 40,000) for small projects, the government spokesman said. "The cabinet has agreed to offers loans up to 50 million dinars for small projects through the state-owned banks," Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters after a cabinet meeting. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=41076&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
16. Iraq eyes future tourism -- BAGHDAD — Thinking about Spring Break in Iraq? Odds are, probably not. But an exhibition organized this past week by Iraq's Tourism Ministry sought to lay the groundwork for one fine day in the future when intrepid tourists might just consider taking a vacation here. At the "Spring Fair," held at a hotel within the concrete blast walls of Baghdad's Green Zone, visitors were treated to displays of silk rugs, antique pistols, daggers decorated with gems, and other locally made arts and crafts. The hallways were lined with photos of Iraqi holy sites. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-29-spring-fair_N.htm
END
3 April 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/30/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Brookings Iraq Index 2 April 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 28 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82522.pdf
4. Oil ministry invites 15 companies to drill 50 new wells - Baghdad, Apr 2, (VOI) – Iraq's oil ministry requested the country's South Oil company to invite 15 international corporations to dig 15 new wells, the ministry spokesman said. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40939&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
5. Russia oil producer seeks backing for Iraq oil deal -- MOSCOW: Russia’s top oil producer LUKOIL signed a partnership deal with the foreign ministry on Monday and said it counted on its support as it prepares for talks to revive a giant oil deal in Iraq. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C04%5C03%5Cstory_3-4-2007_pg5_33
6. US oil companies look to invest in riskier regions -- NEW YORK, April 2 (Reuters) - Major oil companies are looking to invest in increasingly risky corners of the world, as high oil prices and tightening access to oil reserves make these regions more attractive. As oil prices have increased, resource-rich countries such as Venezuela and Russia have tightened their grip on oil and gas assets, shrinking the pool of available reserves for companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM.N: Quote, Profile , Research), Chevron Corp. (CVX.N: Quote, Profile , Research), and ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile , Research). http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&storyID=2007-04-02T184340Z_01_N02440894_RTRIDST_0_OIL-RISK.XML
7. Nation-building in Iraq: the good, the not-so-bad, and the ugly http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/2007/04/nationbuilding_in_iraq_the_goo.html
8. 4.7 million dollar sewage project in Nassiriya - Dhi Qar, March 31 (VOI) – A project to treat sewage water for some areas of Dhi Qar province was inaugurated, after experimental operation early last week, at a cost of 6 billion Iraqi dinars (roughly 4.7 million U.S. dollars), a media spokesman for the provincial council said on Saturday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40833&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
9. Wassit environment warns of grave consequences of industrial waste - Kut, Apr 2, (VOI) - Director of the environment department in Wassit province, on Monday, warned of the dire consequences of getting rid of industrial waste in the streets and the Tigris river, considering it an attack on the environment. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40991&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
10. Kurdistan region leads the way in Iraq's aviation sector -- LONDON -- The Kurdistan Region’s new international airports were showcased as the leading examples in Iraq during an aviation and security conference held in London this week. International delegates met with Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government officials, airport directors and airline operators to discuss the continued development of Iraq’s airports which are critical to international support, access and investment. http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2007/3/investkurdistan233.htm
11. Basra's Khour Zubair port receives super oil tanker - Basra, March 31 (VOI) – The Khour Zubair port in Basra received for the first time a super tanker carrying Iraqi oil, the port's assistant director said. "Tanker West Star, which anchored in the port on Friday, weighs 70,000 tons and is 243 meters long and 32 meters wide," engineer Mohammed Yousuf told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40824&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
12. 224.904 billion dinars allocated for investment in Wassit - Kut, Apr 2, (VOI) - A total of 224.904 billion dinars ($176,811 million US dollars) has been allocated to implement an investment plan in Wassit province, central Iraq, during the fiscal year 2007, the largest allocation, compared to other Iraqi provinces, after Baghdad, an official source in the province said on Monday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40999&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
13. Iraq to import refining equipment from Iran -- Iraq will pay $64 million for importing equipment from Iran to upgrade one of its refineries. The equipment will be imported to upgrade Najaf Oil Refinery located in 150 km south of Iraqi capital city of Baghdad, a provincial official of Najaf has said. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=4620§ionid=351020102
14. Generating electricity from solar energy -- Head of the Reconstruction Committee in Baghdad City Council, Ali Al-Attar, said that the Council is doing an extensive study for the endorsement of the project of generating electricity from solar energy. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3549
15. Iraqi cabinet endorses 50 m dinars loans for small projects - Baghdad, Apr 3, (VOI) - Iraqi cabinet on Tuesday endorsed offering loans up to 50 million dinars ($ 40,000) for small projects, the government spokesman said. "The cabinet has agreed to offers loans up to 50 million dinars for small projects through the state-owned banks," Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters after a cabinet meeting. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=41076&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
16. Iraq eyes future tourism -- BAGHDAD — Thinking about Spring Break in Iraq? Odds are, probably not. But an exhibition organized this past week by Iraq's Tourism Ministry sought to lay the groundwork for one fine day in the future when intrepid tourists might just consider taking a vacation here. At the "Spring Fair," held at a hotel within the concrete blast walls of Baghdad's Green Zone, visitors were treated to displays of silk rugs, antique pistols, daggers decorated with gems, and other locally made arts and crafts. The hallways were lined with photos of Iraqi holy sites. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-29-spring-fair_N.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 1 April 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
1 April 2007
1. On-the-Record Briefing With Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Leaders on Iraq -- http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/2007/82501.htm
2. Marking Up the Reconstruction: Part 2 -- IraqSlogger.com -- http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2068/Marking_Up_The_Reconstruction_Part_2
3. Three Iraq state business restarted -- A U.S. program to jump start Iraq's 200 former state-owned factories is beginning to yield fruit, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. A ceramics factory in Ramadi, a Sunni area, a clothing and textiles sewing factory in Najaf, the heartland to Iraq's majority Shiites, and an automotive and metal factory south of Baghdad in a mixed area are all up and running, said Paul Brinkley, deputy under secretary of defense for business transformation. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3514
4. Turkish firms eager to enter Iraqi petrolium market -- Turkish Daily News -- http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=69506
5. Turkish business to drive reconstruction in Iraq – Turkish Daily News --A meeting promoting the second Iraq International Fair in Gaziantep scheduled for May, was auspiciously held on the day of Nevruz Bayram in Istambul. Undaunted by the dismal security and economic situation in Iraq, State Minister for Trade Kürşad Tüzmen spoke enthusiastically of a roadmap involving elements of the private sector and called for cooperation between neighbors. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68826
6. Kurdistan a safe investment haven in war-torn Iraq -- Dubai: Iraq's Kurdistan region is marketing itself as a safe haven for Arab investors in an otherwise troubled nation beset with insurgent violence and foreign military presence. "The difference between Kurdistan and other parts of Iraq is that we have political stability and safety. We have had a regional government since 1992," said Herish Muharam, chairman of the Board of Investment for the northern Iraqi region. http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Investment/10113224.html
7. Five companies probed in drive against corruption -- FT.com -- British companies in at least five foreign countries are being investigated for alleged bribes in an initiative that the new anti-corruption police unit hopes will result in the first overseas corruption trial getting under way next year. The unprecedented anti-corruption drive is being led by a 10-person investigation unit within the City of London's economic crime department, the elite anti-fraud squad. It is focused on cases that have been referred by the Serious Fraud Office. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3e44c126-d9ac-11db-9b4a-000b5df10621.html
8 Iraq Reconstruction Teams to Receive Needed Support -- WASHINGTON — Ten veteran diplomats and four representatives of the Agency for International Development will depart for Iraq in coming days as the civilian core of 10 new provincial reconstruction teams, the first step in what the Bush administration has promised will be a significant increase in efforts to accelerate local economic and political development. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/24/washington/24reconstruct.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
9. Iraq reconstruction fund meeting ends with donations said lower than expected -- If donations for Iraq end, this would make terrorists stronger, said Iraqi Planning & Development Minister Ali Baban. "Iraq Reconstruction Forum" held within the scope of the 5th meeting of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee (formed by the World Bank and the UN Development Group) ended in Istanbul on Monday. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15731
10. U.S. General Sees Cause for Optimism in Anbar Province -- Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Over the last year, coalition forces have laid the foundation for stability and provincial Iraqi control in Anbar province, the commander of Multinational Force West said today. "Our strategy of clear, hold and build, combined with an energized governmental and tribal engagement, is beginning to bear fruit," Marine Maj. Gen. Walt Gaskin told reporters at the Pentagon via satellite. http://www.blackanthem.com:80/News/International_21/U_S_General_Sees_Cause_for_Optimism_in_Anbar_Province5412.shtmlA
11. World Bank approves $124m credit for Iraq - Reuters - Washington: The World Bank on Thursday approved $124 million in credit for an electricity reconstruction project in Iraq. The project aims to increase generating capacity at the Hartha power station in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the World Bank said in a statement. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/03/31/10114830.html
12. 4 companies puts into effect water project -- Muthana water directorate has delivered al-Samawa & Khuther water clearing which financed by international bank, to four companies. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15897
13. In letter, Iraq tells IMF inflation is a priority - Reuters- Iraq promised to make tackling high inflation one of its priorities and said it will gradually keep raising domestic prices of fuel products to curb a thriving black market, according to a letter by Iraq’s top finance officials to the IMF published on Friday. ”Inflation has risen to an unacceptable level,” the letter, signed by Iraq’s central banker Sinan al-Shabibi and Finance Minister Bayan Jabor, told the International Monetary Fund. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/March/focusoniraq_March165.xml§ion=focusoniraq
14. Discussing investment and reconstruction projects -- Two delegations from Iraq and Kuwait put forth several projects in the fields of reconstruction and investment with which the Kuwaiti private sector can contributed in Iraq, and agreed to prepare dossiers on them and discuss them in future through a meeting between the two delegations at an invitation from the Kuwaiti side. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1541.htm
15. Iraqis Unite Behind "Daughter of Mesopotamia" - IraqSlogger.com -- At least one out of every four Iraqis have voted via cellphone for Shada Hassoun, the Iraqi female finalist who won the vote in the popular Star Academy show – an Arab version of American Idol that features young talented contestants from different Arab countries. http://www.iraqslogger.com:80/index.php/post/2170/Iraqis_Unite_Behind_Daughter_of_Mesopotamia
END
1 April 2007
1. On-the-Record Briefing With Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Leaders on Iraq -- http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/rm/2007/82501.htm
2. Marking Up the Reconstruction: Part 2 -- IraqSlogger.com -- http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2068/Marking_Up_The_Reconstruction_Part_2
3. Three Iraq state business restarted -- A U.S. program to jump start Iraq's 200 former state-owned factories is beginning to yield fruit, a Pentagon official said Wednesday. A ceramics factory in Ramadi, a Sunni area, a clothing and textiles sewing factory in Najaf, the heartland to Iraq's majority Shiites, and an automotive and metal factory south of Baghdad in a mixed area are all up and running, said Paul Brinkley, deputy under secretary of defense for business transformation. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3514
4. Turkish firms eager to enter Iraqi petrolium market -- Turkish Daily News -- http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=69506
5. Turkish business to drive reconstruction in Iraq – Turkish Daily News --A meeting promoting the second Iraq International Fair in Gaziantep scheduled for May, was auspiciously held on the day of Nevruz Bayram in Istambul. Undaunted by the dismal security and economic situation in Iraq, State Minister for Trade Kürşad Tüzmen spoke enthusiastically of a roadmap involving elements of the private sector and called for cooperation between neighbors. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68826
6. Kurdistan a safe investment haven in war-torn Iraq -- Dubai: Iraq's Kurdistan region is marketing itself as a safe haven for Arab investors in an otherwise troubled nation beset with insurgent violence and foreign military presence. "The difference between Kurdistan and other parts of Iraq is that we have political stability and safety. We have had a regional government since 1992," said Herish Muharam, chairman of the Board of Investment for the northern Iraqi region. http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Investment/10113224.html
7. Five companies probed in drive against corruption -- FT.com -- British companies in at least five foreign countries are being investigated for alleged bribes in an initiative that the new anti-corruption police unit hopes will result in the first overseas corruption trial getting under way next year. The unprecedented anti-corruption drive is being led by a 10-person investigation unit within the City of London's economic crime department, the elite anti-fraud squad. It is focused on cases that have been referred by the Serious Fraud Office. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3e44c126-d9ac-11db-9b4a-000b5df10621.html
8 Iraq Reconstruction Teams to Receive Needed Support -- WASHINGTON — Ten veteran diplomats and four representatives of the Agency for International Development will depart for Iraq in coming days as the civilian core of 10 new provincial reconstruction teams, the first step in what the Bush administration has promised will be a significant increase in efforts to accelerate local economic and political development. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/24/washington/24reconstruct.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
9. Iraq reconstruction fund meeting ends with donations said lower than expected -- If donations for Iraq end, this would make terrorists stronger, said Iraqi Planning & Development Minister Ali Baban. "Iraq Reconstruction Forum" held within the scope of the 5th meeting of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee (formed by the World Bank and the UN Development Group) ended in Istanbul on Monday. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15731
10. U.S. General Sees Cause for Optimism in Anbar Province -- Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Over the last year, coalition forces have laid the foundation for stability and provincial Iraqi control in Anbar province, the commander of Multinational Force West said today. "Our strategy of clear, hold and build, combined with an energized governmental and tribal engagement, is beginning to bear fruit," Marine Maj. Gen. Walt Gaskin told reporters at the Pentagon via satellite. http://www.blackanthem.com:80/News/International_21/U_S_General_Sees_Cause_for_Optimism_in_Anbar_Province5412.shtmlA
11. World Bank approves $124m credit for Iraq - Reuters - Washington: The World Bank on Thursday approved $124 million in credit for an electricity reconstruction project in Iraq. The project aims to increase generating capacity at the Hartha power station in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the World Bank said in a statement. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/03/31/10114830.html
12. 4 companies puts into effect water project -- Muthana water directorate has delivered al-Samawa & Khuther water clearing which financed by international bank, to four companies. http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15897
13. In letter, Iraq tells IMF inflation is a priority - Reuters- Iraq promised to make tackling high inflation one of its priorities and said it will gradually keep raising domestic prices of fuel products to curb a thriving black market, according to a letter by Iraq’s top finance officials to the IMF published on Friday. ”Inflation has risen to an unacceptable level,” the letter, signed by Iraq’s central banker Sinan al-Shabibi and Finance Minister Bayan Jabor, told the International Monetary Fund. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/March/focusoniraq_March165.xml§ion=focusoniraq
14. Discussing investment and reconstruction projects -- Two delegations from Iraq and Kuwait put forth several projects in the fields of reconstruction and investment with which the Kuwaiti private sector can contributed in Iraq, and agreed to prepare dossiers on them and discuss them in future through a meeting between the two delegations at an invitation from the Kuwaiti side. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1541.htm
15. Iraqis Unite Behind "Daughter of Mesopotamia" - IraqSlogger.com -- At least one out of every four Iraqis have voted via cellphone for Shada Hassoun, the Iraqi female finalist who won the vote in the popular Star Academy show – an Arab version of American Idol that features young talented contestants from different Arab countries. http://www.iraqslogger.com:80/index.php/post/2170/Iraqis_Unite_Behind_Daughter_of_Mesopotamia
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 30 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
30 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 29 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 28 march 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82522.pdf
3. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Report 30 March 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/20070330.pdf
4. Shell VP Confirms Gas Development Talks with Iraq -- Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex -- Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) confirmed Thursday that it has been in talks with oil officials from the Iraqi government over the development of the country's gas industry. Speaking on the fringes of an oil and gas conference in Aberdeen, Scotland Shell's Executive Vice President for Development and Technology in Exploration and Production Matthias Bichsel confirmed representatives of his company met with Iraqi officials in Oman to explore opportunities for the development of Iraq's largely untapped gas reserves. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43230
5. DNO: Northern Iraq Well Delivers 9,860 bopd -- DNO ASA on Thursday announced an update on its activities in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43214
6. The World Bank Supports Electricity Rehabilitation in Iraq -- The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a credit of US$124 million for the Republic of Iraq for the Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million. The World Bank has approved an additional US$6 million from the World Bank-administered Iraq Trust Fund; and the Government of Iraq is contributing US$20 million of its own resources. http://www.harolddoan.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4114
7. Why You Should Care About the World Bank and Iraq - Bank Information Center - Reports that a World Bank staffer was shot at an Iraqi checkpoint surfaced in late February. The Bank apparently suppressed the news for several days, presumably in an effort to quell concerns about Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's recent push to re-open a World Bank office in Baghdad. What should the Bank be doing in Iraq? Following is an overview of current Bank involvement in the country, and some reasons why you should be concerned. http://www.just-international.org/article.cfm?newsid=20002051
8. Non-Iraqis allowed to trade in Iraq Stock Exchange -- official http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3421
9. Poll: Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam -- One in four (26%) Iraqi adults have had a family relative murdered in the last three years, while 23% of those living in Baghdad have had a family/relative kidnapped in the last three years. These are among the findings released today from the largest poll into Iraqi opinion ever to be published. Carried out by UK research firm ORB, which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with almost half (49%) preferring life under the current political system. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current arrangements. http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=67
10. New dam constructed in restive Anbar Province -- Azzaman -- Work is progressing on the construction of a new dam in the restive Province of Anbar to help nomads find enough pasture and water for their herds. Anbar is the largest Iraqi province in area. Though River Euphrates passes through its territory most of the province is barren desert. The dam will cost 14 billion dinars (one dollar is worth 1,300 dinars) and rise to a height of 17.5 meters, according to Raad Abduljaleel, head of the state-run Directorate for Dams and Reservoirs. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-20\kurd.htm
11. Iraqi Engineers Learn New Skills to Better their Country http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-17.pdf
12. British firms face fraud allegations over 'phantom' armoured vehicles -- Three British companies are facing accusations that they engaged in large-scale fraud in Iraq after it emerged they were paid for "phantom" armoured vehicles destined to protect Iraqi government employees. The vehicles were never delivered, but the companies were paid anyway. One company, headed by a former deputy assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard and a colourful ex-army officer, received $5.7m (£2.93m), even though the vehicles never left the factory in Russia where they were due to be manufactured. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2038097,00.html
13. Shortage of safe water risks cholera in Iraq: U.N. - AMMAN (Reuters) - United Nations agencies working in Iraq warned on Thursday a chronic shortage of safe drinking water risks causing more child deaths and an outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera during the summer. Four years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, millions of Iraqi children still find that safe water is no easier to access, said a statement issued by leading U.N. aid agencies operating in Iraq. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=AFF272815FA63358420D88A9C6D37B91
14. Iraqi water minister calls for transparency - ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News - Sharing information between neighbors, coordination and consultation are the key to collaboration, Iraqi Minister for Water Resources Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashed told the TDN in an interview. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68824
15. Shada's Singing Lifts Iraqi Spirits -- Morning Edition, March 30, 2007 -- Through war and intense sectarian violence, one person has united many Iraqis. Shada Hassoon is a 25-year-old singer, one of four finalists on Star Academy, a Lebanese TV program. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9237388
END
30 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 29 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 28 march 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82522.pdf
3. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Report 30 March 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/20070330.pdf
4. Shell VP Confirms Gas Development Talks with Iraq -- Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex -- Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) confirmed Thursday that it has been in talks with oil officials from the Iraqi government over the development of the country's gas industry. Speaking on the fringes of an oil and gas conference in Aberdeen, Scotland Shell's Executive Vice President for Development and Technology in Exploration and Production Matthias Bichsel confirmed representatives of his company met with Iraqi officials in Oman to explore opportunities for the development of Iraq's largely untapped gas reserves. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43230
5. DNO: Northern Iraq Well Delivers 9,860 bopd -- DNO ASA on Thursday announced an update on its activities in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43214
6. The World Bank Supports Electricity Rehabilitation in Iraq -- The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a credit of US$124 million for the Republic of Iraq for the Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million. The World Bank has approved an additional US$6 million from the World Bank-administered Iraq Trust Fund; and the Government of Iraq is contributing US$20 million of its own resources. http://www.harolddoan.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4114
7. Why You Should Care About the World Bank and Iraq - Bank Information Center - Reports that a World Bank staffer was shot at an Iraqi checkpoint surfaced in late February. The Bank apparently suppressed the news for several days, presumably in an effort to quell concerns about Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's recent push to re-open a World Bank office in Baghdad. What should the Bank be doing in Iraq? Following is an overview of current Bank involvement in the country, and some reasons why you should be concerned. http://www.just-international.org/article.cfm?newsid=20002051
8. Non-Iraqis allowed to trade in Iraq Stock Exchange -- official http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3421
9. Poll: Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam -- One in four (26%) Iraqi adults have had a family relative murdered in the last three years, while 23% of those living in Baghdad have had a family/relative kidnapped in the last three years. These are among the findings released today from the largest poll into Iraqi opinion ever to be published. Carried out by UK research firm ORB, which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with almost half (49%) preferring life under the current political system. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current arrangements. http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=67
10. New dam constructed in restive Anbar Province -- Azzaman -- Work is progressing on the construction of a new dam in the restive Province of Anbar to help nomads find enough pasture and water for their herds. Anbar is the largest Iraqi province in area. Though River Euphrates passes through its territory most of the province is barren desert. The dam will cost 14 billion dinars (one dollar is worth 1,300 dinars) and rise to a height of 17.5 meters, according to Raad Abduljaleel, head of the state-run Directorate for Dams and Reservoirs. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-20\kurd.htm
11. Iraqi Engineers Learn New Skills to Better their Country http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-17.pdf
12. British firms face fraud allegations over 'phantom' armoured vehicles -- Three British companies are facing accusations that they engaged in large-scale fraud in Iraq after it emerged they were paid for "phantom" armoured vehicles destined to protect Iraqi government employees. The vehicles were never delivered, but the companies were paid anyway. One company, headed by a former deputy assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard and a colourful ex-army officer, received $5.7m (£2.93m), even though the vehicles never left the factory in Russia where they were due to be manufactured. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2038097,00.html
13. Shortage of safe water risks cholera in Iraq: U.N. - AMMAN (Reuters) - United Nations agencies working in Iraq warned on Thursday a chronic shortage of safe drinking water risks causing more child deaths and an outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera during the summer. Four years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, millions of Iraqi children still find that safe water is no easier to access, said a statement issued by leading U.N. aid agencies operating in Iraq. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=AFF272815FA63358420D88A9C6D37B91
14. Iraqi water minister calls for transparency - ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News - Sharing information between neighbors, coordination and consultation are the key to collaboration, Iraqi Minister for Water Resources Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashed told the TDN in an interview. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68824
15. Shada's Singing Lifts Iraqi Spirits -- Morning Edition, March 30, 2007 -- Through war and intense sectarian violence, one person has united many Iraqis. Shada Hassoon is a 25-year-old singer, one of four finalists on Star Academy, a Lebanese TV program. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9237388
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 29 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
29 March 2007
1. Operation Iraqi Freedom: Preliminary Observations on Iraqi Security Forces' Logistics and Command and Control Capabilities. GAO-07-503R, March 28.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-503R
2. DoD New Briefing On Reconstruction In Iraq With Brigadier General Michael Walsh And Deputy Mayor Ibrahim Mustafa Hussain In The Pentagon Briefing Studio, Arlington, Virginia http://www.defenselink.mil:80/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3919
3. In Iraq, an Army Officer Battles to Open a Bank -- WSJ -- BAGHDAD, Iraq -- For Lt. Col. Dale Kuehl, one of the keys to bringing some semblance of order to the restive area that his troops patrol has been a small, squat bank branch. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117513386782152797.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
4. Iraq needs money to spend money, official says -- Reuters -- WASHINGTON — Iraq's government has left about $12.5 billion in rebuilding funds from its 2006 budget unspent because it lacks the tools and expertise to allocate the money, the State Department's Iraq coordinator, David Satterfield, said Tuesday. Satterfield argued that a recent request to Congress for an additional $4 billion in U.S. funding would help address the problem. http://www.latimes.com:80/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-spend28mar28,1,1558266.story?coll=la-headlines-world
5. Satterfield: Iraq oil law will pass -- (UPI) -- The Bush administration remains optimistic Iraq will approve a law governing its oil and natural gas despite growing opposition. Ambassador David Satterfield, senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the State Department's Iraq coordinator, said a deal reached last month on the framework for the draft hydrocarbons law meets two of three points necessary for the military "surge" to be successful. http://www.upi.com/Energy/satterfield_iraq_oil_law_will_pass/20070328-095649-4969r/
6. Pentagon Supply Needs Help Revitalize Iraqi Economy -- AP -- WASHINGTON — In an Iraq jobs program, the Pentagon has helped reopen three factories shuttered after the 2003 invasion, seeding the ground by buying uniforms and armored vehicles from two of them. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,262108,00.html
7. Analysis: Unions could sway Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- Iraqi parliamentarians are set to debate a law governing oil and natural gas resources, though backroom negotiations on the measure haven't concluded yet. Both the deliberation and the deal may be futile, however, if Iraq's oil unions don't give their consent. And the blessing of the more than 26,000-strong workers is far from guaranteed. http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20070328-011829-3353r
8. Analysis: Iraq oil union has storied past -- WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- Hassan Jumaa Awad wants Iraq's oil to stay under state control, and the unionists, who have long worked the rigs, to be supported in developing the national resource. But this is no request from the president of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions. It's a demand. http://www.upi.com/Energy/
9. Infrastructure Rebuild Costs Seen Over $100 Bln-General -- LONDON (Dow Jones)--The costs of rebuilding existing power plants and water treatment facilities in Iraq and constructing new infrastructure is expected to exceed $100 billion, the top U.S. official leading the reconstruction efforts in Iraq said Wednesday. Higher costs of labor and inputs such as raw materials like steel and cement are driving the around 40% rise in the figure since 2003, Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in an interview by telephone from Baghdad. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidDN20070321010136/SecMain/pagHomepage
10. Foreign firms want to develop Missan oil fields, official -- March 28, 2007 -- The authorities in the southern province of Missan say they have received several requests from foreign firms to develop the province’s gigantic oil fields. The officials refused to name the firms but said the relative stability which the province currently enjoys was luring both foreign and Iraq entrepreneurs to invest. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-28\kurd.htm
11. Fuel shortages cripple Mosul -- Azzaman -- Fuel shortages have almost brought life to a standstill in the northern city of Mosul. The severe crisis started with the suspension of fuel imports from Syria since March 22. We now receive less than 10% of the province’s fuel needs,” said the commission in charge of fuel distribution in northern Iraq in a statement. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-26\kurd1.htm
12. FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN IRAQ - AN UPHILL BATTLE -- MSNBC -- A few months ago, the watchdog group Transparency International published its yearly Corruption Perceptions Index. Out of 163 countries surveyed in 2006, only two, Myanmar and Haiti, were found to be more corrupt than Iraq. This country was described as "one of the greatest corruption nightmares on the planet." "That has to change" was the message delivered earlier this week by Boots Poliquin, the American director of the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) in Baghdad. "We want to try and develop [a] sense of accountability and transparency within the system of Iraq." http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/03/09/85910.aspx
13. Kurdistan adopts Dubai plan to boost development -- Gulf News -- A visiting Kurdish official from Iraq yesterday said the regional government of his province decided to follow Dubai's development model after evaluating a variety of plans from around the world. Othman I. Shwani, Minister of Planning in the Kurdistan Regional Government, told Gulf News that Dubai's plan was found to be the most appropriate for Kurdistan and his government will go ahead with it. "We need to modify the Dubai Strategic Plan to suit Kurdistan's requirements before putting it into force. We are convinced that the plan being adopted by the Dubai Government fits our ambitions and objectives compared to plans proposed to us from Europe or from Asia," he said. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_17032007_10111684/SecMain/pagHomepage
14. Iraq to control more of its foreign aid -- The fund representing foreign donors to Iraq will now include an Iraqi co-chairman who will help decide how to allocate aid money, an additional step towards getting Iraqis to assert more control over their own country's development, the outgoing fund chairman said Tuesday. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3455
15. Christians, targeted and suffering, flee Iraq-- BAGHDAD — In between messages of love and faith, Mushtaq Zanbaqa, priest of the Holy Virgin Chaldean Catholic Church in east Baghdad, has a weekly plea for his Christian flock: Don't leave. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-22-christians-iraq_N.htm
END
29 March 2007
1. Operation Iraqi Freedom: Preliminary Observations on Iraqi Security Forces' Logistics and Command and Control Capabilities. GAO-07-503R, March 28.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-503R
2. DoD New Briefing On Reconstruction In Iraq With Brigadier General Michael Walsh And Deputy Mayor Ibrahim Mustafa Hussain In The Pentagon Briefing Studio, Arlington, Virginia http://www.defenselink.mil:80/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=3919
3. In Iraq, an Army Officer Battles to Open a Bank -- WSJ -- BAGHDAD, Iraq -- For Lt. Col. Dale Kuehl, one of the keys to bringing some semblance of order to the restive area that his troops patrol has been a small, squat bank branch. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117513386782152797.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
4. Iraq needs money to spend money, official says -- Reuters -- WASHINGTON — Iraq's government has left about $12.5 billion in rebuilding funds from its 2006 budget unspent because it lacks the tools and expertise to allocate the money, the State Department's Iraq coordinator, David Satterfield, said Tuesday. Satterfield argued that a recent request to Congress for an additional $4 billion in U.S. funding would help address the problem. http://www.latimes.com:80/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-spend28mar28,1,1558266.story?coll=la-headlines-world
5. Satterfield: Iraq oil law will pass -- (UPI) -- The Bush administration remains optimistic Iraq will approve a law governing its oil and natural gas despite growing opposition. Ambassador David Satterfield, senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the State Department's Iraq coordinator, said a deal reached last month on the framework for the draft hydrocarbons law meets two of three points necessary for the military "surge" to be successful. http://www.upi.com/Energy/satterfield_iraq_oil_law_will_pass/20070328-095649-4969r/
6. Pentagon Supply Needs Help Revitalize Iraqi Economy -- AP -- WASHINGTON — In an Iraq jobs program, the Pentagon has helped reopen three factories shuttered after the 2003 invasion, seeding the ground by buying uniforms and armored vehicles from two of them. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,262108,00.html
7. Analysis: Unions could sway Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- Iraqi parliamentarians are set to debate a law governing oil and natural gas resources, though backroom negotiations on the measure haven't concluded yet. Both the deliberation and the deal may be futile, however, if Iraq's oil unions don't give their consent. And the blessing of the more than 26,000-strong workers is far from guaranteed. http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20070328-011829-3353r
8. Analysis: Iraq oil union has storied past -- WASHINGTON, March 29 (UPI) -- Hassan Jumaa Awad wants Iraq's oil to stay under state control, and the unionists, who have long worked the rigs, to be supported in developing the national resource. But this is no request from the president of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions. It's a demand. http://www.upi.com/Energy/
9. Infrastructure Rebuild Costs Seen Over $100 Bln-General -- LONDON (Dow Jones)--The costs of rebuilding existing power plants and water treatment facilities in Iraq and constructing new infrastructure is expected to exceed $100 billion, the top U.S. official leading the reconstruction efforts in Iraq said Wednesday. Higher costs of labor and inputs such as raw materials like steel and cement are driving the around 40% rise in the figure since 2003, Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in an interview by telephone from Baghdad. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidDN20070321010136/SecMain/pagHomepage
10. Foreign firms want to develop Missan oil fields, official -- March 28, 2007 -- The authorities in the southern province of Missan say they have received several requests from foreign firms to develop the province’s gigantic oil fields. The officials refused to name the firms but said the relative stability which the province currently enjoys was luring both foreign and Iraq entrepreneurs to invest. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-28\kurd.htm
11. Fuel shortages cripple Mosul -- Azzaman -- Fuel shortages have almost brought life to a standstill in the northern city of Mosul. The severe crisis started with the suspension of fuel imports from Syria since March 22. We now receive less than 10% of the province’s fuel needs,” said the commission in charge of fuel distribution in northern Iraq in a statement. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-26\kurd1.htm
12. FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN IRAQ - AN UPHILL BATTLE -- MSNBC -- A few months ago, the watchdog group Transparency International published its yearly Corruption Perceptions Index. Out of 163 countries surveyed in 2006, only two, Myanmar and Haiti, were found to be more corrupt than Iraq. This country was described as "one of the greatest corruption nightmares on the planet." "That has to change" was the message delivered earlier this week by Boots Poliquin, the American director of the Office of Accountability and Transparency (OAT) in Baghdad. "We want to try and develop [a] sense of accountability and transparency within the system of Iraq." http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/03/09/85910.aspx
13. Kurdistan adopts Dubai plan to boost development -- Gulf News -- A visiting Kurdish official from Iraq yesterday said the regional government of his province decided to follow Dubai's development model after evaluating a variety of plans from around the world. Othman I. Shwani, Minister of Planning in the Kurdistan Regional Government, told Gulf News that Dubai's plan was found to be the most appropriate for Kurdistan and his government will go ahead with it. "We need to modify the Dubai Strategic Plan to suit Kurdistan's requirements before putting it into force. We are convinced that the plan being adopted by the Dubai Government fits our ambitions and objectives compared to plans proposed to us from Europe or from Asia," he said. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_17032007_10111684/SecMain/pagHomepage
14. Iraq to control more of its foreign aid -- The fund representing foreign donors to Iraq will now include an Iraqi co-chairman who will help decide how to allocate aid money, an additional step towards getting Iraqis to assert more control over their own country's development, the outgoing fund chairman said Tuesday. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3455
15. Christians, targeted and suffering, flee Iraq-- BAGHDAD — In between messages of love and faith, Mushtaq Zanbaqa, priest of the Holy Virgin Chaldean Catholic Church in east Baghdad, has a weekly plea for his Christian flock: Don't leave. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-22-christians-iraq_N.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 28 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
28 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 26 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Amid security risks, China may lead way for Iraqi oil -- AP -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — China has sat out the Iraq war, but it could be the first to take advantage when the Iraqi government finishes a law opening up its oil fields to international companies. The Iraqi oil legislation, expected to be approved by July, will open the door for the government to sign contracts for exploration and production of the country's vast untapped reserves, a top U.S. priority. But since few Western companies are prepared to send equipment or crews into the war zone, it could take five years or more before they begin extracting big shipments of Iraqi crude. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4661852.html
3. Analysis: Unions could sway Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- Iraqi parliamentarians are set to debate a law governing oil and natural gas resources, though backroom negotiations on the measure haven't concluded yet. Both the deliberation and the deal may be futile, however, if Iraq's oil unions don't give their consent.
And the blessing of the more than 26,000-strong workers is far from guaranteed. http://www.upi.com/Energy/analysis_unions_could_sway_iraq_oil_law/20070328-011829-3353r/
4. Iraq hopes to eliminate electricity shutoffs in 2010 -- Iraqi Minister of Electricity said that his country intends to put an end to electricity shortages by mid-2010, and talks are under way with investors, hoping to complete planned annual investments at the value of $ 2 billion. Electricity sector in Iraq needs to be rebuilt after years of war, sanctions and sabotage; electricity shuts off daily and only few areas in Baghdad gets a few hours of electricity a day. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3488
5. Some Democrats Oppose Forcing Iraq To Accept Foreign Investment in Oil -- The wartime spending measure passed by the House last week and a related bill being taken up in the Senate put pressure on the Iraqi government to open its oil resources to foreign investment -- just what critics contend was the real purpose of the U.S. invasion. The spending bill ties continued support for the war in Iraq to specific benchmarks that the Iraqi government must meet by certain dates. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3318.html
6. Iraq to supply Jordan with oil at preferential prices: Minister -- The Iraqi government has taken the necessary security precautions for supplying Jordan with crude oil at "preferential prices" in accordance with an agreement reached earlier between the two countries, a senior Iraqi official was quoted Tuesday as saying in Jordan. http://jurnalo.com/jurnalo/storyPage.do?story_id=25797
7. Iraq's Illiquid Assets -- Why is the Bush administration asking Congress for $4 billion in emergency economic assistance for Iraq? Simple. Because Baghdad doesn’t know how to spend its own money, according to a Bush administration official. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/03/27/iraqs-illiquid-assets/
8. The New Iraqi Oil Law -- MEES -- Iraq today is an occupied country in a state of chaos with sectarian violence rife, hundreds of people killed and maimed daily, police and security forces infiltrated by militias and warlords’ henchmen. The infrastructure of society is destroyed; hospitals lack equipment and medicines and, indeed, doctors, as so many have fled from the everyday brutality that is Iraqi life today. In order to gain the participation of all groups in the political process it was agreed that the constitution should be amended. This has still not been done. Petrol in an oil rich country is in short supply. And in this maelstrom of unrest and violence the Iraqi government has passed a draft oil law which many Iraqis, experts in economics and the petroleum industry, look on with horror, considering it to be passing over the wealth of Iraq to foreign companies, and thus its ability for present and future generations to rebuild the country. Is it right that in such an atmosphere a law is being enacted which will affect the future livelihood of the Iraqi people for generations to come? http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/v50n13-5OD01.htm
9. Sharing petroleum resources only path to Iraqi unity and stability -- London, UK (KRG.org) – At a seminar in London on Thursday, experts on Iraq and the oil industry discussed Iraq’s draft federal oil and revenue sharing laws. One of the speakers, Dr Ashti Hawrami, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) natural resources minister, said, “sharing Iraq’s oil and gas revenues fairly and transparently is the only path to a united and stable Iraq”. http://www.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?ArticleNr=16912&LangNr=12&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
10. Iraq to build two refineries in the north -- BAGHDAD, March 26 (UPI) -- Two 10,000-barrel-per-day refineries will be built in northern Iraq in an attempt to ease bottlenecks and address the fuel shortage. The Iraqi newspaper Azzaman reports the Iraq Oil Ministry signed contracts with state and private Iraq firms to build the refineries. The projects, worth $60 million, will be located in Irbil and Sulaimaniya. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_to_build_two_refineries_in_the_north/20070326-104158-2282r/
11. Dems want GAO in Iraq to monitor funds -- Twenty-two Democratic senators yesterday petitioned the State Department to allow Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees to spend several months in Iraq analyzing how reconstruction funds are being used. “GAO’s longer-term presence in Baghdad is essential to providing Congress with direct and continuing oversight over U.S. programs and activities,” the senators wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-want-gao-in-iraq-to-monitor-funds-2007-03-12.html
12. Saudi company to establish electricity station http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15701
13. Kuwaiti diplomat underscores committment to Iraq's re-construction process -- ISTANBUL -- (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ambassador to Turkey Abdullah Thuwaikh on Tuesday underscored the significance of the 5th Iraq International Conference of Donor Countries which is currently held here. Thuwaikh, who leads Kuwait's delegation to the conference, told KUNA that Kuwait was always keen on participating in such events, noting that Kuwait has presented a USD 1.5 billion of cash in support of Iraq and that there is USD 500 million more for the reconstruction of Iraq to be executed in cooperation with the Iraqi government. http://www.kuna.net.kw:80/home/story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=963552
14. Marking Up The Reconstruction: Part 1 -- One day, not so long ago, the US State Department handpicked Texas-based DynCorp for an $800-million contract to train over 100,000 Iraqi police officers, a top-priority project of the Bush administration’s effort to stabilize the war-torn country and strengthen the fragile civilian government there. But State Department wanted a contractor with strong ties in Iraq, so DynCorp obligingly teamed up in 2004 with a company known as Corporate Bank Financial Service, a Washington-based business better known as The Sandi Group. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2054/Marking_Up_The_Reconstruction_Part_1
15. Tax on materials for domestic industry slashed -- Azzaman -- The Tax Department has slashed the tax on materials for the domestic industry by 50%. The department’s head Saib Abdulsattar said the reduction covers raw materials whether produced locally or imported from abroad. He said it includes all kinds of materials for the country’s industry. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-16\kurd1.htm
END
28 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 26 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Amid security risks, China may lead way for Iraqi oil -- AP -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — China has sat out the Iraq war, but it could be the first to take advantage when the Iraqi government finishes a law opening up its oil fields to international companies. The Iraqi oil legislation, expected to be approved by July, will open the door for the government to sign contracts for exploration and production of the country's vast untapped reserves, a top U.S. priority. But since few Western companies are prepared to send equipment or crews into the war zone, it could take five years or more before they begin extracting big shipments of Iraqi crude. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/4661852.html
3. Analysis: Unions could sway Iraq oil law -- WASHINGTON, March 28 (UPI) -- Iraqi parliamentarians are set to debate a law governing oil and natural gas resources, though backroom negotiations on the measure haven't concluded yet. Both the deliberation and the deal may be futile, however, if Iraq's oil unions don't give their consent.
And the blessing of the more than 26,000-strong workers is far from guaranteed. http://www.upi.com/Energy/analysis_unions_could_sway_iraq_oil_law/20070328-011829-3353r/
4. Iraq hopes to eliminate electricity shutoffs in 2010 -- Iraqi Minister of Electricity said that his country intends to put an end to electricity shortages by mid-2010, and talks are under way with investors, hoping to complete planned annual investments at the value of $ 2 billion. Electricity sector in Iraq needs to be rebuilt after years of war, sanctions and sabotage; electricity shuts off daily and only few areas in Baghdad gets a few hours of electricity a day. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3488
5. Some Democrats Oppose Forcing Iraq To Accept Foreign Investment in Oil -- The wartime spending measure passed by the House last week and a related bill being taken up in the Senate put pressure on the Iraqi government to open its oil resources to foreign investment -- just what critics contend was the real purpose of the U.S. invasion. The spending bill ties continued support for the war in Iraq to specific benchmarks that the Iraqi government must meet by certain dates. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/3318.html
6. Iraq to supply Jordan with oil at preferential prices: Minister -- The Iraqi government has taken the necessary security precautions for supplying Jordan with crude oil at "preferential prices" in accordance with an agreement reached earlier between the two countries, a senior Iraqi official was quoted Tuesday as saying in Jordan. http://jurnalo.com/jurnalo/storyPage.do?story_id=25797
7. Iraq's Illiquid Assets -- Why is the Bush administration asking Congress for $4 billion in emergency economic assistance for Iraq? Simple. Because Baghdad doesn’t know how to spend its own money, according to a Bush administration official. http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/03/27/iraqs-illiquid-assets/
8. The New Iraqi Oil Law -- MEES -- Iraq today is an occupied country in a state of chaos with sectarian violence rife, hundreds of people killed and maimed daily, police and security forces infiltrated by militias and warlords’ henchmen. The infrastructure of society is destroyed; hospitals lack equipment and medicines and, indeed, doctors, as so many have fled from the everyday brutality that is Iraqi life today. In order to gain the participation of all groups in the political process it was agreed that the constitution should be amended. This has still not been done. Petrol in an oil rich country is in short supply. And in this maelstrom of unrest and violence the Iraqi government has passed a draft oil law which many Iraqis, experts in economics and the petroleum industry, look on with horror, considering it to be passing over the wealth of Iraq to foreign companies, and thus its ability for present and future generations to rebuild the country. Is it right that in such an atmosphere a law is being enacted which will affect the future livelihood of the Iraqi people for generations to come? http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/v50n13-5OD01.htm
9. Sharing petroleum resources only path to Iraqi unity and stability -- London, UK (KRG.org) – At a seminar in London on Thursday, experts on Iraq and the oil industry discussed Iraq’s draft federal oil and revenue sharing laws. One of the speakers, Dr Ashti Hawrami, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) natural resources minister, said, “sharing Iraq’s oil and gas revenues fairly and transparently is the only path to a united and stable Iraq”. http://www.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?ArticleNr=16912&LangNr=12&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
10. Iraq to build two refineries in the north -- BAGHDAD, March 26 (UPI) -- Two 10,000-barrel-per-day refineries will be built in northern Iraq in an attempt to ease bottlenecks and address the fuel shortage. The Iraqi newspaper Azzaman reports the Iraq Oil Ministry signed contracts with state and private Iraq firms to build the refineries. The projects, worth $60 million, will be located in Irbil and Sulaimaniya. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_to_build_two_refineries_in_the_north/20070326-104158-2282r/
11. Dems want GAO in Iraq to monitor funds -- Twenty-two Democratic senators yesterday petitioned the State Department to allow Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees to spend several months in Iraq analyzing how reconstruction funds are being used. “GAO’s longer-term presence in Baghdad is essential to providing Congress with direct and continuing oversight over U.S. programs and activities,” the senators wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-want-gao-in-iraq-to-monitor-funds-2007-03-12.html
12. Saudi company to establish electricity station http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/15701
13. Kuwaiti diplomat underscores committment to Iraq's re-construction process -- ISTANBUL -- (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Ambassador to Turkey Abdullah Thuwaikh on Tuesday underscored the significance of the 5th Iraq International Conference of Donor Countries which is currently held here. Thuwaikh, who leads Kuwait's delegation to the conference, told KUNA that Kuwait was always keen on participating in such events, noting that Kuwait has presented a USD 1.5 billion of cash in support of Iraq and that there is USD 500 million more for the reconstruction of Iraq to be executed in cooperation with the Iraqi government. http://www.kuna.net.kw:80/home/story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=963552
14. Marking Up The Reconstruction: Part 1 -- One day, not so long ago, the US State Department handpicked Texas-based DynCorp for an $800-million contract to train over 100,000 Iraqi police officers, a top-priority project of the Bush administration’s effort to stabilize the war-torn country and strengthen the fragile civilian government there. But State Department wanted a contractor with strong ties in Iraq, so DynCorp obligingly teamed up in 2004 with a company known as Corporate Bank Financial Service, a Washington-based business better known as The Sandi Group. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2054/Marking_Up_The_Reconstruction_Part_1
15. Tax on materials for domestic industry slashed -- Azzaman -- The Tax Department has slashed the tax on materials for the domestic industry by 50%. The department’s head Saib Abdulsattar said the reduction covers raw materials whether produced locally or imported from abroad. He said it includes all kinds of materials for the country’s industry. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-16\kurd1.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 26 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
26 March 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/20/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Protecting Iraq's oil supply - The Guardian - The frigate HMS Cornwall is on patrol as the lead ship of Combined Task Force 158, whose UN-backed mission is to protect Iraq's oil platforms and exports against pirates, smugglers, and terrorists. The platforms are critical to the economic and political reconstruction of Iraq, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. They pump out oil that accounts for 90% of the country's GDP. An attack in 2004 led to a two-day shutdown costing up to $28m (£14.2m), the MoD said. The knock-on effect was a spike on the world oil market, causing a further loss of some $6bn. http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2041694,00.html
3. Kurdish leader demands control of Iraq oil hub -- ARBIL, Iraq (AFP) - The prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan raised fresh calls on Thursday for a referendum to decide the future of the country's crucial oil hub of Kirkuk, warning that Kurdish patience had limits. "Our people are committed to Iraq, but their patience is not unlimited. We as leaders are finding it difficult to convince our people as to why our demands are not being met," Nichirvan Barzani told dignitaries in Arbil.
http://fe19.news.re3.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070322/wl_mideast_afp/iraquskurdsoil_070322153131
4. What's happened to Iraq's oil? - BBC World Service - Iraq's descent into violence, coupled with paralysis and corruption in government, has stymied efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of roads, schools, hospitals and industry. In many cases, there is little to show for the billions of dollars spent on reconstruction since the American-led invasion in 2003. The oil sector is a good example of what has gone wrong. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6461581.stm
5. Japan Courts Iraq for Strategic Partnership to Secure Energy Supply - Kyodo News - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi agreed Friday on the importance of developing a "long-term strategic partnership" between the two countries and expressed hopes to strengthen economic as well as political relations, Abe's spokesman Hiroshige Seko said. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42954
6. Iraqi, Coalition Forces Partner to Protect Iraq's Economic Future: Oil -- KIRKUK -- Iraq’s economic future depends on producing, refining and selling its most valuable natural resource, oil. As such, Iraq’s most valuable human resource is arguably the Soldiers who protect that oil. The Iraqi Army’s 1st Strategic Infrastructure Brigade ensures that both crude and refined oil flows through critical pipeline infrastructure in the northern Kirkuk Province of Iraq, and military transition team Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division’s 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment are charged with training those Iraqi Soldiers. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1790996/posts
7. U.S. narrows financial focus to aid Iraqi small businesses. Barbers, grocers, others apply for grants to expand --USA TODAY -- BAGHDAD — Mohamed Raheem saw fliers posted all over his neighborhood offering money to Iraqis who wanted to expand their small businesses. He called a phone number listed on the flier and set up an appointment with the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "I explained to them that I have a shop and I want to expand my work," said Raheem, 44, who owns a small grocery store in the Kadhamiya district of Baghdad. He applied for a $10,000 grant. As U.S. military and civilian officials try to help Iraq's economy rebuild, they are placing a new emphasis on small businesses like Raheem's. Through grants and loans — often for a few hundred dollars each — they're trying to stimulate job growth and eventually improve Iraq's security. http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070306/a_iraqeconomy06.art.htm
8. Iraq's Jobs-for-Peace Mirage -- As the wisdom of President Bush's proposed “surge” of US troops is debated across the US and around the world, another question about the US President's new policy to avert all-out civil war there is coming to the fore. Can using US funding to reopen Iraqi state-owned enterprises get young men to abandon the insurgency and sectarian militias? The idea sounds logical: a man with a good job that enables him to build a decent life won't want to fight Americans or his fellow Iraqis, right? http://www.rand.org/commentary/021107PS.html
9. Iraqi roads get facelift -- TIKRIT — As the decision making for construction projects fall more to the local and regional governments throughout Iraq, Provincial Reconstruction Development Committees are stepping up to the challenge. Eleven concrete road paving projects - at a cost of $3 million - were recently awarded in the Ninewa Province to 10 municipalities. These 11 projects were recommended by the local PRDC. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10206&Itemid=128
10. Stabilizing Iraq: Factors Impeding the Development of Capable Iraqi Security Forces, by Joseph A. Christoff, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-612T, March 13.http://www2.blogger.com/ Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07612thigh.pdf
11. Nasiriyah Drainage Pump Station turned over to Iraqi Govenrment http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-2.pdf
12. Iraqi Women Strive To Rebuild Country Despite Obstacles - Washington – Iraqi women have made great progress in recent years, but still face obstacles while working to achieve full equality, two Iraqi women activists said March 7. Wide participation of women in the political process is something new for Iraqi society, said Sundus Abbas, executive director of the Women’s Leadership Institute in Baghdad. Iraq. "For more than 35 years Iraqi women were absent from the decision making process,” she told USINFO. “Now Iraqi women participate. In spite of this, there is suffering for Iraqi women." http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=March&x=20070307152118hmnietsua0.1575739
13. Former Iraq minister denies theft of millions -- A former Iraqi defence minister whose 10 months in office coincided with the disappearance of more than $800m (£400m) from the ministry’s coffers is living openly in Amman and London despite a warrant for his arrest. Hazem Shaalan, a small businessman in London until Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, rose in a year to one of the most important jobs in the interim government that ran Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He left Baghdad before the next government discovered that a fortune had been looted from his ministry’s account in what one senior investigator has called “one of the largest thefts in history”. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1497038.ece
14. Guarding Iraq's oil platforms, and its income -- IN THE PERSIAN GULF — A Ukrainian cargo ship that inadvertently sailed into protected waters around Iraqi oil platforms in the Persian Gulf ignited a rapid security crackdown Wednesday morning, displaying some of the measures coalition forces take to protect the platforms. Ships rushed to intercept the cargo vessel. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43972
15. Helping Baghdad's youngest residents get well http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-01.pdf
16. Security, reconstruction efforts improve -- BAGHDAD — A press conference discussing the status of security and the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Iraq was held at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Wednesday. Ambassador Daniel Speckhard, U.S. Embassy Baghdad charge d’affaires, and Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesperson, , talked about the progress that has been made and the continuing efforts that will make Iraq a safer country. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10614&Itemid=128
17. Iraqi Leader Fears Ouster Over Oil Money -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fears the Americans will torpedo his government if parliament does not pass a law to fairly divvy up the country's oil wealth among Iraqis by the end of June, close associates of the leader told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The legislature has not even taken up the draft measure, which is only one of several U.S. benchmarks that are seen by al-Maliki as key to continued American support, a crucial need for the survival of his troubled administration. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/13/ap3513218.html
18. Despite danger, kebab stands keep grills going -- BAGHDAD — It's a long-held Baghdad tradition: police officers sidling up to neighborhood kebab stands and restaurants, eating lunch, leisurely sipping cups of tea and gossiping with owners. The tradition has become deadly for many of the restaurateurs. Insurgents targeting Iraqi police have repeatedly triggered devastating blasts near the sidewalk food stands. Last month, a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb near a popular kebab stand in Baghdad's al-Jadriyah district, even after the owner had begged police to stop visiting the place. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-15-iraqweek_N.htm
END
26 March 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/20/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Protecting Iraq's oil supply - The Guardian - The frigate HMS Cornwall is on patrol as the lead ship of Combined Task Force 158, whose UN-backed mission is to protect Iraq's oil platforms and exports against pirates, smugglers, and terrorists. The platforms are critical to the economic and political reconstruction of Iraq, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. They pump out oil that accounts for 90% of the country's GDP. An attack in 2004 led to a two-day shutdown costing up to $28m (£14.2m), the MoD said. The knock-on effect was a spike on the world oil market, causing a further loss of some $6bn. http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2041694,00.html
3. Kurdish leader demands control of Iraq oil hub -- ARBIL, Iraq (AFP) - The prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan raised fresh calls on Thursday for a referendum to decide the future of the country's crucial oil hub of Kirkuk, warning that Kurdish patience had limits. "Our people are committed to Iraq, but their patience is not unlimited. We as leaders are finding it difficult to convince our people as to why our demands are not being met," Nichirvan Barzani told dignitaries in Arbil.
http://fe19.news.re3.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070322/wl_mideast_afp/iraquskurdsoil_070322153131
4. What's happened to Iraq's oil? - BBC World Service - Iraq's descent into violence, coupled with paralysis and corruption in government, has stymied efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of roads, schools, hospitals and industry. In many cases, there is little to show for the billions of dollars spent on reconstruction since the American-led invasion in 2003. The oil sector is a good example of what has gone wrong. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6461581.stm
5. Japan Courts Iraq for Strategic Partnership to Secure Energy Supply - Kyodo News - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi agreed Friday on the importance of developing a "long-term strategic partnership" between the two countries and expressed hopes to strengthen economic as well as political relations, Abe's spokesman Hiroshige Seko said. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42954
6. Iraqi, Coalition Forces Partner to Protect Iraq's Economic Future: Oil -- KIRKUK -- Iraq’s economic future depends on producing, refining and selling its most valuable natural resource, oil. As such, Iraq’s most valuable human resource is arguably the Soldiers who protect that oil. The Iraqi Army’s 1st Strategic Infrastructure Brigade ensures that both crude and refined oil flows through critical pipeline infrastructure in the northern Kirkuk Province of Iraq, and military transition team Soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division’s 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment are charged with training those Iraqi Soldiers. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1790996/posts
7. U.S. narrows financial focus to aid Iraqi small businesses. Barbers, grocers, others apply for grants to expand --USA TODAY -- BAGHDAD — Mohamed Raheem saw fliers posted all over his neighborhood offering money to Iraqis who wanted to expand their small businesses. He called a phone number listed on the flier and set up an appointment with the Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "I explained to them that I have a shop and I want to expand my work," said Raheem, 44, who owns a small grocery store in the Kadhamiya district of Baghdad. He applied for a $10,000 grant. As U.S. military and civilian officials try to help Iraq's economy rebuild, they are placing a new emphasis on small businesses like Raheem's. Through grants and loans — often for a few hundred dollars each — they're trying to stimulate job growth and eventually improve Iraq's security. http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070306/a_iraqeconomy06.art.htm
8. Iraq's Jobs-for-Peace Mirage -- As the wisdom of President Bush's proposed “surge” of US troops is debated across the US and around the world, another question about the US President's new policy to avert all-out civil war there is coming to the fore. Can using US funding to reopen Iraqi state-owned enterprises get young men to abandon the insurgency and sectarian militias? The idea sounds logical: a man with a good job that enables him to build a decent life won't want to fight Americans or his fellow Iraqis, right? http://www.rand.org/commentary/021107PS.html
9. Iraqi roads get facelift -- TIKRIT — As the decision making for construction projects fall more to the local and regional governments throughout Iraq, Provincial Reconstruction Development Committees are stepping up to the challenge. Eleven concrete road paving projects - at a cost of $3 million - were recently awarded in the Ninewa Province to 10 municipalities. These 11 projects were recommended by the local PRDC. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10206&Itemid=128
10. Stabilizing Iraq: Factors Impeding the Development of Capable Iraqi Security Forces, by Joseph A. Christoff, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-612T, March 13.http://www2.blogger.com/ Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07612thigh.pdf
11. Nasiriyah Drainage Pump Station turned over to Iraqi Govenrment http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-2.pdf
12. Iraqi Women Strive To Rebuild Country Despite Obstacles - Washington – Iraqi women have made great progress in recent years, but still face obstacles while working to achieve full equality, two Iraqi women activists said March 7. Wide participation of women in the political process is something new for Iraqi society, said Sundus Abbas, executive director of the Women’s Leadership Institute in Baghdad. Iraq. "For more than 35 years Iraqi women were absent from the decision making process,” she told USINFO. “Now Iraqi women participate. In spite of this, there is suffering for Iraqi women." http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=March&x=20070307152118hmnietsua0.1575739
13. Former Iraq minister denies theft of millions -- A former Iraqi defence minister whose 10 months in office coincided with the disappearance of more than $800m (£400m) from the ministry’s coffers is living openly in Amman and London despite a warrant for his arrest. Hazem Shaalan, a small businessman in London until Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, rose in a year to one of the most important jobs in the interim government that ran Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He left Baghdad before the next government discovered that a fortune had been looted from his ministry’s account in what one senior investigator has called “one of the largest thefts in history”. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1497038.ece
14. Guarding Iraq's oil platforms, and its income -- IN THE PERSIAN GULF — A Ukrainian cargo ship that inadvertently sailed into protected waters around Iraqi oil platforms in the Persian Gulf ignited a rapid security crackdown Wednesday morning, displaying some of the measures coalition forces take to protect the platforms. Ships rushed to intercept the cargo vessel. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43972
15. Helping Baghdad's youngest residents get well http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-01.pdf
16. Security, reconstruction efforts improve -- BAGHDAD — A press conference discussing the status of security and the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Iraq was held at the Combined Press Information Center in the International Zone Wednesday. Ambassador Daniel Speckhard, U.S. Embassy Baghdad charge d’affaires, and Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesperson, , talked about the progress that has been made and the continuing efforts that will make Iraq a safer country. http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10614&Itemid=128
17. Iraqi Leader Fears Ouster Over Oil Money -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fears the Americans will torpedo his government if parliament does not pass a law to fairly divvy up the country's oil wealth among Iraqis by the end of June, close associates of the leader told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The legislature has not even taken up the draft measure, which is only one of several U.S. benchmarks that are seen by al-Maliki as key to continued American support, a crucial need for the survival of his troubled administration. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/13/ap3513218.html
18. Despite danger, kebab stands keep grills going -- BAGHDAD — It's a long-held Baghdad tradition: police officers sidling up to neighborhood kebab stands and restaurants, eating lunch, leisurely sipping cups of tea and gossiping with owners. The tradition has become deadly for many of the restaurateurs. Insurgents targeting Iraqi police have repeatedly triggered devastating blasts near the sidewalk food stands. Last month, a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb near a popular kebab stand in Baghdad's al-Jadriyah district, even after the owner had begged police to stop visiting the place. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-15-iraqweek_N.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 25 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
25 March 2007
1. World Bank Iraq Data Sheet March 2007 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/64168382-1092419012421/21250509/DATASHEETIRAQFeb2007Final.pdf
2. Opportunities and Challenges for Economic Growth in Iraq -- CSIS hosted Frank Lavin, United States Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, on March 1. Under Secretary Lavin gave a speech entitled "Opportunities and Challenges for Economic Growth in Iraq" and shared with the CSIS audience the presentation he gave in Erbil to Iraqi Government officials and private sector leaders to launch the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialogue. http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1218/
3. KRG Transport Ministry Plans Rail Links Between Kurdish Provinces -- Kurdistan, (KTV), PNA. Companies from Poland and the Netherlands are currently on a visit to Kurdistan to examine various key projects including rail links and oil refineries. http://kurdistanobserver.servehttp.com/Mar-2007/12-3-07-krg-rail-links.html
4. Iran Playing a Growing Role in Iraq's Economy - TEHRAN (Fars News Agency) - While the Bush administration works to stop Iran from having any constructive role in Iraq, Iranian air-conditioners fill Iraqi appliance stores, Iranian tomatoes ripen on the windowsills of kitchens here and legions of white Iranian-made Peugeots sit in Iraqi driveways. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8512260206
5. LIFE Partners with UNICEF to Rehabilitate Schools in Iraq -- For more than a quarter century, Iraqi society has suffered through wars and a severe economic embargo, which in turn have caused a serious education crisis in the country. Along with the destroyed and dilapidated schools, the violent and chaotic security situation in Iraq is greatly hindering the repair and re-construction efforts. http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=7930
6. Licenses to export Iraqi products and import goods from abroad http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3379
7. Maliki's Most Potent Weapon - TCS contributor Peter Schaefer served in Vietnam as an American military intelligence officer, then in the mid-1970s became deeply involved in economic development analysis and property right issues. A former adviser to Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto, Schaefer is now working on a business project that involves "commercial scale" property registration in the developing world. Austin Bay explains why this work matters for Iraq. http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030707C
8. Iraqi Navy Sunk By Corruption -- The Iraqi navy is trying once more to build up its navy. It hasn't been easy, Corruption and bureaucracy have made life difficult. Not that the old, Saddam era, navy was anything to boast about. http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworld/articles/20070320.aspx
9. Iraq Navy on Its Way to Independence -- The Iraqi Navy will soon add 21 vessels to its fleet, putting it another step closer to being operationally independent, officials said during a Baghdad news conference Sunday. With a contract on the verge of completion, the Iraqi Navy is the first of the Iraq's forces to use the Ministry of Defense's procurement process with Iraqi money in purchasing major capital programs from foreign governments and commercial ventures. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070320122519tsop.nb/newsblaze/IRAQ0001/Iraq.html
10. Sailors pump up Iraq oil terminal -- ABOARD AL BASRA OIL TERMINAL — Much of Iraq’s financial hope for the future rests on a $59 million coalition-funded upgrade. Buoyed some 60 miles south of the war-torn nation in the Persian Gulf sits an oil platform that provides Iraq with an estimated 85 percent of the struggling country’s revenue. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=44002
11. VeriSign launches PrePayIN service In Iraq -- (MENAFN) The Chairman of the Iraq-based Al-Mazaya Telecommunications said that the company will launch a new repay service, PrePayIN, supported by VeriSign Inc. in the first half of this year, Portal Iraq reported. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?storyid=1093144329
12. My Iraq: Basra business trainer -- Najah trains women at a business development centre in Basra. The kind of NGO I work for didn't exist under Saddam Hussein's rule. helped establish an association for women's education. We encourage them to set up small businesses.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6451199.stm
END
25 March 2007
1. World Bank Iraq Data Sheet March 2007 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/64168382-1092419012421/21250509/DATASHEETIRAQFeb2007Final.pdf
2. Opportunities and Challenges for Economic Growth in Iraq -- CSIS hosted Frank Lavin, United States Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, on March 1. Under Secretary Lavin gave a speech entitled "Opportunities and Challenges for Economic Growth in Iraq" and shared with the CSIS audience the presentation he gave in Erbil to Iraqi Government officials and private sector leaders to launch the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialogue. http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_events/task,view/id,1218/
3. KRG Transport Ministry Plans Rail Links Between Kurdish Provinces -- Kurdistan, (KTV), PNA. Companies from Poland and the Netherlands are currently on a visit to Kurdistan to examine various key projects including rail links and oil refineries. http://kurdistanobserver.servehttp.com/Mar-2007/12-3-07-krg-rail-links.html
4. Iran Playing a Growing Role in Iraq's Economy - TEHRAN (Fars News Agency) - While the Bush administration works to stop Iran from having any constructive role in Iraq, Iranian air-conditioners fill Iraqi appliance stores, Iranian tomatoes ripen on the windowsills of kitchens here and legions of white Iranian-made Peugeots sit in Iraqi driveways. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8512260206
5. LIFE Partners with UNICEF to Rehabilitate Schools in Iraq -- For more than a quarter century, Iraqi society has suffered through wars and a severe economic embargo, which in turn have caused a serious education crisis in the country. Along with the destroyed and dilapidated schools, the violent and chaotic security situation in Iraq is greatly hindering the repair and re-construction efforts. http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=7930
6. Licenses to export Iraqi products and import goods from abroad http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3379
7. Maliki's Most Potent Weapon - TCS contributor Peter Schaefer served in Vietnam as an American military intelligence officer, then in the mid-1970s became deeply involved in economic development analysis and property right issues. A former adviser to Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto, Schaefer is now working on a business project that involves "commercial scale" property registration in the developing world. Austin Bay explains why this work matters for Iraq. http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030707C
8. Iraqi Navy Sunk By Corruption -- The Iraqi navy is trying once more to build up its navy. It hasn't been easy, Corruption and bureaucracy have made life difficult. Not that the old, Saddam era, navy was anything to boast about. http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htworld/articles/20070320.aspx
9. Iraq Navy on Its Way to Independence -- The Iraqi Navy will soon add 21 vessels to its fleet, putting it another step closer to being operationally independent, officials said during a Baghdad news conference Sunday. With a contract on the verge of completion, the Iraqi Navy is the first of the Iraq's forces to use the Ministry of Defense's procurement process with Iraqi money in purchasing major capital programs from foreign governments and commercial ventures. http://newsblaze.com/story/20070320122519tsop.nb/newsblaze/IRAQ0001/Iraq.html
10. Sailors pump up Iraq oil terminal -- ABOARD AL BASRA OIL TERMINAL — Much of Iraq’s financial hope for the future rests on a $59 million coalition-funded upgrade. Buoyed some 60 miles south of the war-torn nation in the Persian Gulf sits an oil platform that provides Iraq with an estimated 85 percent of the struggling country’s revenue. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=44002
11. VeriSign launches PrePayIN service In Iraq -- (MENAFN) The Chairman of the Iraq-based Al-Mazaya Telecommunications said that the company will launch a new repay service, PrePayIN, supported by VeriSign Inc. in the first half of this year, Portal Iraq reported. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?storyid=1093144329
12. My Iraq: Basra business trainer -- Najah trains women at a business development centre in Basra. The kind of NGO I work for didn't exist under Saddam Hussein's rule. helped establish an association for women's education. We encourage them to set up small businesses.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6451199.stm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 24 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
24 March 2007
1. No sign of oil in repairing Iraq economy -- WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- The role oil could play in reviving Iraq's economy was conspicuously absent in a presentation by a Bush administration official Friday. Although more than 93 percent of Iraq's government revenue last year came from oil sales, the U.S. Commerce Department's undersecretary for international trade did not say specifically how the petroleum industry could rebuild Iraq's shattered economy. Franklin Lavin was part of a U.S. delegation to advise the Iraqi government on how to jump-start its economy, and added that Iraqi exports have steadily increased between 2004 and 2006, largely on the back of higher oil prices worldwide in recent years. http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20070323-040523-2243r
2. Kurdish oil move could start Iraqi energy rush --
A scramble for Kurdish oil licenses is expected this summer after Ashti Hawrami, the oil minister for Iraq's Kurdish republic, said on Thursday that he wants to achieve a production goal of one million barrels a day by 2012. Kurdistan's move signals that Iraq is poised to open its doors to foreign oil investment. Speaking in London, Dr Hawrami said that Kurdistan aied to be the "hub" for Iraq's future oil industry and would look to sign up to ten exploration contracts by the end of the year.
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=106329
3. New fraud task force set up in Iraq -- WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- U.S. law and anti-corruption agencies are launching a task force to fight contracting fraud and crime in Iraq. The International Contract Corruption Task Force will comprise the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Defense Criminal Investigation Service, the Army Criminal Investigation Division" Major Procurement Fraud unit, the State Department inspector general, USAID IG, and the FBI, according to Thomas Gimble, the Pentagon IG, pf which DCIS is a part. http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/new_fraud_task_force_set_up_in_iraq/20070323-115341-6643r/
4. Kurds set to boost Iraq oil output -- LONDON: Iraq's Kurdish regional government expects to sign deals with at least 10 foreign oil firms by the end of the year, it said yesterday, as it strives to increase output by 1 million barrels per day over five years. Ashti Hawrami, minister of natural resources in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, said five production sharing agreements have already been signed with the details to be released in the next few weeks. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=173902&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=30003
5. Mystery of the Missing Meters: Accounting for Iraq's Oil Revenue -- The line of ships at the Al Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT) stretches south to the horizon, patiently waiting in the searing heat of the Northern Arabian Gulf as four giant supertankers load up. Close by, two more tankers fill up at the smaller Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT). Guarding both terminals are dozens of heavily-armed U.S. Navy troops and Iraqi Marines who live on the platforms. These two offshore terminals, a maze of pipes and precarious metal walkways, deliver some 1.6 million barrels of crude oil, at least 85 percent of Iraq's output, to buyers from all over the world. If the southern oil fields are the heart of Iraq's economy, its main arteries are three 40-plus inch pipelines that stretch some 52 miles from Iraq's wells to the ports. http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14427&printsafe=1
6. Paging Hernando de Soto, Paging Hernando de Soto... -- Call it an economic and political victory for "New Iraq" -- and an indication that we may see more in the future. This past Monday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet finally agreed to a reformed "oil law." The cabinet will forward the legislative package to the Iraqi parliament for action later this spring. The "oil reform" program in Iraq is long overdue, but the Iraqi government also deserves kudos for the effort. Democracy is often a slow, muddled and tedious operation (look at the U.S. Congress). http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030107B
7. Education ministry plans to open three schools for gifted Iraqis -- Baghdad, March 11, (VOI) – Iraq's education ministry is about to open up three schools for the gifted, the ministry's media director said on Sunday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39178&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
8. Iraq's Agriculture Bounces Back after Years of Neglect http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-12-2.PDF
9. Electronic methods for calculating tax estimation -- The general manager of the Taxes General Office, Talib Jabir Abu Jueila, said that the Office is about to implement the latest programs and most modern methods in calculating the tax estimate of the taxpayer, in addition to introducing a very modern automatic system that maintains thousands of information concerning the taxpayers. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3238
10. Official: Israelis Should Invest in Iraq -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A U.S. defense official on Thursday encouraged Israelis to pump investments into Iraq's devastated economy. Paul Brinkley, U.S. deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told a business conference here that Israelis were welcome in a country crying out for investment. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4634381.html
11. Czech exports to Iraq grow -- Czech exports to Iraq have been growing since 2003 when the main military operations ended in this Arab country, and Czech companies have recently gained the first large orders, for example for technology for local industrial companies. However, experts say that Czech companies took only a small part in Iraq's post-war renewal which in the last four years was financed mainly by the USA and Great Britain. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3448
12. War News Radio: Children of War http://warnewsradio.org/
END
24 March 2007
1. No sign of oil in repairing Iraq economy -- WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- The role oil could play in reviving Iraq's economy was conspicuously absent in a presentation by a Bush administration official Friday. Although more than 93 percent of Iraq's government revenue last year came from oil sales, the U.S. Commerce Department's undersecretary for international trade did not say specifically how the petroleum industry could rebuild Iraq's shattered economy. Franklin Lavin was part of a U.S. delegation to advise the Iraqi government on how to jump-start its economy, and added that Iraqi exports have steadily increased between 2004 and 2006, largely on the back of higher oil prices worldwide in recent years. http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20070323-040523-2243r
2. Kurdish oil move could start Iraqi energy rush --
A scramble for Kurdish oil licenses is expected this summer after Ashti Hawrami, the oil minister for Iraq's Kurdish republic, said on Thursday that he wants to achieve a production goal of one million barrels a day by 2012. Kurdistan's move signals that Iraq is poised to open its doors to foreign oil investment. Speaking in London, Dr Hawrami said that Kurdistan aied to be the "hub" for Iraq's future oil industry and would look to sign up to ten exploration contracts by the end of the year.
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=106329
3. New fraud task force set up in Iraq -- WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- U.S. law and anti-corruption agencies are launching a task force to fight contracting fraud and crime in Iraq. The International Contract Corruption Task Force will comprise the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Defense Criminal Investigation Service, the Army Criminal Investigation Division" Major Procurement Fraud unit, the State Department inspector general, USAID IG, and the FBI, according to Thomas Gimble, the Pentagon IG, pf which DCIS is a part. http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/new_fraud_task_force_set_up_in_iraq/20070323-115341-6643r/
4. Kurds set to boost Iraq oil output -- LONDON: Iraq's Kurdish regional government expects to sign deals with at least 10 foreign oil firms by the end of the year, it said yesterday, as it strives to increase output by 1 million barrels per day over five years. Ashti Hawrami, minister of natural resources in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, said five production sharing agreements have already been signed with the details to be released in the next few weeks. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=173902&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=30003
5. Mystery of the Missing Meters: Accounting for Iraq's Oil Revenue -- The line of ships at the Al Basra Oil Terminal (ABOT) stretches south to the horizon, patiently waiting in the searing heat of the Northern Arabian Gulf as four giant supertankers load up. Close by, two more tankers fill up at the smaller Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT). Guarding both terminals are dozens of heavily-armed U.S. Navy troops and Iraqi Marines who live on the platforms. These two offshore terminals, a maze of pipes and precarious metal walkways, deliver some 1.6 million barrels of crude oil, at least 85 percent of Iraq's output, to buyers from all over the world. If the southern oil fields are the heart of Iraq's economy, its main arteries are three 40-plus inch pipelines that stretch some 52 miles from Iraq's wells to the ports. http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14427&printsafe=1
6. Paging Hernando de Soto, Paging Hernando de Soto... -- Call it an economic and political victory for "New Iraq" -- and an indication that we may see more in the future. This past Monday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's cabinet finally agreed to a reformed "oil law." The cabinet will forward the legislative package to the Iraqi parliament for action later this spring. The "oil reform" program in Iraq is long overdue, but the Iraqi government also deserves kudos for the effort. Democracy is often a slow, muddled and tedious operation (look at the U.S. Congress). http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030107B
7. Education ministry plans to open three schools for gifted Iraqis -- Baghdad, March 11, (VOI) – Iraq's education ministry is about to open up three schools for the gifted, the ministry's media director said on Sunday. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39178&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
8. Iraq's Agriculture Bounces Back after Years of Neglect http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-12-2.PDF
9. Electronic methods for calculating tax estimation -- The general manager of the Taxes General Office, Talib Jabir Abu Jueila, said that the Office is about to implement the latest programs and most modern methods in calculating the tax estimate of the taxpayer, in addition to introducing a very modern automatic system that maintains thousands of information concerning the taxpayers. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3238
10. Official: Israelis Should Invest in Iraq -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A U.S. defense official on Thursday encouraged Israelis to pump investments into Iraq's devastated economy. Paul Brinkley, U.S. deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told a business conference here that Israelis were welcome in a country crying out for investment. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4634381.html
11. Czech exports to Iraq grow -- Czech exports to Iraq have been growing since 2003 when the main military operations ended in this Arab country, and Czech companies have recently gained the first large orders, for example for technology for local industrial companies. However, experts say that Czech companies took only a small part in Iraq's post-war renewal which in the last four years was financed mainly by the USA and Great Britain. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3448
12. War News Radio: Children of War http://warnewsradio.org/
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 23 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
23 March 2007
1. Pres. Bush Meeting on Iraq Reconstruction - 22 March 2007 -
http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=Pres.%20Bush%20Meeting%20on%20Iraq%20Reconstruction&link=rtsp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.c%2Dspan.org%2Fproject%2Firaq%2Firaq032207%5Fbush.rm
2. Brookings Iraq Index 22 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 21 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82192.pdf
4. Stabilizing Iraq: Preliminary Observations on Budget and Management Challenges of Iraq's Security Ministries, by Joseph A. Christoff, Director, International Affairs and Trade, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-637T, March 22.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-637T Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07637thigh.pdf
5. Iraqi Defense Ministry Seeks to Buy U.S. Rifles All Things Considered, March 22, 2007 · Iraq's government has spent little of its own money on reconstruction projects — a fact that has drawn criticism from U.S. inspectors. But in one of its first major spending decisions, the Iraqi defense ministry is buying tens of thousands of U.S.-made assault rifles. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9083510
6. Two key Iraq parties oppose oil law -- BAGHDAD, (UPI) -- Two Iraqi political parties, including one of the former prime minister, said the draft hydrocarbons law should be tabled until the security situation improves. "We believe that the time is not right for dealing with this issue. We should, above all, deal with security matters before debating this draft," said Hussein al-Falluji, a member of Parliament representing the Iraqi Accordance Front, a Sunni party. http://www.upi.com/Energy/two_key_iraq_parties_oppose_oil_law/20070313-011332-2256r/
7. Iraq’s Kurds to go it alone on oil deals -- The Kurdistan regional government plans to triple the number of foreign oil companies operating in its region by the end of the year regardless of whether Iraq’s parliament passes a politically sensitive hydrocarbon law. In an interview, Ashti Hawrami, the Kurdish energy minister, said Kurdistan would become a hub for energy companies that were not ready to invest in the rest of Iraq because of security concerns. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ad355e82-d895-11db-a759-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=17aab8bc-6e47-11da-9544-0000779e2340.html
8. New dates confirmed for Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit -- The Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summ it has been planned to take place in Amman, Jordan on May 28 to 30. The summit will welcome representation from the Iraqi Ministries of Oil, Industry and Minerals, and Electricity, as well as the Iraq Energy Council, Investment Promotion Agency and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry for Natural Resources. It will also host many of the state companies operating under the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and senior representatives from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO). http://www.portaliraq.com/news/New+dates+confirmed+for+Iraq+Oil,+Gas,+Petrochemical+and+Electricity+Summit__1112489.html
9. Calibre Waiting on Equipment for Northern Iraq Well Test - Calibre Energy, Inc. on Thursday said that the Bina-Bawi 1 exploration well, located in Iraqi Kurdistan, was waiting on material and testing equipment for the planned testing of the well. As previously announced, the Bina-Bawi 1 reached a total depth of 3,355 meters (11,007 feet) and awaits the commencement of testing to determine the productive and commercial potential of at least three zones intersected by the well.
http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42905
10. Audit: US Must Learn From Iraq Mistakes - The U.S. government must learn from its multi-million-dollar mistakes of poor contract oversight and bad planning in its Iraq reconstruction effort or risk repeating them there and elsewhere, investigators say. The audit released Thursday by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is the first to list in one place the series of mistakes, delays and missed opportunities in a four-year-old Iraq war and reconstruction effort that has cost taxpayers nearly $400 billion. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/22/ap3542087.html
11. Najaf Factory to Make Garments for U.S., International Retailers - Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – A garment factory in Najaf, Iraq, will start supplying clothes to U.S. and international retailers in a few months, a senior U.S. official said in Baghdad yesterday. The Najaf facility is "one of the most state-of-the-art clothing factories I've seen," Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. "It will be providing garments to American and international retail beginning this summer." http://www.blackanthem.com/News/International_21/Najaf_Factory_to_Make_Garments_for_U_S_International_Retailers5180.shtml
12. Expanding Provincial Reconstruction Teams To Achieve Iraqi Self Reliance -- Under The President's New Way Forward For Iraq, The Number Of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) Will Increase. PRTs are joint civilian-military units that support local leaders and empower provincial authorities by working closely with the communities they serve. The expansion is a joint Department of State-Department of Defense mission that will employ both civilian and military resources toward a common strategic plan. The Number Of PRTs Will Increase To 20 And In Personnel From 290 To Over 600. The Ten New PRTs Will Be Embedded In U.S. Brigade Combat Teams In Baghdad, Anbar, And North Babil Provinces. http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070322005724&newsLang=en
13. Inspector General Details Failures of Iraq Reconstruction -- The U.S. government was unprepared for the extensive nation-building required after it invaded Iraq, and at each juncture where it could have adjusted its efforts, it failed even to understand the problems it faced, according to the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. In a stinging, wide-ranging assessment of U.S. reconstruction efforts, Stuart W. Bowen Jr. said that in the days after the invasion, the Defense Department had no strategy for restoring either government institutions or infrastructure. And in the years since, other agencies joined the effort without an overall plan and without a structure in place to organize and execute a task of such magnitude. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/21/AR2007032102418.html?sub=AR
14. Reconstruction Audit Shows Need For Better U.S. Oversight in Iraq -- WASHINGTON -- The leaders of a Senate panel said Thursday that the Defense and State departments must work more closely together to avoid repeating multimillion dollar mistakes in the reconstruction of Iraq. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and Sen. Susan Collins(R., Maine) said they were considering legislation to create a commission to help fix problems after investigators found confusion and disarray in the four-year-old reconstruction effort.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117457342617045479.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1 The audit report is at http://online.wsj.com/documents/sigirMarch21.pdf
15. Iraqi Minister of Finance authorized to sign agreements of reorganizing Iraq's debts -- The government’s official spokesman, Ali Addabagh, said that the Cabinet decided to ratify the Convention of debt reduction signed with Paris Club during its tenth regular session. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3365
16. Crippled, Iraq leans on longtime enemy Iran for trade -- NAJAF, Iraq: While the Bush administration works to stop Iran from meddling in Iraq, Iranian air conditioners fill Iraqi appliance stores, Iranian tomatoes ripen on the window sills of kitchens here and white Iranian-made Peugeots sit in Iraqi driveways. Some Iraqi cities, including the oil- producing enclave of Basra, buy electricity from Iran. The Iraqi government is relying on Iranian companies to bring gasoline from Turkmenistan to alleviate a severe shortage. Iraqi officials are reviewing an application by Iran to open a branch of an Iranian national bank in Baghdad, and Iran has offered Iraq $1 billion in soft loans. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/13/news/baghdad.php
17. Gulf investors invited to implement "Iraq Great Port" project -- Governor of Basrah, Muhammad Misbih Alwaeli, invited Arab (especially Gulf) and international companies to present designs concerning “Iraq Great Port” project which is intended to be set up at the mouth of Shatt al-Arab in the city of Faw, (100 km south of Basrah). Alwaeli stressed that “the project of the port is a first step in establishing a broad Iraqi investment base starting from Basrah, explaining that it would be built in a 100% safe area, located outside the city, and isolated from any political or party activity, as well as being protected by Iraqi forces, which will help inviting investors to examine it”. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3375
18. Halliburton retreats from Iraq logistics work -- Halliburton Inc. has recently taken steps to back away from its prominent role in federal contracting in the Middle East, with a late February announcement that it would sell its subsidiary KBR Inc. and a notice this weekend that it would move its corporate headquarters to the United Arab Emirates. Halliburton will move its headquarters from Houston to Dubai to focus greater attention on its Eastern Hemisphere operations, according to a Sunday announcement. The company, which was led by Vice President Dick Cheney before he took office, also recently announced that it would sell its controlling stake in KBR, a subsidiary that has been a conduit for criticism of the administration's military operations and reconstruction effort in Iraq. A federal contracting expert who asked not to be named said Halliburton's moves likely would help the company's image. "In the public mind, Cheney is linked with Halliburton … so it can't but help that they're moving out of government contracting," the expert noted. http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36334&dcn=e_gvet
19. Iraq: Rebuilding combines high risk with rich rewards -- Like many of the tens of thousands of private contractors who descended on Iraq to grab a slice of the reconstruction pie, David, a US contractor who is reluctant to give out more than a first name, is tired. “I want out of Iraq”, he says as he arrives for another six-month stint in a country he has grown to love and to loathe, depending, he says, on the time of day. Clearly used to the security at Baghdad’s international airport, he saunters through the customs lines with his knapsack, ignoring demands by officials that he present himself for a baggage inspection. “If you keep walking, they often don’t bother to call you back”, he says, as he’s greeted outside by a team of South Africans who will provide him with a private security escort.
http://www.mmorning.com/ArticleC.asp?Article=4522&CategoryID=6
20. Violence taking a toll on Iraqi men's love lives -- BAGHDAD — Nashwan Habeeb quietly shouldered the stress of Baghdad's violence for more than two years. But when the anxiety crept into his bedroom and began affecting his performance with his wife, Habeeb sought help. He went to a nearby pharmacist and bought several pills — little blue knockoffs of the popular American drug Viagra. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-08-iraqweek_N.htm
END
23 March 2007
1. Pres. Bush Meeting on Iraq Reconstruction - 22 March 2007 -
http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=Pres.%20Bush%20Meeting%20on%20Iraq%20Reconstruction&link=rtsp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.c%2Dspan.org%2Fproject%2Firaq%2Firaq032207%5Fbush.rm
2. Brookings Iraq Index 22 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
3. Iraq Weekly Status Report 21 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82192.pdf
4. Stabilizing Iraq: Preliminary Observations on Budget and Management Challenges of Iraq's Security Ministries, by Joseph A. Christoff, Director, International Affairs and Trade, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-637T, March 22.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-637T Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07637thigh.pdf
5. Iraqi Defense Ministry Seeks to Buy U.S. Rifles All Things Considered, March 22, 2007 · Iraq's government has spent little of its own money on reconstruction projects — a fact that has drawn criticism from U.S. inspectors. But in one of its first major spending decisions, the Iraqi defense ministry is buying tens of thousands of U.S.-made assault rifles. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9083510
6. Two key Iraq parties oppose oil law -- BAGHDAD, (UPI) -- Two Iraqi political parties, including one of the former prime minister, said the draft hydrocarbons law should be tabled until the security situation improves. "We believe that the time is not right for dealing with this issue. We should, above all, deal with security matters before debating this draft," said Hussein al-Falluji, a member of Parliament representing the Iraqi Accordance Front, a Sunni party. http://www.upi.com/Energy/two_key_iraq_parties_oppose_oil_law/20070313-011332-2256r/
7. Iraq’s Kurds to go it alone on oil deals -- The Kurdistan regional government plans to triple the number of foreign oil companies operating in its region by the end of the year regardless of whether Iraq’s parliament passes a politically sensitive hydrocarbon law. In an interview, Ashti Hawrami, the Kurdish energy minister, said Kurdistan would become a hub for energy companies that were not ready to invest in the rest of Iraq because of security concerns. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ad355e82-d895-11db-a759-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=17aab8bc-6e47-11da-9544-0000779e2340.html
8. New dates confirmed for Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit -- The Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summ it has been planned to take place in Amman, Jordan on May 28 to 30. The summit will welcome representation from the Iraqi Ministries of Oil, Industry and Minerals, and Electricity, as well as the Iraq Energy Council, Investment Promotion Agency and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry for Natural Resources. It will also host many of the state companies operating under the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and senior representatives from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (IRMO). http://www.portaliraq.com/news/New+dates+confirmed+for+Iraq+Oil,+Gas,+Petrochemical+and+Electricity+Summit__1112489.html
9. Calibre Waiting on Equipment for Northern Iraq Well Test - Calibre Energy, Inc. on Thursday said that the Bina-Bawi 1 exploration well, located in Iraqi Kurdistan, was waiting on material and testing equipment for the planned testing of the well. As previously announced, the Bina-Bawi 1 reached a total depth of 3,355 meters (11,007 feet) and awaits the commencement of testing to determine the productive and commercial potential of at least three zones intersected by the well.
http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42905
10. Audit: US Must Learn From Iraq Mistakes - The U.S. government must learn from its multi-million-dollar mistakes of poor contract oversight and bad planning in its Iraq reconstruction effort or risk repeating them there and elsewhere, investigators say. The audit released Thursday by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is the first to list in one place the series of mistakes, delays and missed opportunities in a four-year-old Iraq war and reconstruction effort that has cost taxpayers nearly $400 billion. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/03/22/ap3542087.html
11. Najaf Factory to Make Garments for U.S., International Retailers - Blackanthem Military News, WASHINGTON, D.C. – A garment factory in Najaf, Iraq, will start supplying clothes to U.S. and international retailers in a few months, a senior U.S. official said in Baghdad yesterday. The Najaf facility is "one of the most state-of-the-art clothing factories I've seen," Paul A. Brinkley, deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. "It will be providing garments to American and international retail beginning this summer." http://www.blackanthem.com/News/International_21/Najaf_Factory_to_Make_Garments_for_U_S_International_Retailers5180.shtml
12. Expanding Provincial Reconstruction Teams To Achieve Iraqi Self Reliance -- Under The President's New Way Forward For Iraq, The Number Of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) Will Increase. PRTs are joint civilian-military units that support local leaders and empower provincial authorities by working closely with the communities they serve. The expansion is a joint Department of State-Department of Defense mission that will employ both civilian and military resources toward a common strategic plan. The Number Of PRTs Will Increase To 20 And In Personnel From 290 To Over 600. The Ten New PRTs Will Be Embedded In U.S. Brigade Combat Teams In Baghdad, Anbar, And North Babil Provinces. http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070322005724&newsLang=en
13. Inspector General Details Failures of Iraq Reconstruction -- The U.S. government was unprepared for the extensive nation-building required after it invaded Iraq, and at each juncture where it could have adjusted its efforts, it failed even to understand the problems it faced, according to the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. In a stinging, wide-ranging assessment of U.S. reconstruction efforts, Stuart W. Bowen Jr. said that in the days after the invasion, the Defense Department had no strategy for restoring either government institutions or infrastructure. And in the years since, other agencies joined the effort without an overall plan and without a structure in place to organize and execute a task of such magnitude. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/21/AR2007032102418.html?sub=AR
14. Reconstruction Audit Shows Need For Better U.S. Oversight in Iraq -- WASHINGTON -- The leaders of a Senate panel said Thursday that the Defense and State departments must work more closely together to avoid repeating multimillion dollar mistakes in the reconstruction of Iraq. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, and Sen. Susan Collins(R., Maine) said they were considering legislation to create a commission to help fix problems after investigators found confusion and disarray in the four-year-old reconstruction effort.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117457342617045479.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1 The audit report is at http://online.wsj.com/documents/sigirMarch21.pdf
15. Iraqi Minister of Finance authorized to sign agreements of reorganizing Iraq's debts -- The government’s official spokesman, Ali Addabagh, said that the Cabinet decided to ratify the Convention of debt reduction signed with Paris Club during its tenth regular session. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3365
16. Crippled, Iraq leans on longtime enemy Iran for trade -- NAJAF, Iraq: While the Bush administration works to stop Iran from meddling in Iraq, Iranian air conditioners fill Iraqi appliance stores, Iranian tomatoes ripen on the window sills of kitchens here and white Iranian-made Peugeots sit in Iraqi driveways. Some Iraqi cities, including the oil- producing enclave of Basra, buy electricity from Iran. The Iraqi government is relying on Iranian companies to bring gasoline from Turkmenistan to alleviate a severe shortage. Iraqi officials are reviewing an application by Iran to open a branch of an Iranian national bank in Baghdad, and Iran has offered Iraq $1 billion in soft loans. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/13/news/baghdad.php
17. Gulf investors invited to implement "Iraq Great Port" project -- Governor of Basrah, Muhammad Misbih Alwaeli, invited Arab (especially Gulf) and international companies to present designs concerning “Iraq Great Port” project which is intended to be set up at the mouth of Shatt al-Arab in the city of Faw, (100 km south of Basrah). Alwaeli stressed that “the project of the port is a first step in establishing a broad Iraqi investment base starting from Basrah, explaining that it would be built in a 100% safe area, located outside the city, and isolated from any political or party activity, as well as being protected by Iraqi forces, which will help inviting investors to examine it”. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3375
18. Halliburton retreats from Iraq logistics work -- Halliburton Inc. has recently taken steps to back away from its prominent role in federal contracting in the Middle East, with a late February announcement that it would sell its subsidiary KBR Inc. and a notice this weekend that it would move its corporate headquarters to the United Arab Emirates. Halliburton will move its headquarters from Houston to Dubai to focus greater attention on its Eastern Hemisphere operations, according to a Sunday announcement. The company, which was led by Vice President Dick Cheney before he took office, also recently announced that it would sell its controlling stake in KBR, a subsidiary that has been a conduit for criticism of the administration's military operations and reconstruction effort in Iraq. A federal contracting expert who asked not to be named said Halliburton's moves likely would help the company's image. "In the public mind, Cheney is linked with Halliburton … so it can't but help that they're moving out of government contracting," the expert noted. http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36334&dcn=e_gvet
19. Iraq: Rebuilding combines high risk with rich rewards -- Like many of the tens of thousands of private contractors who descended on Iraq to grab a slice of the reconstruction pie, David, a US contractor who is reluctant to give out more than a first name, is tired. “I want out of Iraq”, he says as he arrives for another six-month stint in a country he has grown to love and to loathe, depending, he says, on the time of day. Clearly used to the security at Baghdad’s international airport, he saunters through the customs lines with his knapsack, ignoring demands by officials that he present himself for a baggage inspection. “If you keep walking, they often don’t bother to call you back”, he says, as he’s greeted outside by a team of South Africans who will provide him with a private security escort.
http://www.mmorning.com/ArticleC.asp?Article=4522&CategoryID=6
20. Violence taking a toll on Iraqi men's love lives -- BAGHDAD — Nashwan Habeeb quietly shouldered the stress of Baghdad's violence for more than two years. But when the anxiety crept into his bedroom and began affecting his performance with his wife, Habeeb sought help. He went to a nearby pharmacist and bought several pills — little blue knockoffs of the popular American drug Viagra. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-08-iraqweek_N.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 21 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
21 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 19 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 14 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/81911.pdf
3. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Report 20 march 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/20070320.pdf
4. Inspectors general probe fraud, profiteering in Iraq -- CongressDaily -- The special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction told a Senate panel Tuesday that corruption is widespread in the Iraq government and among U.S. contractors. "First, corruption in Iraq has been -- and is -- a problem of great enormity within Iraq's government," Stuart Bowen told the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Commissioner of Public Integrity, the Iraqi equivalent of the FBI, has reported to Bowen that it is investigating 2,000 cases involving Iraqi officials and $8 billion in missing funds. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0307/032007cdpm1.htm
5. Defense vows crackdown on fraud in Iraq -- WASHINGTON - Defense Department investigators said Tuesday they are going to be more aggressive suspending or barring companies from doing U.S. contract work in Iraq if they are involved in war profiteering there. Stuart Bowen, special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said taking such action is an effective tool, particularly when auditors are struggling to come up with enough detailed evidence for criminal prosecutions.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070321/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_fraud_7;_ylt=AlOZA8WcgVE_CcLWqU8SpKNX6GMA
6. Addax, Genel Enerji to Spend $120M on Iraq Oilfield Plans -- Addax Petroleum Corp.,(AXC.T) a Toronto Stock Exchange-listed oil company, and its Turkish joint venture partner Genel Enerji A.S. will spend as much as $120 million on exploring and developing an onshore oilfield in Iraqi Kurdistan that could produce 200,000 barrels a day of crude oil by 2009, a company official said Tuesday. Addax and Genel Enerji, which have set up a 45:55 joint venture called Taq Taq Operating Co., or TTOPCO, to operate in Iraq, will complete drilling of a third appraisal well in the Taq Taq development area in the country's north by early April, Addax asset manager Pradeep Kabra told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a Dubai conference. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42772
7. Moscow Hopes Iraq Oil Law Will Let Russian Firms In - 19/03/2007 - MOSCOW, (Reuters) - Russia, worried its firms may be frozen out of oil deals in Iraq, said on Monday it hoped a draft law regulating how Iraq's oil wealth is distributed will ensure Russian companies do not suffer discrimination. Moscow opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is concerned that when the Iraqi government starts handing out new concessions, Russian companies will lose out to firms from countries that backed the military operation. http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8361
8. Mutual benefit should unite Turkey with N. Iraq -- ARBIL – Turkish Daily News -- It is impossible to establish a strategic partnership between Turkey and the Kurds without basing the relations on mutual benefit and a common future, not on reciprocal nationalist slogans that poison relations. When considered from this angle, oil becomes a crucial ingredient. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68649
9. Iraq invites foreign firms to take part in oil tender - Azzaman - Iraq has issued a tender to drill 50 new oil wells in the southern Province of Missan. The director of the province’s oil fields, Ali al-Bahadli, said 13 foreign firms have been invited to take part in the tender aimed at boosting output by an additional 100,000 barrels a day. The Province of Missan is home to some of the largest hitherto unexplored Iraqi oil fields. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2007-03-18%5Ckurd1.htm
10. Iraq aims to produce 3.5 million barrel a day in 2011 -- Iraq says it wants to increase its production of crude oil to 3.5 million barrels per day by the year 2011, according to a reconstruction plan broadcasted in the United Nations on Friday. According to the plan, this will increase, by almost three times, Iraq’s proceeds from the export of crude oil to about $ 50 billion. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3453
11. Oil output still hovering at 2 million barrels daily -- Azzaman -- Iraq is currently producing about 2 million barrels of oil a day but hopes to increase output to nearly 3 million in the future. A statement on the website of Government Information Department said Iraqi engineering and technical corps had ‘ambitious plans’ to substantially boost oil production. The statement gave no details of these plans nor said when the country would manage to raise production by another million barrels. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-17\kurd.htm
12. Syria and Iraq sign Memo of Understanding on Electrical Power -- DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Syrian and Iraqi electricity ministries on Sunday signed a memo of understanding on a number of joint issues in the field of electrical power investment, distribution and connection. The memo states that both ministries study executive programs of electrical power linkage between the two countries' nets within the septet linkage system, it is expected that power linkage between Syria and Iraq be implemented next year. http://www.sana.org/eng/24/2007/03/18/108485.htm
13. Iraqi Planning Minister Courts Arab-American Investment - Washington – Iraqi Planning Minister Ali Baban urged Arab-American business leaders to seek economic opportunities in Iraq and said his government is working to make the country a stable environment for investment. “Any commercial or economic operation depends on stability, and this is the focus of the Iraqi government right now,” Baban told members of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Washington March 15. http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=March&x=20070315164115ndyblehs0.149914
14. INTERNATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION FUND FACILITY MOVES FORWARD FOLLOWING PRODUCTIVE DONOR COMMITTEE MEETING -- ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 20, 2007—The International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee Meeting concluded successfully today, with strong resolve from the international donor community, the United Nations and the World Bank to continue advancing Iraqi leadership on reconstruction efforts. They reaffirmed their support for IRFFI, which should remain an important vehicle for donors to support the implementation of the International Compact with Iraq. http://uniraq.org/
15. Business as 'Normal' in Baghdad's Markets - Weekend Edition Saturday, March 17, 2007 · Ken Stern, NPR's chief executive officer, visited Iraq this month to check on NPR's Baghdad bureau. Following is an entry from his Reporter's Notebook.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8957798
16. CEC starts third year of Rebuild Iraq Recruitment Program (RIRP) - The third year after the beginning of the RIRP program shows that, the need for European companies to position themselves in the competitive environment in Iraq is more important than ever.
http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3332
17. "Iraqi List" Deputy Bashes Draft Oil Law. Opposition MP Warns Against Passage until Occupation Ends -- The draft oil and gas law could lead to the “partition of Iraq” and the dissipation of its wealth, said Usama al-Najifi, former minister of industry and current member of parliament in the opposition Iraqi National List. Najifi said, “The oil law project in the form as sent to parliament is very dangerous, and in it is the partition of Iraq and the dissipation of its riches” http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/1900/Iraqi_List_Deputy_Bashes_Draft_Oil_Law
18. Rice: Number of provincial construction teams in Iraq will be doubled -- WASHINGTON — State Department officials will double the number of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq and recruit more than 300 civilians to help man them in an effort to help stabilize that country, the secretary of state announced Tuesday. “We are transitioning our role,” Condoleezza Rice told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This is to help Iraqis build their own democratic institutions and lead their own economic development at the provincial and local levels.” http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43947
19. Iraq, Syria to sign economical accord http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093146195
20. Price Check: Baghdad Green Zone Burger King http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/topic/58
END
21 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 19 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 14 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/81911.pdf
3. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Report 20 march 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/20070320.pdf
4. Inspectors general probe fraud, profiteering in Iraq -- CongressDaily -- The special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction told a Senate panel Tuesday that corruption is widespread in the Iraq government and among U.S. contractors. "First, corruption in Iraq has been -- and is -- a problem of great enormity within Iraq's government," Stuart Bowen told the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Commissioner of Public Integrity, the Iraqi equivalent of the FBI, has reported to Bowen that it is investigating 2,000 cases involving Iraqi officials and $8 billion in missing funds. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0307/032007cdpm1.htm
5. Defense vows crackdown on fraud in Iraq -- WASHINGTON - Defense Department investigators said Tuesday they are going to be more aggressive suspending or barring companies from doing U.S. contract work in Iraq if they are involved in war profiteering there. Stuart Bowen, special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, said taking such action is an effective tool, particularly when auditors are struggling to come up with enough detailed evidence for criminal prosecutions.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070321/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_fraud_7;_ylt=AlOZA8WcgVE_CcLWqU8SpKNX6GMA
6. Addax, Genel Enerji to Spend $120M on Iraq Oilfield Plans -- Addax Petroleum Corp.,(AXC.T) a Toronto Stock Exchange-listed oil company, and its Turkish joint venture partner Genel Enerji A.S. will spend as much as $120 million on exploring and developing an onshore oilfield in Iraqi Kurdistan that could produce 200,000 barrels a day of crude oil by 2009, a company official said Tuesday. Addax and Genel Enerji, which have set up a 45:55 joint venture called Taq Taq Operating Co., or TTOPCO, to operate in Iraq, will complete drilling of a third appraisal well in the Taq Taq development area in the country's north by early April, Addax asset manager Pradeep Kabra told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a Dubai conference. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42772
7. Moscow Hopes Iraq Oil Law Will Let Russian Firms In - 19/03/2007 - MOSCOW, (Reuters) - Russia, worried its firms may be frozen out of oil deals in Iraq, said on Monday it hoped a draft law regulating how Iraq's oil wealth is distributed will ensure Russian companies do not suffer discrimination. Moscow opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is concerned that when the Iraqi government starts handing out new concessions, Russian companies will lose out to firms from countries that backed the military operation. http://aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=6&id=8361
8. Mutual benefit should unite Turkey with N. Iraq -- ARBIL – Turkish Daily News -- It is impossible to establish a strategic partnership between Turkey and the Kurds without basing the relations on mutual benefit and a common future, not on reciprocal nationalist slogans that poison relations. When considered from this angle, oil becomes a crucial ingredient. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68649
9. Iraq invites foreign firms to take part in oil tender - Azzaman - Iraq has issued a tender to drill 50 new oil wells in the southern Province of Missan. The director of the province’s oil fields, Ali al-Bahadli, said 13 foreign firms have been invited to take part in the tender aimed at boosting output by an additional 100,000 barrels a day. The Province of Missan is home to some of the largest hitherto unexplored Iraqi oil fields. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2007-03-18%5Ckurd1.htm
10. Iraq aims to produce 3.5 million barrel a day in 2011 -- Iraq says it wants to increase its production of crude oil to 3.5 million barrels per day by the year 2011, according to a reconstruction plan broadcasted in the United Nations on Friday. According to the plan, this will increase, by almost three times, Iraq’s proceeds from the export of crude oil to about $ 50 billion. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3453
11. Oil output still hovering at 2 million barrels daily -- Azzaman -- Iraq is currently producing about 2 million barrels of oil a day but hopes to increase output to nearly 3 million in the future. A statement on the website of Government Information Department said Iraqi engineering and technical corps had ‘ambitious plans’ to substantially boost oil production. The statement gave no details of these plans nor said when the country would manage to raise production by another million barrels. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-17\kurd.htm
12. Syria and Iraq sign Memo of Understanding on Electrical Power -- DAMASCUS, (SANA)-Syrian and Iraqi electricity ministries on Sunday signed a memo of understanding on a number of joint issues in the field of electrical power investment, distribution and connection. The memo states that both ministries study executive programs of electrical power linkage between the two countries' nets within the septet linkage system, it is expected that power linkage between Syria and Iraq be implemented next year. http://www.sana.org/eng/24/2007/03/18/108485.htm
13. Iraqi Planning Minister Courts Arab-American Investment - Washington – Iraqi Planning Minister Ali Baban urged Arab-American business leaders to seek economic opportunities in Iraq and said his government is working to make the country a stable environment for investment. “Any commercial or economic operation depends on stability, and this is the focus of the Iraqi government right now,” Baban told members of the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Washington March 15. http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=March&x=20070315164115ndyblehs0.149914
14. INTERNATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION FUND FACILITY MOVES FORWARD FOLLOWING PRODUCTIVE DONOR COMMITTEE MEETING -- ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 20, 2007—The International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee Meeting concluded successfully today, with strong resolve from the international donor community, the United Nations and the World Bank to continue advancing Iraqi leadership on reconstruction efforts. They reaffirmed their support for IRFFI, which should remain an important vehicle for donors to support the implementation of the International Compact with Iraq. http://uniraq.org/
15. Business as 'Normal' in Baghdad's Markets - Weekend Edition Saturday, March 17, 2007 · Ken Stern, NPR's chief executive officer, visited Iraq this month to check on NPR's Baghdad bureau. Following is an entry from his Reporter's Notebook.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=8957798
16. CEC starts third year of Rebuild Iraq Recruitment Program (RIRP) - The third year after the beginning of the RIRP program shows that, the need for European companies to position themselves in the competitive environment in Iraq is more important than ever.
http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3332
17. "Iraqi List" Deputy Bashes Draft Oil Law. Opposition MP Warns Against Passage until Occupation Ends -- The draft oil and gas law could lead to the “partition of Iraq” and the dissipation of its wealth, said Usama al-Najifi, former minister of industry and current member of parliament in the opposition Iraqi National List. Najifi said, “The oil law project in the form as sent to parliament is very dangerous, and in it is the partition of Iraq and the dissipation of its riches” http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/1900/Iraqi_List_Deputy_Bashes_Draft_Oil_Law
18. Rice: Number of provincial construction teams in Iraq will be doubled -- WASHINGTON — State Department officials will double the number of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq and recruit more than 300 civilians to help man them in an effort to help stabilize that country, the secretary of state announced Tuesday. “We are transitioning our role,” Condoleezza Rice told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This is to help Iraqis build their own democratic institutions and lead their own economic development at the provincial and local levels.” http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43947
19. Iraq, Syria to sign economical accord http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093146195
20. Price Check: Baghdad Green Zone Burger King http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/topic/58
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 18 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
18 March 2007
1. KRG invitation to a seminar on Iraq's Oil and Revenue Sharing Laws -- An agreement on Iraq's draft oil law was reached by Iraq's main political players at the end of February 2007. This draft oil law includes several companion laws and annexes. KRG would like to invite you to a seminar on Thursday 22nd March from 10:30am to 2pm, in London (programme and a light lunch). http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=94,106,109&ArticleNr=16791&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
2. Syria looks for Iraqi crude import -- Syria is in talks with Iraq on linking their energy networks in a deal that could lead to the country importing Iraqi crude as its own production declines, a senior Syrian official said on Tuesday. Syria produces 400,000 barrels per day of crude, of which half is exported, but its two refineries in Homs and Banias have been unable to cope with domestic demand for fuel for years. http://www.champress.net/english/?page=show_det&id=4346
3. Iraq experts say draft oil industry law fraught with problems -- AMMAN (AFP) - Some Iraqi oil experts and politicians are aghast over their government's approval of a bill that many fear will deliver the country's oil wealth to international firms on a platter. In February, capping months of bitter wrangling, the Baghdad government approved a draft law that aims to distribute revenue from crude oil exports equitably across Iraq's 18 provinces and open the sector to foreign investors
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070318/ts_afp/iraqenergyoilpolitics_070318034607
4. Political comments on the draft of the Iraqi oil law -- Is Iraq in need of such an Oil Law? The International Oil Companies (IOCs), the US and UK administrations, and the IMF have to recognize that they will not be able to enforce an oil law which seems to be no less than the old concessionary model in a new guise. The experience of the past four years has proved that their policies could not be imposed even with the help of over 180,000 occupying forces and whilst the Iraqi state is on its knees. Such policies have instead resulted in the death of over two hundred thousand Iraqi civilians, more destruction to the country's infrastructure, more suffering to millions of Iraqis and complete failure in achieving any of their objectives. http://www.zmag.org/content/Showarticle.cfm?sectionID=15&itemID=12342
5. Poll: Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam -- One in four (26%) Iraqi adults have had a family relative murdered in the last three years, while 23% of those living in Baghdad have had a family/relative kidnapped in the last three years. These are the findings released today from the largest poll into Iraqi opinion ever to be published. Carried out by UK polling firm O.R.B., which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with 49% preferring life under the current political regime of Noori al-Maliki. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current administration. http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=67
6. Iraq: reconstruction plan revealed -- An Iraq reconstruction plan described as "a tool to unlock the potential of the Middle Eastern nation" has been unveiled. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi revealed the details of the International Compact with Iraq at a key UN conference. The five-year proposal calls for the country to be given international support in return for political, security and economic reforms. http://www.itv.com/news/world_cb7d12f9add3ac5884bff2c18d083847.html
7. Iraqi delegation prepares for opening of formal World Trade Organization accession talks -- Seventeen members of Iraq's National Committee and World Trade Organization (WTO) Unit, which coordinate the country's WTO accession effort at the inter-ministerial level, prepared for the opening of the WTO accession negotiations and the convening of the first WTO Working Party (WP) meeting in Geneva in a four-day workshop organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Izdihar program. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Iraqi+delegation+prepares+for+opening+of+formal+World+Trade+Organization+accession+talks__1112499.html
8. Iraq presents economic and political plan at U.N. -- Associated Press -- UNITED NATIONS — The Iraqi vice president presented his country's economic and political reform plan at a U.N. conference Friday, pledging to adopt a law to the Iraq's oil riches among its often feuding regions and a program to grant amnesty for insurgents who renounce violence. Adel Abdul-Mahdi urged international support for the Iraq Compact, a five-year plan that requires the government to enact key political and economic reforms during its transition to financial self-sufficiency and integration into the regional and global economy. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070316.wuniraq16/BNStory/Front
9. Mandating the private sector to import oil derivatives and distribute them -- The Iraqi Oil Ministry determined special mechanisms for the import of oil derivatives by the private sector. Minister of Oil, Hussein Shahrastani, said in a symposium held by the ministry with the owners of private companies: “The economic policy of the State tends to stimulate the private sector in order to be able to import oil derivatives and distribute them to citizens”. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3394
10. Iranian private sector ready to invest in Iraq, Khamoushi -- Iranian private sector is ready to make investments and create industry on its common borders with Iraq, Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines Alinaqi Khamoushi said on Thursday. Speaking in the "Iran-Iraq Joint Commercial Meeting", Khamoushi added that Iran is also willing to set up food processing plants and construction materials production plants to produce brick, cement, lime, and gatch (plaster) for reconstruction operations within 50-km depth inside Iranian borders with Iraq. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20070309071809/SecMain/pagHomepage
11. Gunmen blow up communication tower in Ramadi - Ramadi, March 9, (VOI) - Unidentified gunmen blew up on Friday a communication tower in Ramadi, Anbar province, using explosive charges, a security source said. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39037&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
12. Iraqi businessmen ask government to stop flight of capital -- Azzaman, March 11, 2007 -- Wealthy Iraqis are fleeing with their capital to neighboring states, dealing a heavy blow to the country’s war-torn economy. According to Mohammed Majeed, a private entrepreneur, the last few months saw “massive flight” of capital from the country. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-11\kurd2.htm
13. IMF extends $715 mln Iraq loan program by 6 months - WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday extended Iraq's $714.7 million loan accord to Sept. 28 at the government's request and said the country faced an important juncture in its economic recovery amid increased violence. Iraq has treated the loan as precautionary finance and has not drawn down on it since its approval in December 2005. "Despite very difficult political and security circumstances, the Iraqi authorities have taken important measures to keep their economic program on track," IMF Deputy managing Director Takatoshi Kato said in a statement.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N134
14. Tehran to host first Iran-Iraq economic meeting in April http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=457194
15. Iraqi music a reflection of country's hardships -- SULAIMANIYAH, IRAQ -- Farouk Hassan's eyes well up with tears as he cranks his car's CD player and sings along with the latest hit, a lament to his lost love -- violence-torn Baghdad. But it is not just the song's lyrics that encapsulate the tragedy of Baghdad's bloodshed. http://www.guelphmercury.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=mercury/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1174130602314&call_pageid=1050067726078&col=1050421501457
END
18 March 2007
1. KRG invitation to a seminar on Iraq's Oil and Revenue Sharing Laws -- An agreement on Iraq's draft oil law was reached by Iraq's main political players at the end of February 2007. This draft oil law includes several companion laws and annexes. KRG would like to invite you to a seminar on Thursday 22nd March from 10:30am to 2pm, in London (programme and a light lunch). http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=94,106,109&ArticleNr=16791&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
2. Syria looks for Iraqi crude import -- Syria is in talks with Iraq on linking their energy networks in a deal that could lead to the country importing Iraqi crude as its own production declines, a senior Syrian official said on Tuesday. Syria produces 400,000 barrels per day of crude, of which half is exported, but its two refineries in Homs and Banias have been unable to cope with domestic demand for fuel for years. http://www.champress.net/english/?page=show_det&id=4346
3. Iraq experts say draft oil industry law fraught with problems -- AMMAN (AFP) - Some Iraqi oil experts and politicians are aghast over their government's approval of a bill that many fear will deliver the country's oil wealth to international firms on a platter. In February, capping months of bitter wrangling, the Baghdad government approved a draft law that aims to distribute revenue from crude oil exports equitably across Iraq's 18 provinces and open the sector to foreign investors
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070318/ts_afp/iraqenergyoilpolitics_070318034607
4. Political comments on the draft of the Iraqi oil law -- Is Iraq in need of such an Oil Law? The International Oil Companies (IOCs), the US and UK administrations, and the IMF have to recognize that they will not be able to enforce an oil law which seems to be no less than the old concessionary model in a new guise. The experience of the past four years has proved that their policies could not be imposed even with the help of over 180,000 occupying forces and whilst the Iraqi state is on its knees. Such policies have instead resulted in the death of over two hundred thousand Iraqi civilians, more destruction to the country's infrastructure, more suffering to millions of Iraqis and complete failure in achieving any of their objectives. http://www.zmag.org/content/Showarticle.cfm?sectionID=15&itemID=12342
5. Poll: Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam -- One in four (26%) Iraqi adults have had a family relative murdered in the last three years, while 23% of those living in Baghdad have had a family/relative kidnapped in the last three years. These are the findings released today from the largest poll into Iraqi opinion ever to be published. Carried out by UK polling firm O.R.B., which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with 49% preferring life under the current political regime of Noori al-Maliki. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current administration. http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=67
6. Iraq: reconstruction plan revealed -- An Iraq reconstruction plan described as "a tool to unlock the potential of the Middle Eastern nation" has been unveiled. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi revealed the details of the International Compact with Iraq at a key UN conference. The five-year proposal calls for the country to be given international support in return for political, security and economic reforms. http://www.itv.com/news/world_cb7d12f9add3ac5884bff2c18d083847.html
7. Iraqi delegation prepares for opening of formal World Trade Organization accession talks -- Seventeen members of Iraq's National Committee and World Trade Organization (WTO) Unit, which coordinate the country's WTO accession effort at the inter-ministerial level, prepared for the opening of the WTO accession negotiations and the convening of the first WTO Working Party (WP) meeting in Geneva in a four-day workshop organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Izdihar program. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Iraqi+delegation+prepares+for+opening+of+formal+World+Trade+Organization+accession+talks__1112499.html
8. Iraq presents economic and political plan at U.N. -- Associated Press -- UNITED NATIONS — The Iraqi vice president presented his country's economic and political reform plan at a U.N. conference Friday, pledging to adopt a law to the Iraq's oil riches among its often feuding regions and a program to grant amnesty for insurgents who renounce violence. Adel Abdul-Mahdi urged international support for the Iraq Compact, a five-year plan that requires the government to enact key political and economic reforms during its transition to financial self-sufficiency and integration into the regional and global economy. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070316.wuniraq16/BNStory/Front
9. Mandating the private sector to import oil derivatives and distribute them -- The Iraqi Oil Ministry determined special mechanisms for the import of oil derivatives by the private sector. Minister of Oil, Hussein Shahrastani, said in a symposium held by the ministry with the owners of private companies: “The economic policy of the State tends to stimulate the private sector in order to be able to import oil derivatives and distribute them to citizens”. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3394
10. Iranian private sector ready to invest in Iraq, Khamoushi -- Iranian private sector is ready to make investments and create industry on its common borders with Iraq, Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mines Alinaqi Khamoushi said on Thursday. Speaking in the "Iran-Iraq Joint Commercial Meeting", Khamoushi added that Iran is also willing to set up food processing plants and construction materials production plants to produce brick, cement, lime, and gatch (plaster) for reconstruction operations within 50-km depth inside Iranian borders with Iraq. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20070309071809/SecMain/pagHomepage
11. Gunmen blow up communication tower in Ramadi - Ramadi, March 9, (VOI) - Unidentified gunmen blew up on Friday a communication tower in Ramadi, Anbar province, using explosive charges, a security source said. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39037&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
12. Iraqi businessmen ask government to stop flight of capital -- Azzaman, March 11, 2007 -- Wealthy Iraqis are fleeing with their capital to neighboring states, dealing a heavy blow to the country’s war-torn economy. According to Mohammed Majeed, a private entrepreneur, the last few months saw “massive flight” of capital from the country. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-11\kurd2.htm
13. IMF extends $715 mln Iraq loan program by 6 months - WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday extended Iraq's $714.7 million loan accord to Sept. 28 at the government's request and said the country faced an important juncture in its economic recovery amid increased violence. Iraq has treated the loan as precautionary finance and has not drawn down on it since its approval in December 2005. "Despite very difficult political and security circumstances, the Iraqi authorities have taken important measures to keep their economic program on track," IMF Deputy managing Director Takatoshi Kato said in a statement.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N134
14. Tehran to host first Iran-Iraq economic meeting in April http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=457194
15. Iraqi music a reflection of country's hardships -- SULAIMANIYAH, IRAQ -- Farouk Hassan's eyes well up with tears as he cranks his car's CD player and sings along with the latest hit, a lament to his lost love -- violence-torn Baghdad. But it is not just the song's lyrics that encapsulate the tragedy of Baghdad's bloodshed. http://www.guelphmercury.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=mercury/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1174130602314&call_pageid=1050067726078&col=1050421501457
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 16 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
16 March 2007
1. Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq March 2007 http://www.defenselink.mil/home/pdf/9010_March_2007_Final_Signed.pdf
2. Guarding Iraq's oil platforms, and its income -- IN THE PERSIAN GULF -- A Ukrainian cargo ship that inadvertently sailed into protected waters around Iraqi oil platforms in the Persian Gulf ignited a rapid security crackdown Wednesday morning, displaying some of the measures coalition forces take to protect the platforms. Ships rushed to intercept the cargo vessel. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43972
3. Iraqi leader says he has until June 30 to divvy up oil wealth -- BAGHDAD --Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fears the Americans will torpedo his government if parliament does not pass a law to fairly divvy up the country’s oil wealth among Iraqis by the end of June, close associates of the leader told The Associated Press on Tuesday. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=20443a9a-db51-4092-85e4-6dceafb870fb&k=88520
4. ‘Iraq not negotiating with oil majors yet’ - VIENNA: Iraq is not conducting negotiations yet with major oil companies on new oilfield developments, although they wait keenly in the wings, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said on Thursday. He said that Baghdad was waiting first for its new oil sector law to pass through parliament. “We are not negotiating with any major oil companies for the time being, we are waiting for the hydrocarbons law to be enacted by the parliament,” Shahristani said. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C03%5C16%5Cstory_16-3-2007_pg5_18
5. Unesco faces uphill task in Iraq: Official -- Doha -- Iraq is where Unesco is facing it greatest challenge in combating illiteracy. "The challenges faced by the education sector in the post-conflict Iraq is mind-boggling. With children witnessing blood baths in schools, militia making frequent rqids at schools many a parents have stopped sending their children to schools in several areas," said a senior Unesco official who is in-charge of Education Planning and Management in the country.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com:80/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2007&file=Local_News200703154957.xml
6. Chinese company to set up power plant in Wassit - Kut, March 14, (VOI) - A Chinese company is to set up a power plant with a design capacity of 1,320 MW in north of Kut, 180 km southeast of Baghdad, at cost of $750 million, a source at Wassit electricity department said on Wednesday.
http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39439&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
7. Iraq asks China firm to hurry power plant -- BAGHDAD, March 15 (UPI) -- Iraq is urging the Chinese power company building a power plant southeast of Baghdad to hurry because of the ongoing electricity shortage. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_asks_china_firm_to_hurry_power_plant/20070315-121406-7297r/
8. Electricity Workers in Kirkuk took a Strike Action http://www.iraqitradeunions.org/archives/000854.html
9. UN chief to convene international meeting on Iraq reconstruction -- UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (APP) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has scheduled an international meeting here on Friday aimed at assisting Iraq’s reconstruction and recovery, his spokesperson Michele Montas said Wednesday.
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5881&Itemid=2
10. Contractor could lose $400 million -- Military contracting giant KBR Inc. could be docked up to $400 million for improperly using private security companies in Iraq, the company disclosed this week. The Army has already said it withheld about $20 million in payments to KBR's parent company, Halliburton, because the company's subcontractors used private security contractors, including North Carolina-based Blackwater USA. Army officials have said that private security companies were not allowed under Halliburton's main contract in Iraq and that the military was to provide security. http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/548701.html
11. Iraqi : Reconstruction Projects are Big Improvements -- BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Reconstruction efforts are providing successful, tangible results in the lives of Iraqis every day, said the commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh addressed the media at two press conferences recently at the Combined Press Information Center -- one with Adm. Mark Fox from Multi-National Force -- Iraq, the other with Ambassador Joseph Saloom from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/news_center/publish/article_001211.shtml
12. Chief Arab economist stresses support for Iraq -- CAIRO (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Arab Economic Unity Council Ahmed Gweli stressed here Tuesday that the council supported Iraq's national economy. The council affiliated to the Arab League said in a release that Gweli met with a delegation of the Iraqi Commission, led by Basel Al-Azawi, affirming the council's support for Iraq's stability, security, unity and economy. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidKUN0139070306210000/SecMain/pagHomepage
13. US Investigator Says Iraqis Steadily Taking Over Reconstruction -- Speaking to VOA by telephone from Baghdad, Special Inspector-General Stuart Bowen says the time has come for Iraq to shoulder the financial burden of its reconstruction. "The theme, and why this theme is such an important watershed moment, is that it marks the end of the phase wherein the United States will bear the preponderant financial burden for the relief and reconstruction of Iraq," said Stuart Bowen. "That burden has now in earnest shifted to the Iraqis and the Iraqi government." http://voanews.com/english/2007-02-28-voa64.cfm
14. Iraq's political and economic bullet -- Several economists and economic development experts argue that land –specifically “land reform” – is key to ending Iraq’s complex civil conflict. Among them is Peter Schaefer. Schaefer served in Vietnam as an American military intelligence officer then in the mid-1970s became deeply involved in economic development analysis and property right issues. His is also a former adviser to Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto. http://austinbay.net/blog/?p=1650
15. Courthouse Project helps build a secure self-governing Nation http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05.pdf
16. Car washing. good job for the jobless -- Karbala, March 3, (VOI) – Work in garages and car service centers in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad, is flourishing as many Iraqis consider car washing to be a nice source of income and a way to avoid the endless queues of job seekers. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=38592&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
END
16 March 2007
1. Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq March 2007 http://www.defenselink.mil/home/pdf/9010_March_2007_Final_Signed.pdf
2. Guarding Iraq's oil platforms, and its income -- IN THE PERSIAN GULF -- A Ukrainian cargo ship that inadvertently sailed into protected waters around Iraqi oil platforms in the Persian Gulf ignited a rapid security crackdown Wednesday morning, displaying some of the measures coalition forces take to protect the platforms. Ships rushed to intercept the cargo vessel. http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=43972
3. Iraqi leader says he has until June 30 to divvy up oil wealth -- BAGHDAD --Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fears the Americans will torpedo his government if parliament does not pass a law to fairly divvy up the country’s oil wealth among Iraqis by the end of June, close associates of the leader told The Associated Press on Tuesday. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=20443a9a-db51-4092-85e4-6dceafb870fb&k=88520
4. ‘Iraq not negotiating with oil majors yet’ - VIENNA: Iraq is not conducting negotiations yet with major oil companies on new oilfield developments, although they wait keenly in the wings, Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said on Thursday. He said that Baghdad was waiting first for its new oil sector law to pass through parliament. “We are not negotiating with any major oil companies for the time being, we are waiting for the hydrocarbons law to be enacted by the parliament,” Shahristani said. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C03%5C16%5Cstory_16-3-2007_pg5_18
5. Unesco faces uphill task in Iraq: Official -- Doha -- Iraq is where Unesco is facing it greatest challenge in combating illiteracy. "The challenges faced by the education sector in the post-conflict Iraq is mind-boggling. With children witnessing blood baths in schools, militia making frequent rqids at schools many a parents have stopped sending their children to schools in several areas," said a senior Unesco official who is in-charge of Education Planning and Management in the country.
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com:80/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2007&file=Local_News200703154957.xml
6. Chinese company to set up power plant in Wassit - Kut, March 14, (VOI) - A Chinese company is to set up a power plant with a design capacity of 1,320 MW in north of Kut, 180 km southeast of Baghdad, at cost of $750 million, a source at Wassit electricity department said on Wednesday.
http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39439&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
7. Iraq asks China firm to hurry power plant -- BAGHDAD, March 15 (UPI) -- Iraq is urging the Chinese power company building a power plant southeast of Baghdad to hurry because of the ongoing electricity shortage. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_asks_china_firm_to_hurry_power_plant/20070315-121406-7297r/
8. Electricity Workers in Kirkuk took a Strike Action http://www.iraqitradeunions.org/archives/000854.html
9. UN chief to convene international meeting on Iraq reconstruction -- UNITED NATIONS, March 15 (APP) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has scheduled an international meeting here on Friday aimed at assisting Iraq’s reconstruction and recovery, his spokesperson Michele Montas said Wednesday.
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5881&Itemid=2
10. Contractor could lose $400 million -- Military contracting giant KBR Inc. could be docked up to $400 million for improperly using private security companies in Iraq, the company disclosed this week. The Army has already said it withheld about $20 million in payments to KBR's parent company, Halliburton, because the company's subcontractors used private security contractors, including North Carolina-based Blackwater USA. Army officials have said that private security companies were not allowed under Halliburton's main contract in Iraq and that the military was to provide security. http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/548701.html
11. Iraqi : Reconstruction Projects are Big Improvements -- BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Reconstruction efforts are providing successful, tangible results in the lives of Iraqis every day, said the commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Brig. Gen. Michael J. Walsh addressed the media at two press conferences recently at the Combined Press Information Center -- one with Adm. Mark Fox from Multi-National Force -- Iraq, the other with Ambassador Joseph Saloom from the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/news_center/publish/article_001211.shtml
12. Chief Arab economist stresses support for Iraq -- CAIRO (KUNA) -- Secretary-General of the Arab Economic Unity Council Ahmed Gweli stressed here Tuesday that the council supported Iraq's national economy. The council affiliated to the Arab League said in a release that Gweli met with a delegation of the Iraqi Commission, led by Basel Al-Azawi, affirming the council's support for Iraq's stability, security, unity and economy. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidKUN0139070306210000/SecMain/pagHomepage
13. US Investigator Says Iraqis Steadily Taking Over Reconstruction -- Speaking to VOA by telephone from Baghdad, Special Inspector-General Stuart Bowen says the time has come for Iraq to shoulder the financial burden of its reconstruction. "The theme, and why this theme is such an important watershed moment, is that it marks the end of the phase wherein the United States will bear the preponderant financial burden for the relief and reconstruction of Iraq," said Stuart Bowen. "That burden has now in earnest shifted to the Iraqis and the Iraqi government." http://voanews.com/english/2007-02-28-voa64.cfm
14. Iraq's political and economic bullet -- Several economists and economic development experts argue that land –specifically “land reform” – is key to ending Iraq’s complex civil conflict. Among them is Peter Schaefer. Schaefer served in Vietnam as an American military intelligence officer then in the mid-1970s became deeply involved in economic development analysis and property right issues. His is also a former adviser to Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto. http://austinbay.net/blog/?p=1650
15. Courthouse Project helps build a secure self-governing Nation http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05.pdf
16. Car washing. good job for the jobless -- Karbala, March 3, (VOI) – Work in garages and car service centers in the holy Shiite city of Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad, is flourishing as many Iraqis consider car washing to be a nice source of income and a way to avoid the endless queues of job seekers. http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=38592&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 15 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
15 March 2007
1. U.S., Iraq Launch Campaign To Cut Oil Smuggling -- BAYJI, Iraq -- U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched an aggressive campaign to curb the oil smuggling that is helping to destabilize the fragile Baghdad government and finance insurgents, adding another facet to the Bush administration's latest pacification plan for Iraq. In concert with stepped-up military and reconstruction initiatives, U.S. troops for the first time are maintaining a round-the-clock presence at the sprawling oil refinery here, Iraq's largest. Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division also are cracking down on illegal gasoline stations, arresting refinery workers suspected of corruption and using sophisticated data-sifting methods to identify which senior Iraqi officials might have ties to black-market oil rings. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117390152327937156.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
2. Syria wants to rebuild Iraq pipeline -- DAMASCUS, Syria, March 14 (UPI) -- Syria wants to increase imports of Iraqi oil by rebuilding a pipeline, as well as become a main export route for Iraq to other markets. Abdallah al-Dardari, Syria's deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said it wants to be Iraq's main exporter via its Mediterranean terminal at Banias and also use the oil to fuel three new refineries, upstreamonline.com reports. http://www.upi.com/Energy/syria_wants_to_rebuild_iraq_pipeline/20070314-115640-3899r/
3. Operation Iraqi Freedom: Preliminary Observations on Iraqi Security Forces' Logistical Capabilities, by William M. Solis, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-582T, March 9.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-582T Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07582thigh.pdf
4. Iraq: SOMO reduces oil selling prices -- (MENAFN) An official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry announced that the Iraqi oil Marketing Company (SOMO) will reduce Basra light crude oil-selling prices to a number of foreign buyers, on the basis of the ministry's laws next April, Iraq Directory reported. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093146322
5. Shell Eyes Developing Gas Field-Iraqi Official (14/03/2007) -- Royal Dutch Shell PLC has expressed its willingness to the Iraqi government to invest in Iraq's gas fields and to set up a pipeline that would connect these gas fields to Europe via Turkey, a senior Iraqi oil official said Tuesday. "There are attempts by Shell to open talks with the Iraqi government to develop Iraq's vast gas fields," the senior official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.energia.gr/indexengr.php?newsid=13502&lang=en
6. UN Conference to discuss Iraq's reconstruction http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=2665§ionid=3510202
7. Istanbul talks next week to promote Iraqi reconstruction - The New Anatolian/Ankara - Istanbul will host key meetings next week for the reconstruction of Iraq, including the Reconstruction Forum of Iraq and the fifth meeting of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for the Iraq Donor Committee. Turkish diplomatic sources told the New Anatolian yesterday that the Reconstruction Forum of Iraq is planning to be held in Istanbul on Monday. The meeting, moderated by Iraqi Planning Minister Ali Baban, is planning to seek ways to promote Iraqi reconstruction. http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-24209.html
8. Iraq Should Pay For for Its Reconstruction, Rep. Albio Sires (D.NJ) http://blog.thehill.com/2007/03/14/iraq-should-pay-for-for-their-reconstruction-too/
9. Iraq reconstruction summit 28-29 March 2007 http://www.ameinfo.com/111914.html
10. World Bank to boost Iraq presence despite shooting - (WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The World Bank's No. 2 official on Friday defended the lender's decision to ramp up its presence in Iraq after a staff driver was caught in cross-fire and wounded at a checkpoint in Baghdad last month. Managing Director Juan Jose Daboub said the World Bank regretted the incident and had evacuated the Iraqi man to neighboring Jordan for treatment. "We are in many countries and Iraq is not an exception," Daboub, who visited Baghdad last month for discussions with the Iraqi government, told Reuters in an interview. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SODA-6YZ3L6?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=irq
11. Iraq to carry out $270m reconstruction projects -- (MENAFN) An Official at the Iraqi Ministry of Planning announced that the ministry's Strategic Board of Reconstruction has approved eighteen reconstruction projects at a total cost of $270 million, Iraq Directory reported.
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093144428
12. Minister says power supplies to improve in summer -- Azzaman -- The Minister of Electricity says Iraqis will see improvements in the supply of power in the summer. The pledge by Kareem Waheed is the latest in a series of broken promises to improve the country’s ailing national grid which has been worsening since the 2003 U.S. invasion. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-05\kurd.htm
13. Industry being revitalised in Iraq: US official -- BAGHDAD (AFP) - Industry is being revitalised in Iraq, despite the raging violence, and creating lucrative openings for entrepreneurs brave enough to do business here, a top US official insists. Paul Brinkley, the Pentagon's deputy under secretary for business, has been touring Iraq for the past week with some 45 US business executives. He told AFP in Baghdad that many dormant state-owned factories would start firing up again "within months."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070304/pl_afp/iraqeconomyindustry
14. Assaulting Iraq's thinkers - Baghdad's once-vibrant book culture is another casualty of the war -- MONDAY'S BOMBING of the Mutanabi book market in Baghdad was a new low in the violence ripping through Iraq. The symbolism was clear: The suicide car-bomber wanted to strike at the heart of Iraq's intellectual life. Nearly four years ago, looters rampaged through the Iraq National Museum, set fire to the National Archives in Baghdad and burned down the Koranic library at the Ministry of Religious Endowment shortly after that. Priceless books and documents, letters from Ottoman and other Arabic courts, the written records of a thousand years or more, went up in smoke. And now this. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-das10mar10,1,287694.story?coll=la-news-comment
15. Nasiriyah Drainage Pump Station turned over to Iraqi Government http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-2.pdf
END
15 March 2007
1. U.S., Iraq Launch Campaign To Cut Oil Smuggling -- BAYJI, Iraq -- U.S. and Iraqi forces have launched an aggressive campaign to curb the oil smuggling that is helping to destabilize the fragile Baghdad government and finance insurgents, adding another facet to the Bush administration's latest pacification plan for Iraq. In concert with stepped-up military and reconstruction initiatives, U.S. troops for the first time are maintaining a round-the-clock presence at the sprawling oil refinery here, Iraq's largest. Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division also are cracking down on illegal gasoline stations, arresting refinery workers suspected of corruption and using sophisticated data-sifting methods to identify which senior Iraqi officials might have ties to black-market oil rings. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117390152327937156.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
2. Syria wants to rebuild Iraq pipeline -- DAMASCUS, Syria, March 14 (UPI) -- Syria wants to increase imports of Iraqi oil by rebuilding a pipeline, as well as become a main export route for Iraq to other markets. Abdallah al-Dardari, Syria's deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said it wants to be Iraq's main exporter via its Mediterranean terminal at Banias and also use the oil to fuel three new refineries, upstreamonline.com reports. http://www.upi.com/Energy/syria_wants_to_rebuild_iraq_pipeline/20070314-115640-3899r/
3. Operation Iraqi Freedom: Preliminary Observations on Iraqi Security Forces' Logistical Capabilities, by William M. Solis, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Armed Services. GAO-07-582T, March 9.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-582T Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07582thigh.pdf
4. Iraq: SOMO reduces oil selling prices -- (MENAFN) An official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry announced that the Iraqi oil Marketing Company (SOMO) will reduce Basra light crude oil-selling prices to a number of foreign buyers, on the basis of the ministry's laws next April, Iraq Directory reported. http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093146322
5. Shell Eyes Developing Gas Field-Iraqi Official (14/03/2007) -- Royal Dutch Shell PLC has expressed its willingness to the Iraqi government to invest in Iraq's gas fields and to set up a pipeline that would connect these gas fields to Europe via Turkey, a senior Iraqi oil official said Tuesday. "There are attempts by Shell to open talks with the Iraqi government to develop Iraq's vast gas fields," the senior official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.energia.gr/indexengr.php?newsid=13502&lang=en
6. UN Conference to discuss Iraq's reconstruction http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=2665§ionid=3510202
7. Istanbul talks next week to promote Iraqi reconstruction - The New Anatolian/Ankara - Istanbul will host key meetings next week for the reconstruction of Iraq, including the Reconstruction Forum of Iraq and the fifth meeting of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for the Iraq Donor Committee. Turkish diplomatic sources told the New Anatolian yesterday that the Reconstruction Forum of Iraq is planning to be held in Istanbul on Monday. The meeting, moderated by Iraqi Planning Minister Ali Baban, is planning to seek ways to promote Iraqi reconstruction. http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-24209.html
8. Iraq Should Pay For for Its Reconstruction, Rep. Albio Sires (D.NJ) http://blog.thehill.com/2007/03/14/iraq-should-pay-for-for-their-reconstruction-too/
9. Iraq reconstruction summit 28-29 March 2007 http://www.ameinfo.com/111914.html
10. World Bank to boost Iraq presence despite shooting - (WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The World Bank's No. 2 official on Friday defended the lender's decision to ramp up its presence in Iraq after a staff driver was caught in cross-fire and wounded at a checkpoint in Baghdad last month. Managing Director Juan Jose Daboub said the World Bank regretted the incident and had evacuated the Iraqi man to neighboring Jordan for treatment. "We are in many countries and Iraq is not an exception," Daboub, who visited Baghdad last month for discussions with the Iraqi government, told Reuters in an interview. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SODA-6YZ3L6?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=irq
11. Iraq to carry out $270m reconstruction projects -- (MENAFN) An Official at the Iraqi Ministry of Planning announced that the ministry's Strategic Board of Reconstruction has approved eighteen reconstruction projects at a total cost of $270 million, Iraq Directory reported.
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093144428
12. Minister says power supplies to improve in summer -- Azzaman -- The Minister of Electricity says Iraqis will see improvements in the supply of power in the summer. The pledge by Kareem Waheed is the latest in a series of broken promises to improve the country’s ailing national grid which has been worsening since the 2003 U.S. invasion. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-05\kurd.htm
13. Industry being revitalised in Iraq: US official -- BAGHDAD (AFP) - Industry is being revitalised in Iraq, despite the raging violence, and creating lucrative openings for entrepreneurs brave enough to do business here, a top US official insists. Paul Brinkley, the Pentagon's deputy under secretary for business, has been touring Iraq for the past week with some 45 US business executives. He told AFP in Baghdad that many dormant state-owned factories would start firing up again "within months."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070304/pl_afp/iraqeconomyindustry
14. Assaulting Iraq's thinkers - Baghdad's once-vibrant book culture is another casualty of the war -- MONDAY'S BOMBING of the Mutanabi book market in Baghdad was a new low in the violence ripping through Iraq. The symbolism was clear: The suicide car-bomber wanted to strike at the heart of Iraq's intellectual life. Nearly four years ago, looters rampaged through the Iraq National Museum, set fire to the National Archives in Baghdad and burned down the Koranic library at the Ministry of Religious Endowment shortly after that. Priceless books and documents, letters from Ottoman and other Arabic courts, the written records of a thousand years or more, went up in smoke. And now this. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-das10mar10,1,287694.story?coll=la-news-comment
15. Nasiriyah Drainage Pump Station turned over to Iraqi Government http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-2.pdf
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 14 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
14 March 2007
1. Three cheers for Iraq's new hydrocarbon law. The recent hydrocarbon law, approved after much wrangling by Iraq's council of ministers, deserves a great deal more praise than it has been receiving. For one thing, it abolishes the economic rationale for dictatorship in Iraq. For another, it was arrived at by a process of parley and bargain that, while still in its infancy, demonstrates the possibility of a cooperative future. For still another, it shames the oil policy of Iraq's neighbors and reinforces the idea that a democracy in Baghdad could still teach a few regional lessons. http://www.slate.com/id/2161629/
2. ConocoPhillips says working with oil ministry on Iraq field plan -- HOUSTON (MarketWatch) -- ConocoPhillips ) is working with the Iraq Oil Ministry and Russia's OAO Lukoil Holdings on a development plan for the West Qurna field, a ConocoPhillips executive said Wednesday. "We're doing a lot of work with the ministry and Lukoil on developing" a plan for West Qurna, Bill Berry, executive vice president for ConocoPhillips, said at a meeting with analysts that was Webcast from New York. http://www.marketwatch.com:80/news/story/conocophillips-says-working-oil-ministry/story.aspx?guid=%7BFF2B00BE-4E8F-4D38-9CF3-786A10255780%7D
3. ConocoPhillips studying Iraq opportunity -- ConocoPhillips said Wednesday it is talking with Iraq's oil ministry about possible projects, while continuing to work on plans to develop an Iraqi oil field in partnership with Russia's OAO Lukoil. Chairman and Chief Executive James Mulva said the Houston-based company is continuing to look at development plans for Iraq's West Qurna field with Lukoil, in which ConocoPhillips holds close to a 20 percent stake. Lukoil's West Qurna deal initially dates to the Saddam Hussein era, and Mulva said he hopes it is affirmed. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8NS7OLG0.htm
4. Oil law key to US support for Iraq government: Maliki associates -- [JURIST] Passage of a draft law aimed at dividing oil proceeds among various religious and ethnic groups in Iraq is critical to continued US support of the current Iraqi government, associates of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki [BBC profile] told AP Tuesday. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/03/oil-law-key-to-us-support-for-iraq.php
5. Large oil refinery to be built in Karbala - Karbala, March 13, (VOI)- Iraqi oil ministry agreed to build a large oil refinery in Karbala, 110 km southwest of Baghdad, head of Karbala provincial council said on Tuesday. "Oil minister informed the provincial council during his visit to Karbala two days ago that the ministry agreed to build a large refinery in the province," Abdul-Al al-Yasseri told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39350&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
6. South Korean Troops Behind Kurdish Area's Economic Growth -- Irbil, Iraq -- As a C-130 military transport plane neared Irbil, 350 kilometers north of Baghdad, it started a roller-coaster descent aimed at dodging ground-to-air attacks. Some were airsick during the bumpy 10-minute landing, while others appeared to be enjoying the rare experience. Ten reporters and a television camera crew traveling from South Korea were asked to wear helmets and bulletproof jackets, which reminded them that they were in a battlefield. Upon arriving at a small airport here, the visitors were guarded by heavily armed South Korean soldiers and Iraqi security forces. http://www.aina.org/news/20070310142256.htm
7. New Iraqi oil law clears path for TPAO in N. Iraq -- A ministerial meeting next week bringing together Turkish and Iraqi officials will discuss Ankara's plans for oil exploration in northern Iraq after Iraqi Kurds last month dropped their demands for autonomy in awarding contracts and administering revenues, clearing the road for Turkish involvement in the oil business in the region.
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=105392&bolum=106
8. A new air line between northern Iraq and Turkish coast http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3358
9. Iraqis training in Singapore to rebuild their country -- A group of Iraqi diplomats began a three-week training programme here yesterday as part of Singapore's effort to help in Iraq's reconstruction, said the Foreign Ministry. http://www.todayonline.com:80/articles/175765.asp
10. Umm Qasr Substation Provides Reliable Power Supply - BASRAH, Iraq – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently turned over a 132 kilovolt electrical substation at the port of Umm Qsar to the Iraqi government’s Minister of Electricity. http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-12.PDF
11. Bank Melli, Iraq branch http://www.ameinfo.com/113311.html
12. King of Spain confirms his country's commitment to reconstruction http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3326
13. Soccer Field a Rare Respite from Baghdad Violence -- Weekend Edition Sunday, March 4, 2007 · Relentless violence in Baghdad has left the city largely divided along sectarian lines. But a small field in the Baghdad neighborhood of Karada provides a rare break from the violence. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7706182
END
14 March 2007
1. Three cheers for Iraq's new hydrocarbon law. The recent hydrocarbon law, approved after much wrangling by Iraq's council of ministers, deserves a great deal more praise than it has been receiving. For one thing, it abolishes the economic rationale for dictatorship in Iraq. For another, it was arrived at by a process of parley and bargain that, while still in its infancy, demonstrates the possibility of a cooperative future. For still another, it shames the oil policy of Iraq's neighbors and reinforces the idea that a democracy in Baghdad could still teach a few regional lessons. http://www.slate.com/id/2161629/
2. ConocoPhillips says working with oil ministry on Iraq field plan -- HOUSTON (MarketWatch) -- ConocoPhillips ) is working with the Iraq Oil Ministry and Russia's OAO Lukoil Holdings on a development plan for the West Qurna field, a ConocoPhillips executive said Wednesday. "We're doing a lot of work with the ministry and Lukoil on developing" a plan for West Qurna, Bill Berry, executive vice president for ConocoPhillips, said at a meeting with analysts that was Webcast from New York. http://www.marketwatch.com:80/news/story/conocophillips-says-working-oil-ministry/story.aspx?guid=%7BFF2B00BE-4E8F-4D38-9CF3-786A10255780%7D
3. ConocoPhillips studying Iraq opportunity -- ConocoPhillips said Wednesday it is talking with Iraq's oil ministry about possible projects, while continuing to work on plans to develop an Iraqi oil field in partnership with Russia's OAO Lukoil. Chairman and Chief Executive James Mulva said the Houston-based company is continuing to look at development plans for Iraq's West Qurna field with Lukoil, in which ConocoPhillips holds close to a 20 percent stake. Lukoil's West Qurna deal initially dates to the Saddam Hussein era, and Mulva said he hopes it is affirmed. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8NS7OLG0.htm
4. Oil law key to US support for Iraq government: Maliki associates -- [JURIST] Passage of a draft law aimed at dividing oil proceeds among various religious and ethnic groups in Iraq is critical to continued US support of the current Iraqi government, associates of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki [BBC profile] told AP Tuesday. http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/03/oil-law-key-to-us-support-for-iraq.php
5. Large oil refinery to be built in Karbala - Karbala, March 13, (VOI)- Iraqi oil ministry agreed to build a large oil refinery in Karbala, 110 km southwest of Baghdad, head of Karbala provincial council said on Tuesday. "Oil minister informed the provincial council during his visit to Karbala two days ago that the ministry agreed to build a large refinery in the province," Abdul-Al al-Yasseri told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
http://www.aswataliraq.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=39350&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
6. South Korean Troops Behind Kurdish Area's Economic Growth -- Irbil, Iraq -- As a C-130 military transport plane neared Irbil, 350 kilometers north of Baghdad, it started a roller-coaster descent aimed at dodging ground-to-air attacks. Some were airsick during the bumpy 10-minute landing, while others appeared to be enjoying the rare experience. Ten reporters and a television camera crew traveling from South Korea were asked to wear helmets and bulletproof jackets, which reminded them that they were in a battlefield. Upon arriving at a small airport here, the visitors were guarded by heavily armed South Korean soldiers and Iraqi security forces. http://www.aina.org/news/20070310142256.htm
7. New Iraqi oil law clears path for TPAO in N. Iraq -- A ministerial meeting next week bringing together Turkish and Iraqi officials will discuss Ankara's plans for oil exploration in northern Iraq after Iraqi Kurds last month dropped their demands for autonomy in awarding contracts and administering revenues, clearing the road for Turkish involvement in the oil business in the region.
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=105392&bolum=106
8. A new air line between northern Iraq and Turkish coast http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3358
9. Iraqis training in Singapore to rebuild their country -- A group of Iraqi diplomats began a three-week training programme here yesterday as part of Singapore's effort to help in Iraq's reconstruction, said the Foreign Ministry. http://www.todayonline.com:80/articles/175765.asp
10. Umm Qasr Substation Provides Reliable Power Supply - BASRAH, Iraq – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recently turned over a 132 kilovolt electrical substation at the port of Umm Qsar to the Iraqi government’s Minister of Electricity. http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-12.PDF
11. Bank Melli, Iraq branch http://www.ameinfo.com/113311.html
12. King of Spain confirms his country's commitment to reconstruction http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3326
13. Soccer Field a Rare Respite from Baghdad Violence -- Weekend Edition Sunday, March 4, 2007 · Relentless violence in Baghdad has left the city largely divided along sectarian lines. But a small field in the Baghdad neighborhood of Karada provides a rare break from the violence. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7706182
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 13 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
13 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 12 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Price Check in Baghdad Neighborhoods 10 March 2007 http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/1842/Price_Check_in_Baghdad_Neighborhoods
3. Banking in Iraq Conference, April 04-05, 2007, Amman, Jordan. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-IZDIHAR project, in association with the USAID/Economic Governance II Program, is organizing the first Iraqi banking and finance conference entitled, "Banking in Iraq: The 21st Century Challenge." Participants will take stock of developments in the Iraqi banking industry post-April 2003, address issues facing the development of banking in Iraq, and explore the prospects and modalities of building a vibrant banking industry in Iraq. For more information, please review the invitation letter (PDF only), conference agenda (PDF only), and contact Donal Cotter at e-mail: dcotter@izdihar-iraq.org. Please complete and submit the conference registration form (PDF only) if you plan to attend.
http://www.export.gov/iraq/
4. The New Seven Sisters. Honorary mention: Iraq National Oil Company http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f3f15096-cd5b-11db-839d-000b5df10621.html
5. Former Iraq minister denies theft of millions -- A former Iraqi defence minister whose 10 months in office coincided with the disappearance of more than $800m (£400m) from the ministry’s coffers is living openly in Amman and London despite a warrant for his arrest. Hazem Shaalan, a small businessman in London until Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, rose in a year to one of the most important jobs in the interim government that ran Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He left Baghdad before the next government discovered that a fortune had been looted from his ministry’s account in what one senior investigator has called “one of the largest thefts in history”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1497038.ece
6. The Russian "LukOil" is preparing to enter Iraqi field - The Russian company "Look Oil" expressed its willingness to implement an investment project in the field of "West Qurna-2" in Iraq during 26 months if the Iraqi government accepts the company's proposals on the investment of this oil field.
http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3385
7. BG Looks To Southern Kurdistan Gas Field - BG Group looks set to become the first major Western energy group to invest in Kurdistan Region. Representatives of the oil and gas group are believed to have visited the country to examine exploration opportunities. They looked at sites for gas exploration in the Kurdish-controlled north. http://kurdistanobserver.servehttp.com/Mar-2007/12-3-07-bg-looks-s-kurdistan-gasfield.html
8. Criticizing Iraqi oil sharing convention with foreign companies - Iraqi oil expert criticized the oil sharing convention with foreign companies in Iraq, proposed within the draft law of oil investment which is supposed to be discussed by Iraqi parliament. Head of Economic Department and Oil Adviser at the University of Basrah, Abdaljbar Alhalfi, said in the Kuwaiti Economic Society meeting last night, that the bill which was approved lately by the Iraqi Cabinet need some drastic changes to fit the aspirations of the Iraqi people of its oil. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3363
9. Turkey is receiving help in prospecting for oil in northern Iraq - Turkey said on Thursday that foreign companies expressed an interest in working with the Turkish company T.B.A.O for oil prospect, which is owned by the State, in the search for crude oil and natural gas in northern Iraq. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3356
10. Iraq, Iran to build joint pipeline in south - Azzaman, March 10, 2007 - Iraq and Iran have agreed to build a pipeline to carry Basra crude to the refineries in Abadan. The deal is part of a memorandum of understanding the countries have signed to further expand economic ties. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-10\kurd1.htm
11. Minister hints at hike of fuel products - Azzaman, March 8, 2007 - The Oil Ministry will have to hike prices of fuel products which are currently sold at highly subsidized rates, according to the minister Hussein Shahristani. The minister made the remarks ahead of a meeting with the International Monetary Fund which is coordinating the writing off of Iraqi debts. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-08\kurd2.htm
12. Shell Eyes Developing Iraqi Gas Fields - Iraqi Official. Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) has expressed its willingness to the Iraqi government to invest in Iraq's gas fields and to set up a pipeline that would connect these gas fields to Europe via Turkey, a senior Iraqi oil official said Tuesday. "There are attempts by Shell to open talks with the Iraqi government to develop Iraq's vast gas fields," the senior official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42463
13. CNPC Seen Regaining Oil Exploration Rights to Iraq's al-Ahdab Field -- China National Petroleum Corp, the parent of PetroChina Co Ltd, is expected to obtain new exploration rights to the al-Ahdab oil field in Iraq, CNPC-owned China Oilnews said. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42354
14. Syria eager to forge Iraq link -- Syria is in talks with Iraq over linking their energy networks in a deal that could lead to the country importing Iraqi crude as its own production declines, a senior Syrian official said today. Syria wants to resume its role as a main conduit for Iraqi oil exports through its Banias terminal on the Mediterranean and eventually take in crude for three refineries it plans to build, Abdallah al-Dardari, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, told Reuters in an interview.http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article129196.ece
15. Poets mournful but defiant amid Baghdad rubble - They recited verses beside the bloodstains, they vowed defiance amid the rubble. Just days after bombers ripped Baghdad's cultural heartland to shreds, the poets and artists were back. Artist Jabbar Muhaibs, one of the leaders of Thursday's gathering, put a wooden crate over his head during a performance to mourn the death of cultural life in what is left of Mutanabi Street, Iraq's ancient centre of the arts. http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/iraq/?id=19918
END
13 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 12 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Price Check in Baghdad Neighborhoods 10 March 2007 http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/1842/Price_Check_in_Baghdad_Neighborhoods
3. Banking in Iraq Conference, April 04-05, 2007, Amman, Jordan. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-IZDIHAR project, in association with the USAID/Economic Governance II Program, is organizing the first Iraqi banking and finance conference entitled, "Banking in Iraq: The 21st Century Challenge." Participants will take stock of developments in the Iraqi banking industry post-April 2003, address issues facing the development of banking in Iraq, and explore the prospects and modalities of building a vibrant banking industry in Iraq. For more information, please review the invitation letter (PDF only), conference agenda (PDF only), and contact Donal Cotter at e-mail: dcotter@izdihar-iraq.org. Please complete and submit the conference registration form (PDF only) if you plan to attend.
http://www.export.gov/iraq/
4. The New Seven Sisters. Honorary mention: Iraq National Oil Company http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f3f15096-cd5b-11db-839d-000b5df10621.html
5. Former Iraq minister denies theft of millions -- A former Iraqi defence minister whose 10 months in office coincided with the disappearance of more than $800m (£400m) from the ministry’s coffers is living openly in Amman and London despite a warrant for his arrest. Hazem Shaalan, a small businessman in London until Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003, rose in a year to one of the most important jobs in the interim government that ran Iraq from 2004 to 2005. He left Baghdad before the next government discovered that a fortune had been looted from his ministry’s account in what one senior investigator has called “one of the largest thefts in history”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1497038.ece
6. The Russian "LukOil" is preparing to enter Iraqi field - The Russian company "Look Oil" expressed its willingness to implement an investment project in the field of "West Qurna-2" in Iraq during 26 months if the Iraqi government accepts the company's proposals on the investment of this oil field.
http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3385
7. BG Looks To Southern Kurdistan Gas Field - BG Group looks set to become the first major Western energy group to invest in Kurdistan Region. Representatives of the oil and gas group are believed to have visited the country to examine exploration opportunities. They looked at sites for gas exploration in the Kurdish-controlled north. http://kurdistanobserver.servehttp.com/Mar-2007/12-3-07-bg-looks-s-kurdistan-gasfield.html
8. Criticizing Iraqi oil sharing convention with foreign companies - Iraqi oil expert criticized the oil sharing convention with foreign companies in Iraq, proposed within the draft law of oil investment which is supposed to be discussed by Iraqi parliament. Head of Economic Department and Oil Adviser at the University of Basrah, Abdaljbar Alhalfi, said in the Kuwaiti Economic Society meeting last night, that the bill which was approved lately by the Iraqi Cabinet need some drastic changes to fit the aspirations of the Iraqi people of its oil. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3363
9. Turkey is receiving help in prospecting for oil in northern Iraq - Turkey said on Thursday that foreign companies expressed an interest in working with the Turkish company T.B.A.O for oil prospect, which is owned by the State, in the search for crude oil and natural gas in northern Iraq. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3356
10. Iraq, Iran to build joint pipeline in south - Azzaman, March 10, 2007 - Iraq and Iran have agreed to build a pipeline to carry Basra crude to the refineries in Abadan. The deal is part of a memorandum of understanding the countries have signed to further expand economic ties. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-10\kurd1.htm
11. Minister hints at hike of fuel products - Azzaman, March 8, 2007 - The Oil Ministry will have to hike prices of fuel products which are currently sold at highly subsidized rates, according to the minister Hussein Shahristani. The minister made the remarks ahead of a meeting with the International Monetary Fund which is coordinating the writing off of Iraqi debts. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-08\kurd2.htm
12. Shell Eyes Developing Iraqi Gas Fields - Iraqi Official. Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) has expressed its willingness to the Iraqi government to invest in Iraq's gas fields and to set up a pipeline that would connect these gas fields to Europe via Turkey, a senior Iraqi oil official said Tuesday. "There are attempts by Shell to open talks with the Iraqi government to develop Iraq's vast gas fields," the senior official at the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42463
13. CNPC Seen Regaining Oil Exploration Rights to Iraq's al-Ahdab Field -- China National Petroleum Corp, the parent of PetroChina Co Ltd, is expected to obtain new exploration rights to the al-Ahdab oil field in Iraq, CNPC-owned China Oilnews said. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42354
14. Syria eager to forge Iraq link -- Syria is in talks with Iraq over linking their energy networks in a deal that could lead to the country importing Iraqi crude as its own production declines, a senior Syrian official said today. Syria wants to resume its role as a main conduit for Iraqi oil exports through its Banias terminal on the Mediterranean and eventually take in crude for three refineries it plans to build, Abdallah al-Dardari, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, told Reuters in an interview.http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article129196.ece
15. Poets mournful but defiant amid Baghdad rubble - They recited verses beside the bloodstains, they vowed defiance amid the rubble. Just days after bombers ripped Baghdad's cultural heartland to shreds, the poets and artists were back. Artist Jabbar Muhaibs, one of the leaders of Thursday's gathering, put a wooden crate over his head during a performance to mourn the death of cultural life in what is left of Mutanabi Street, Iraq's ancient centre of the arts. http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/iraq/?id=19918
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 12 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
12 March 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/07/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Defense Dept. Briefing on Economic and Reconstruction Activity From Iraq 9 March 2007 http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=Defense%20Dept.%20Briefing%20From%20Iraq&link=rtsp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.c%2Dspan.org%2Fproject%2Firaq%2Firaq030907%5Fdod.rm
3. Conference Call With U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, 10 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/mar/81615.htm
4. Weekly Iraq Report for March 10, 2007 - The Baghdad Security Plan and the greater Iraq security operation is now over four weeks into its execution. Over the past month, Baghdad has seen sectarian murders decrease significantly. Al Qaeda in Iraq, however, is attempting to destabilize the government and force an early U.S. withdrawal. Al Qaeda in Iraq has stepped up its suicide and car bomb attacks against government targets and the Shia population in an effort to reignite the sectarian violence, which has drawn Iraq to the precipice of civil war during the past year.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/03/weekly_iraq_report_for_march_1.asp
5. Iraq Oil Plan Avoids Key Issues - Lawmakers in Iraq will soon debate a draft petroleum law for the oil-rich country, but the legislation's current form fails to clarify two issues crucial to the nation's future: how to lure foreign investment into the vast oil sector and how to distribute the new revenue that results.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117340792674031785.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
6. BG spearheads move to tap Iraq's riches - BG Group, the British oil and gas explorer, could become the first major Western energy company to invest in Iraq. Ut is understood that representatives from BG recently visited the northern region of Iraq in a move to assess the opportunities. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/03/11/cnbg11.xml
7. Iraq, Iran to build joint pipeline in south - Azzaman, March 10, 2007 - Iraq and Iran have agreed to build a pipeline to carry Basra crude to the refineries in Abadan. The deal is part of a memorandum of understanding the countries have signed to further expand economic ties. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-10\kurd1.htm
8. Foreign Office helped set up Iraqi oil deals - The British Government intervened to help UK and US energy giants in their attempts to secure lucrative contracts to exploit Iraq's ruined oilfields. The Foreign Office delivered a report by the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) - a Washington-based think-tank backed by a host of multinationals, including oil companies such as Shell and BP - to Iraqi officials in Baghdad, it has emerged. The British ambassador to Iraq formally sent the "road-map" study on the Iraqi oil industry to the then Iraqi minister of finance, according to documents seen by The Independent on Sunday. The study recommended the Iraqi government sign long-term production-sharing agreements with foreign oil companies. http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2347416.ece
9. CNPC in Iraq looking for old oil deal -- BAGHDAD, March 9 (UPI) -- Officials from the China National Petroleum Corp. are in Iraq trying to re-sign a major oil deal first signed with Saddam Hussein. Assem Jihad, a spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said CNPC representatives had been in country since Tuesday.
http://www.upi.com/Energy/cnpc_in_iraq_looking_for_old_oil_deal/20070309-093748-5908r/
10. KRG publishes draft Federal Oil and Gas Law of Iraq in English and Arabic - 9 March 2007 - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Spokesman today published an authorised English translation of the draft Federal Oil and Gas Law for Iraq. The original Arabic draft, also published by the KRG today, was prepared by the Oil and Energy Committee of the Iraq Council of Ministers on 15 February 2007. That draft was later approved by the Council. The drafts can be downloaded at the links below. http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=&ArticleNr=16644&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
11. Contractors in War Zone Face Legal Front - The surge in private contractors serving alongside U.S. troops in war zones could potentially leave those companies exposed on a dangerous legal front: liability claims. A 1950 Supreme Court ruling bars American soldiers and their relatives from suing the government over injuries or death resulting from military service. Separate rulings largely protect defense companies against lawsuits seeking damages because of defective weapons. But as the nation's military increasingly outsources front-line tasks like security and transportation, the extent of a contractor's liability when things go wrong is emerging as a serious issue. The quandary comes amid a broader policy debate over how to define the role of private contractors in a war effort and a push in Congress to tighten laws that govern the conduct of such contractors.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117332287915030490.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
12. Agencies Tangle on Efforts to Help Iraq - As violence in Iraq crescendoed last year, President Bush summoned his secretaries of agriculture, commerce and energy to Camp David in June to meet with his national security team. During a two-hour afternoon discussion in the main lodge, the president urged the three secretaries to become more involved in the Iraq reconstruction effort. When Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez got back to his office, he asked his staff members to develop a list of Iraq-related projects for the agency. They did, and two months later, they shared it with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, expecting that diplomats on the ground would welcome a little help from Washington. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/10/AR2007031001442.html
13. US tries to revive Saddam’s state industry -- Four US Blackhawk helicopters come in low over a sprawling automotive plant near the town of Iskandariya south of Baghdad. The complex is a mess, strewn with jumbled railway cars and fields of broken tarmac. But amid the decay sits a line of newly painted police cars freshly out of the factory’s workshops, evidence that this plant – once a flagship of Iraqi heavy industry but virtually shut down after the 2003 US-led invasion – is getting back on its feet. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2f9d257e-cce5-11db-a938-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=17aab8bc-6e47-11da-9544-0000779e2340.html
14. Iraqis Seek Role in Rebuilding Their Nation - BAGHDAD, March 8 — When Rahim al-Daraji looks at the dusty lots just east of Sadr City where scores of bodies have been dumped in the past year, he sees a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, coffee shops and restaurants. “We should have an amusement park,” said Mr. Daraji, one of two elected mayors in Sadr City, the sprawling Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad where American and Iraqi troops have been peacefully clearing homes since Sunday. “We want to rehabilitate the area so that families can have fun.” http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/world/middleeast/09sadrcity.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIraq&oref=slogin
15. War News Radio" Absent Without Leave http://warnewsradio.org/
12 March 2007
1. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Weekly Update 03/07/07 https://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/pls/portal/url/ITEM/07251F2EFBCA801DE040A8C00B0741F5
2. Defense Dept. Briefing on Economic and Reconstruction Activity From Iraq 9 March 2007 http://switchboard.real.com/player/email.html?PV=6.0.12&&title=Defense%20Dept.%20Briefing%20From%20Iraq&link=rtsp%3A%2F%2Fvideo.c%2Dspan.org%2Fproject%2Firaq%2Firaq030907%5Fdod.rm
3. Conference Call With U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, 10 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/mar/81615.htm
4. Weekly Iraq Report for March 10, 2007 - The Baghdad Security Plan and the greater Iraq security operation is now over four weeks into its execution. Over the past month, Baghdad has seen sectarian murders decrease significantly. Al Qaeda in Iraq, however, is attempting to destabilize the government and force an early U.S. withdrawal. Al Qaeda in Iraq has stepped up its suicide and car bomb attacks against government targets and the Shia population in an effort to reignite the sectarian violence, which has drawn Iraq to the precipice of civil war during the past year.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/03/weekly_iraq_report_for_march_1.asp
5. Iraq Oil Plan Avoids Key Issues - Lawmakers in Iraq will soon debate a draft petroleum law for the oil-rich country, but the legislation's current form fails to clarify two issues crucial to the nation's future: how to lure foreign investment into the vast oil sector and how to distribute the new revenue that results.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117340792674031785.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
6. BG spearheads move to tap Iraq's riches - BG Group, the British oil and gas explorer, could become the first major Western energy company to invest in Iraq. Ut is understood that representatives from BG recently visited the northern region of Iraq in a move to assess the opportunities. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/03/11/cnbg11.xml
7. Iraq, Iran to build joint pipeline in south - Azzaman, March 10, 2007 - Iraq and Iran have agreed to build a pipeline to carry Basra crude to the refineries in Abadan. The deal is part of a memorandum of understanding the countries have signed to further expand economic ties. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-10\kurd1.htm
8. Foreign Office helped set up Iraqi oil deals - The British Government intervened to help UK and US energy giants in their attempts to secure lucrative contracts to exploit Iraq's ruined oilfields. The Foreign Office delivered a report by the International Tax and Investment Center (ITIC) - a Washington-based think-tank backed by a host of multinationals, including oil companies such as Shell and BP - to Iraqi officials in Baghdad, it has emerged. The British ambassador to Iraq formally sent the "road-map" study on the Iraqi oil industry to the then Iraqi minister of finance, according to documents seen by The Independent on Sunday. The study recommended the Iraqi government sign long-term production-sharing agreements with foreign oil companies. http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2347416.ece
9. CNPC in Iraq looking for old oil deal -- BAGHDAD, March 9 (UPI) -- Officials from the China National Petroleum Corp. are in Iraq trying to re-sign a major oil deal first signed with Saddam Hussein. Assem Jihad, a spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said CNPC representatives had been in country since Tuesday.
http://www.upi.com/Energy/cnpc_in_iraq_looking_for_old_oil_deal/20070309-093748-5908r/
10. KRG publishes draft Federal Oil and Gas Law of Iraq in English and Arabic - 9 March 2007 - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Spokesman today published an authorised English translation of the draft Federal Oil and Gas Law for Iraq. The original Arabic draft, also published by the KRG today, was prepared by the Oil and Energy Committee of the Iraq Council of Ministers on 15 February 2007. That draft was later approved by the Council. The drafts can be downloaded at the links below. http://web.krg.org/articles/article_detail.asp?LangNr=12&RubricNr=&ArticleNr=16644&LNNr=28&RNNr=70
11. Contractors in War Zone Face Legal Front - The surge in private contractors serving alongside U.S. troops in war zones could potentially leave those companies exposed on a dangerous legal front: liability claims. A 1950 Supreme Court ruling bars American soldiers and their relatives from suing the government over injuries or death resulting from military service. Separate rulings largely protect defense companies against lawsuits seeking damages because of defective weapons. But as the nation's military increasingly outsources front-line tasks like security and transportation, the extent of a contractor's liability when things go wrong is emerging as a serious issue. The quandary comes amid a broader policy debate over how to define the role of private contractors in a war effort and a push in Congress to tighten laws that govern the conduct of such contractors.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117332287915030490.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
12. Agencies Tangle on Efforts to Help Iraq - As violence in Iraq crescendoed last year, President Bush summoned his secretaries of agriculture, commerce and energy to Camp David in June to meet with his national security team. During a two-hour afternoon discussion in the main lodge, the president urged the three secretaries to become more involved in the Iraq reconstruction effort. When Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez got back to his office, he asked his staff members to develop a list of Iraq-related projects for the agency. They did, and two months later, they shared it with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, expecting that diplomats on the ground would welcome a little help from Washington. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/10/AR2007031001442.html
13. US tries to revive Saddam’s state industry -- Four US Blackhawk helicopters come in low over a sprawling automotive plant near the town of Iskandariya south of Baghdad. The complex is a mess, strewn with jumbled railway cars and fields of broken tarmac. But amid the decay sits a line of newly painted police cars freshly out of the factory’s workshops, evidence that this plant – once a flagship of Iraqi heavy industry but virtually shut down after the 2003 US-led invasion – is getting back on its feet. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2f9d257e-cce5-11db-a938-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=17aab8bc-6e47-11da-9544-0000779e2340.html
14. Iraqis Seek Role in Rebuilding Their Nation - BAGHDAD, March 8 — When Rahim al-Daraji looks at the dusty lots just east of Sadr City where scores of bodies have been dumped in the past year, he sees a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster, coffee shops and restaurants. “We should have an amusement park,” said Mr. Daraji, one of two elected mayors in Sadr City, the sprawling Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad where American and Iraqi troops have been peacefully clearing homes since Sunday. “We want to rehabilitate the area so that families can have fun.” http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/world/middleeast/09sadrcity.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIraq&oref=slogin
15. War News Radio" Absent Without Leave http://warnewsradio.org/
Iraq Reconstruction News 8 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
8 March 2007
1. Iraq Weekly Status Report 7 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/81659.pdf
2. Key Iraq Sunni group warns against oil law -- BAGHDAD, March 8 (UPI) -- The top Sunni clerical group in Iraq has warned parliament not to approve the hydrocarbons law, claiming it will deprive Iraqis from its oil wealth. http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20070308-094255-2063r
3. Misunderstanding Production Sharing Agreements -- Much outrage has been howled and many teeth have been gnashed in the last few days as a new law regarding Iraq's oil and gas reserves has been passed by the fledgling Iraqi government. The law grants Iraq's Federal Oil and Gas Council the power to enter into Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with foreign oil companies. For many of those who opposed the American-led invasion of Iraq in the first place, this serves as evidence that the war was all about placing Iraq's immense oil and gas reserves under the control of American oil companies. http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030607B
4. Iraq Oil Law Necessary But Not Sufficient -- Oxford Analytica -- Iraq's Council of Ministers has set the end of May as the target for parliamentary approval of the draft hydrocarbons framework law. Endorsement by the cross-factional cabinet means the draft oil law is more likely to receive parliamentary approval. The draft hydrocarbons framework law represents a compromise between the centralizing instincts of Iraq's Arab factions and efforts by the Kurdish parties to retain near-autonomy. The draft law establishes three principles: Centralized Control Of Revenues, Partly Decentralized Development, Foreign Involvement In Upstream. http://www.forbes.com/home/digitalentertainment/2007/03/06/hydrocarbons-oil-iraq-biz-cx_0307oxford.html
5. Iraqis Paid Not to Burn Oil Wells: Wilson -- Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) has told The Politico that before the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, the CIA paid Iraqi oil workers not to burn the oil wells. The agency, he said, also offered them future employment in exchange for their cooperation. CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield declined to comment on Wilson's assertion. http://www.politico.com:80/news/stories/0307/3034.html
6. Law, PR firms help contractors navigate reconstruction inquiries -- National Journal -- From a Capitol Hill hearing room to a California courtroom last month, a disturbing picture came into focus: Billions of taxpayer dollars spent on Iraq reconstruction projects may have been squandered through mismanagement and fraud. At a February 7 hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, executives from some of the biggest companies in the construction, engineering, energy, and security contracting industries -- including Halliburton, KBR, Fluor, and Blackwater -- were pummeled with criticisms and questions about the projects they are running to rebuild Iraq's roads, hospitals, schools, and oil infrastructure. Seated nearby in the hearing room was a small army of lawyers, lobbyists, and public-relations experts from such K Street powerhouses as Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Crowell & Moring, Patton Boggs, Qorvis Communications, and Vinson & Elkins who were hired to help steer the companies through the minefield of the congressional investigative process. http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36312&dcn=todaysnews
7. Iraq's Aviation, Electricity, and Security Summit planned for London -- IRAQ. The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce is issuing invitations to participate at the 7th Rebuilding Iraq Conference and Expo to be held on 28-29 March 2007 in London, UK. This is where it will be possible to meet with prime contractors, funding & contracting agencies, decision makers and successful companies who can help structure deals to help build the New Iraq. http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=8152&t=1&c=34&cg=4&PHPSESSID=9fd0230acceecc61015189c8b7b0d935
8. On-the-Record Briefing by Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Coordinator For Iraq David M. Satterfield on Iraq, 8 March 2007 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00163.htm
9. Iraqi anti-corruption head says graft worse than in Saddam's time - Cairo - Corruption in Iraq is now worse than it was during Saddam Hussein's regime, the Chairman of Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity (CPI), Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, said in an interview published Thursday in the Arabic-language Asharq Alawsat newspaper. http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Iraqi_anticorruption_head_says_graft_worse_0308.html
10. Japan's assistance to Iraq (Fact Sheet) 07 Mar 2007 http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-6Z4EMA?OpenDocument
11. Iraqi Unions Defy Privatization -- On April 9, 2003, U.S. tanks pulled up to Basra’s huge, dilapidated oil refinery. “We were coming out early, at the end of our shift, and there was the American army,” recalls Faraj Arbat, one of the plant’s firemen. The soldiers trained their guns on the oil workers. The head of the fire department made the mistake of questioning the troops, and he was ordered to lie facedown on the ground. “He did as he was ordered,” Arbat recalls. “But then an American put his foot on his back. So we started fighting with the soldiers with our fists. The tank turret started to turn toward us, and at that point we all sat down.” http://progressive.org/?q=mag_bacon1005
12. Byblos Bank plans Iraq expansion from Kurdish North - MARCH 8: Byblos Bank, Lebanon’s third-largest lender, will open a branch in Iraq next month using the safety of the Kurdish north as a platform for expansion into a country that holds 10% of the world’s oil reserves. “Iraq is very important, there is huge potential there,’’ chairman Francois Bassil, 72, said in an interview in his office in Beirut March 6. Byblos will open its branch in Arbil, capital of the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, because it’s more secure than other parts of the country, he said. http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=157131
13. OMV CEO Talks with Iraq, Kurdish Govt on Oil Deals - Austria's OMV AG , central Europe's biggest oil and gas company, said Wednesday that it is in negotiations with the Iraqi government and the country's northern Kurdish Regional Government about signing possible exploration contracts. "We started discussions about two months ago with the central government and the Kurdish authorities," OMV Chief Executive Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. http://www.energia.gr/indexengr.php?newsid=13436&lang=en
14. VP stresses enhanced economic cooperation with Iraq - Tehran, March 7, IRNA - First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi here Tuesday stressed the importance of bolstering his country's economic cooperation with Iraq in order to buttress the Iraqi democratic government and improve the lives of Iraqis. In a meeting with Iraqi Minister of Trade Abd al-Falah al-Sudani, Davoudi said progress and peace for Iraq would be in the interest of all regional countries. http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-18/0703071222185523.htm
15. EPIC and 40 National Groups Call for Surge in Aid to Reduce Suffering, Conflict in Iraq - [March 6] EPIC and 40 nationally-respected organizations sent a letter to Congress today urging lawmakers to address the 2007 U.S. funding gap for Iraq-related relief and development. With input from humanitarian agencies involved with relief efforts in Iraq, the letter was written by the EPIC-initiated Iraq Peace and Development Working Group (IPDWG), a community of NGOs working together to reduce human suffering and conflict in Iraq. The organizations are asking for an additional appropriation of U.S. funding--that represents only a fraction of the president's supplemental request--to assist millions of displaced Iraqis, compensate thousands harmed in the conflict, create new jobs, and support ongoing USAID programs. http://www.epic-usa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2319
16. Ramadi Reconstruction and Economic Development Conference - CAMP RAMADI, Iraq (March 7, 2007) - A cooperation, a presence and a movement by the people - these are the things that have improved conditions in the Anbar providence so Ramadi could begin rebuilding, said Brig. Gen. John Allen, deputy commander Multi-National Forces - West following a reconstruction and economic growth conference March 7 in Ramadi. http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6192788&nav=0qq6
17. GRD Construction Rollup: Project Starts, Completions 5 March 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-3.pdf
18. Traditional mud oven makes a comeback in Iraq -- McClatchy Newspapers -- BAGHDAD, Iraq - In the topsy-turvy world of Iraq, Ali Mohammed Jafar offers solid evidence that the country is slipping backward: His business is booming. Jafar, 26, makes tanoors, Iraq's traditional mud oven, and when he followed his father into the craft, he knew the trade was dying. After all, how many more years would Iraqis continue to bake khubuz, the national bread, in a clay vessel heated by glowing wood coals when steel ovens and propane fuel were so much cleaner and more efficient? http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/16853865.htm
END
8 March 2007
1. Iraq Weekly Status Report 7 March 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/81659.pdf
2. Key Iraq Sunni group warns against oil law -- BAGHDAD, March 8 (UPI) -- The top Sunni clerical group in Iraq has warned parliament not to approve the hydrocarbons law, claiming it will deprive Iraqis from its oil wealth. http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20070308-094255-2063r
3. Misunderstanding Production Sharing Agreements -- Much outrage has been howled and many teeth have been gnashed in the last few days as a new law regarding Iraq's oil and gas reserves has been passed by the fledgling Iraqi government. The law grants Iraq's Federal Oil and Gas Council the power to enter into Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with foreign oil companies. For many of those who opposed the American-led invasion of Iraq in the first place, this serves as evidence that the war was all about placing Iraq's immense oil and gas reserves under the control of American oil companies. http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=030607B
4. Iraq Oil Law Necessary But Not Sufficient -- Oxford Analytica -- Iraq's Council of Ministers has set the end of May as the target for parliamentary approval of the draft hydrocarbons framework law. Endorsement by the cross-factional cabinet means the draft oil law is more likely to receive parliamentary approval. The draft hydrocarbons framework law represents a compromise between the centralizing instincts of Iraq's Arab factions and efforts by the Kurdish parties to retain near-autonomy. The draft law establishes three principles: Centralized Control Of Revenues, Partly Decentralized Development, Foreign Involvement In Upstream. http://www.forbes.com/home/digitalentertainment/2007/03/06/hydrocarbons-oil-iraq-biz-cx_0307oxford.html
5. Iraqis Paid Not to Burn Oil Wells: Wilson -- Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) has told The Politico that before the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, the CIA paid Iraqi oil workers not to burn the oil wells. The agency, he said, also offered them future employment in exchange for their cooperation. CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield declined to comment on Wilson's assertion. http://www.politico.com:80/news/stories/0307/3034.html
6. Law, PR firms help contractors navigate reconstruction inquiries -- National Journal -- From a Capitol Hill hearing room to a California courtroom last month, a disturbing picture came into focus: Billions of taxpayer dollars spent on Iraq reconstruction projects may have been squandered through mismanagement and fraud. At a February 7 hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, executives from some of the biggest companies in the construction, engineering, energy, and security contracting industries -- including Halliburton, KBR, Fluor, and Blackwater -- were pummeled with criticisms and questions about the projects they are running to rebuild Iraq's roads, hospitals, schools, and oil infrastructure. Seated nearby in the hearing room was a small army of lawyers, lobbyists, and public-relations experts from such K Street powerhouses as Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Crowell & Moring, Patton Boggs, Qorvis Communications, and Vinson & Elkins who were hired to help steer the companies through the minefield of the congressional investigative process. http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36312&dcn=todaysnews
7. Iraq's Aviation, Electricity, and Security Summit planned for London -- IRAQ. The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce is issuing invitations to participate at the 7th Rebuilding Iraq Conference and Expo to be held on 28-29 March 2007 in London, UK. This is where it will be possible to meet with prime contractors, funding & contracting agencies, decision makers and successful companies who can help structure deals to help build the New Iraq. http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=8152&t=1&c=34&cg=4&PHPSESSID=9fd0230acceecc61015189c8b7b0d935
8. On-the-Record Briefing by Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Coordinator For Iraq David M. Satterfield on Iraq, 8 March 2007 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00163.htm
9. Iraqi anti-corruption head says graft worse than in Saddam's time - Cairo - Corruption in Iraq is now worse than it was during Saddam Hussein's regime, the Chairman of Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity (CPI), Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, said in an interview published Thursday in the Arabic-language Asharq Alawsat newspaper. http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Iraqi_anticorruption_head_says_graft_worse_0308.html
10. Japan's assistance to Iraq (Fact Sheet) 07 Mar 2007 http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-6Z4EMA?OpenDocument
11. Iraqi Unions Defy Privatization -- On April 9, 2003, U.S. tanks pulled up to Basra’s huge, dilapidated oil refinery. “We were coming out early, at the end of our shift, and there was the American army,” recalls Faraj Arbat, one of the plant’s firemen. The soldiers trained their guns on the oil workers. The head of the fire department made the mistake of questioning the troops, and he was ordered to lie facedown on the ground. “He did as he was ordered,” Arbat recalls. “But then an American put his foot on his back. So we started fighting with the soldiers with our fists. The tank turret started to turn toward us, and at that point we all sat down.” http://progressive.org/?q=mag_bacon1005
12. Byblos Bank plans Iraq expansion from Kurdish North - MARCH 8: Byblos Bank, Lebanon’s third-largest lender, will open a branch in Iraq next month using the safety of the Kurdish north as a platform for expansion into a country that holds 10% of the world’s oil reserves. “Iraq is very important, there is huge potential there,’’ chairman Francois Bassil, 72, said in an interview in his office in Beirut March 6. Byblos will open its branch in Arbil, capital of the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, because it’s more secure than other parts of the country, he said. http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=157131
13. OMV CEO Talks with Iraq, Kurdish Govt on Oil Deals - Austria's OMV AG , central Europe's biggest oil and gas company, said Wednesday that it is in negotiations with the Iraqi government and the country's northern Kurdish Regional Government about signing possible exploration contracts. "We started discussions about two months ago with the central government and the Kurdish authorities," OMV Chief Executive Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. http://www.energia.gr/indexengr.php?newsid=13436&lang=en
14. VP stresses enhanced economic cooperation with Iraq - Tehran, March 7, IRNA - First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi here Tuesday stressed the importance of bolstering his country's economic cooperation with Iraq in order to buttress the Iraqi democratic government and improve the lives of Iraqis. In a meeting with Iraqi Minister of Trade Abd al-Falah al-Sudani, Davoudi said progress and peace for Iraq would be in the interest of all regional countries. http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-18/0703071222185523.htm
15. EPIC and 40 National Groups Call for Surge in Aid to Reduce Suffering, Conflict in Iraq - [March 6] EPIC and 40 nationally-respected organizations sent a letter to Congress today urging lawmakers to address the 2007 U.S. funding gap for Iraq-related relief and development. With input from humanitarian agencies involved with relief efforts in Iraq, the letter was written by the EPIC-initiated Iraq Peace and Development Working Group (IPDWG), a community of NGOs working together to reduce human suffering and conflict in Iraq. The organizations are asking for an additional appropriation of U.S. funding--that represents only a fraction of the president's supplemental request--to assist millions of displaced Iraqis, compensate thousands harmed in the conflict, create new jobs, and support ongoing USAID programs. http://www.epic-usa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2319
16. Ramadi Reconstruction and Economic Development Conference - CAMP RAMADI, Iraq (March 7, 2007) - A cooperation, a presence and a movement by the people - these are the things that have improved conditions in the Anbar providence so Ramadi could begin rebuilding, said Brig. Gen. John Allen, deputy commander Multi-National Forces - West following a reconstruction and economic growth conference March 7 in Ramadi. http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6192788&nav=0qq6
17. GRD Construction Rollup: Project Starts, Completions 5 March 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-05-3.pdf
18. Traditional mud oven makes a comeback in Iraq -- McClatchy Newspapers -- BAGHDAD, Iraq - In the topsy-turvy world of Iraq, Ali Mohammed Jafar offers solid evidence that the country is slipping backward: His business is booming. Jafar, 26, makes tanoors, Iraq's traditional mud oven, and when he followed his father into the craft, he knew the trade was dying. After all, how many more years would Iraqis continue to bake khubuz, the national bread, in a clay vessel heated by glowing wood coals when steel ovens and propane fuel were so much cleaner and more efficient? http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/16853865.htm
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 7 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
7 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 5 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Oil Contract Framework To Be Set By Mar 15 -Document - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraqi officials must first agree the framework of contracts to be used when negotiating with foreign oil companies by March 15 if the country's draft hydrocarbons law is to be submitted to parliament for its approval, according to a cabinet document seen by Dow Jones Newswires. The draft hydrocarbon law, seen as essential to spur development of the country's ageing and conflict-damaged energy industry, was endorsed by the Iraqi cabinet on Feb. 27 and it referred in general terms to the types of contracts that Baghdad and regional governments could sign with foreign companies. http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidDN20070304002610/SecCountries/pagIraq
3. Iraq seeks to reopen Syria pipeline - Azzaman, March 6, 2007 - The Ministry of Oil is keen to diversify export outlets and is considering the possibility of reopening the pipeline via Syria. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahrastani said both countries were “keen to reactivate the pipeline for the transfer of crude oil via Syrian territories.” http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-06\kurd.htm
4. Iraq: Security before Syria pipeline opens -- BAGHDAD, March 6 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil minister said he wants to repair and reopen the pipeline to Syria, but called on Damascus to better monitor their border for insurgents. Though there is no deal yet, Iraq Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said both Baghdad and Damascus are "keen to reactivate the pipeline for the transfer of crude oil via Syrian territories." http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_security_before_syria_pipeline_opens/20070306-031649-7197r/
5. Iraq woos fuel distributors with tax breaks - Reuters - BAGHDAD: Iraq's oil minister on Monday urged private companies to take advantage of a two-year tax break on fuel imports and other government incentives aimed at freeing up the market and relieving shortages. Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani met company representatives in Baghdad to explain the details of a new oil aimed at bringing private companies, both Iraqi and foreign, into oil products distribution. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3983548a6026.html
6. Sunni clerics group attacks Iraq's draft oil law - BAGHDAD, March 6 (Reuters) - An influential Sunni Arab group criticised Iraq's long awaited oil investment law on Tuesday, accusing the United States and Britain of invading the country out of greed for its vast oil wealth. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR649745.htm
7. Iraq Oil Law Details Untouched Fields, Blocks - Document. Iraq's draft hydrocarbon law, the centerpiece in the development of the country's shaky oil industry, details dozens of untouched oil fields loaded with proven reserves and scores of exploration blocks that may prove a magnet to international oil companies, according to a document seen by Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42120
8. Controlling Investment in Iraq -- The Christian Science Monitor -- With considerable fanfare, Iraq's Cabinet last week announced approval of a draft law that would permit foreign investment in the nation's oil industry and provide for distribution of oil revenues among the regions and thus the country's main sectarian blocs. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/03/06/10108956.html
9. Iraq sets provincial oil production quotas -- BAGHDAD, March 5 (UPI) -- The Iraq Oil Ministry will set production quotas for provinces to ensure oil revenue sharing, though the effects of war still hamper the vital oil sector. "Each province will be notified of its weekly quota to guarantee fair sharing," Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani was quoted in a ministry statement. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_sets_provincial_oil_production_quotas/20070305-123053-6314r/
10. China oil officials due in Baghdad for Ahdab talks - Reuters, 5 March 2007 - BAGHDAD - Oil officials from China will arrive in Baghdad on Tuesday for negotiations with Iraqi oil ministry officials over a Saddam-era contract to develop the Ahdab oilfield, an Iraqi official said on Monday. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/March/focusoniraq_March37.xml§ion=focusoniraq
11. A new line for transferring Iraqi oil abroad http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3358
12. Turkey is receiving help in prospecting for oil in northern Iraq - Turkey said on Thursday that foreign companies expressed an interest in working with the Turkish company T.B.A.O for oil prospect, which is owned by the State, in the search for crude oil and natural gas in northern Iraq. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3356
13. Chinese delegation in Iraq for oil search - A Chinese delegation has arrived in Iraq with a mission to resume a US$700 million oil deal signed during Saddam Hussein's time, state media reported. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1518.htm
14. Turkey resumes exports from Silopi to Iraq - An energy crisis between Turkey and Iraq was resolved after the foreign ministers of the two countries met on Monday. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari signed an agreement resuming energy exports from Silopi to northern Iraq. http://www.todayszaman.com:80/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=104595
15. Iraqi Sunni group warns parliament against passing oil and gas law. Text of report by Association of Muslim Scholars website on 6 March [Statement by the Association of Muslim Scholars, AMS: "Statement No 382 Concerning the Oil and Gas Law, Which Was Approved by the Current Council of Ministers and Which Is Intended to Be Passed Through Parliament"] The Association of Muslim Scholars [AMS] has issued Statement No 382, in which it warned of the endorsement of the Oil and Gas Law at parliament, after approving it by the Council of Ministers. The AMS said that the Iraqi people is watching all these scenes and will not allow anyone to trade in its resources. The Iraqi people will not forgive any person who squanders its resources. If those who seek the issuance of this law think that passing it represents their chance to reap gains at the expense of the Iraqi people, they are entertaining illusions and they should recalculate because the occupation will not last long, and, consequently, justice will be restored, sooner or later. Following is the text of the statement: Statement No 382 concerning the Oil and Gas Law, which was approved by the current Council of Ministers and which is intended to be passed through parliament. Praise be to God, and peace and prayer be upon God's messenger, his household, mujahid companions, and followers. The US occupation forces, followed by the British forces, have started to show their greed for the Iraqi oil wealth, after they sought to hide this over the past years. Today, they are in a hurry to endorse the oil and gas bill. In order to pass this bill, they are seeking the help of those they appointed in [charge of] the political process, in deals that sell the rights of generations and that squander the country's elements of strength. Here, we register the following: First, such serious pieces of legislation should not be passed in exceptional circumstances, like ours. The current constitution is an occupation constitution. The drafting of this constitution was confined to the two Kurdish parties and the two known Shi'i parties, and other components [of Iraqi society] were excluded from drafting it. This was done under the direct supervision of the US ambassador. There are many contestations of this constitution. Besides, those who drafted it have promised to introduce amendments to it. They stated this in a special article, and they have not done anything to this effect. Consequently, enacting a law that harms the greater interests of the Iraqi people in such circumstances, as we mentioned, is invalid and it lacks the legitimacy necessary for passing it. Second, this law comes at a time when Iraq is witnessing the worst security and political conditions, and even a large number of [members of] parliament is now threatening to withdraw [from parliament] because of the failure of the political process in all fields. So what is logic of passing such a law in such circumstances? Third, our Iraqi people is called upon today to work, with all its strength and determination, to preserve a gain, for which it sacrificed a great deal in order to liberate it from the grip of monopolistic companies. Cancelling national investment and adopting mechanisms and formulas, which are subject to exploitation and political pressures, mean returning to this monopolistic grip and squandering the rights of generations in an exposed, conspiratorial manner. Fourth, we caution the parliament that it is faced with a historical responsibility and it will have to choose between: siding by the people in preserving its right and the right of its future generations from squandering and exploitation by the pharaohs of the age, and siding by the occupier and its conspiracies to seize this great national wealth. Using the justification of making observations on the law to correct its articles and clauses will not be the best remedy. Nor will this absolve them [MPs] from the religious, national, and legal responsibility because it ultimately falls within the context of approving the original text of the bill, recognizing the policies that are contained in it, and offering concessions at the expense of the sacrifices of our people. This is meant to benefit from this wealth in favour of their country and their sons. Fifth, we caution the political parties - especially those that are active in pushing for this law, and which are known to the sons of our people - that they are moving in the wrong direction. Those parties were not satisfied with helping in the occupation of Iraq, taking into consideration that this has brought disasters on the Iraqi people that reached the extent of killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people and destroying the infrastructure of their country. Nor were they satisfied with seeking to partition it under the name of federation. In fact, they today seek to strike deals with the occupier that would squander the biggest national wealth possessed by the Iraqis. We caution them that the Iraqi people is watching all these scenes and will not allow anyone to trade in its resources. The Iraqi people will not forgive any person who squanders its resources. If they think that passing this law represents their chance to reap gains at the expense of this people, they are entertaining illusions and they should recalculate because the occupation will not last long, and, consequently, justice will be restored, sooner or later. [Signed] The General Secretariat 16 Safar 1428 hegira, corresponding to 6 March 2007 Source: Association of Muslim Scholars website, in Arabic 6 Mar 07
END
7 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 5 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Oil Contract Framework To Be Set By Mar 15 -Document - Dow Jones Newswires - Iraqi officials must first agree the framework of contracts to be used when negotiating with foreign oil companies by March 15 if the country's draft hydrocarbons law is to be submitted to parliament for its approval, according to a cabinet document seen by Dow Jones Newswires. The draft hydrocarbon law, seen as essential to spur development of the country's ageing and conflict-damaged energy industry, was endorsed by the Iraqi cabinet on Feb. 27 and it referred in general terms to the types of contracts that Baghdad and regional governments could sign with foreign companies. http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidDN20070304002610/SecCountries/pagIraq
3. Iraq seeks to reopen Syria pipeline - Azzaman, March 6, 2007 - The Ministry of Oil is keen to diversify export outlets and is considering the possibility of reopening the pipeline via Syria. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahrastani said both countries were “keen to reactivate the pipeline for the transfer of crude oil via Syrian territories.” http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-06\kurd.htm
4. Iraq: Security before Syria pipeline opens -- BAGHDAD, March 6 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil minister said he wants to repair and reopen the pipeline to Syria, but called on Damascus to better monitor their border for insurgents. Though there is no deal yet, Iraq Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani said both Baghdad and Damascus are "keen to reactivate the pipeline for the transfer of crude oil via Syrian territories." http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_security_before_syria_pipeline_opens/20070306-031649-7197r/
5. Iraq woos fuel distributors with tax breaks - Reuters - BAGHDAD: Iraq's oil minister on Monday urged private companies to take advantage of a two-year tax break on fuel imports and other government incentives aimed at freeing up the market and relieving shortages. Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani met company representatives in Baghdad to explain the details of a new oil aimed at bringing private companies, both Iraqi and foreign, into oil products distribution. http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/3983548a6026.html
6. Sunni clerics group attacks Iraq's draft oil law - BAGHDAD, March 6 (Reuters) - An influential Sunni Arab group criticised Iraq's long awaited oil investment law on Tuesday, accusing the United States and Britain of invading the country out of greed for its vast oil wealth. http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR649745.htm
7. Iraq Oil Law Details Untouched Fields, Blocks - Document. Iraq's draft hydrocarbon law, the centerpiece in the development of the country's shaky oil industry, details dozens of untouched oil fields loaded with proven reserves and scores of exploration blocks that may prove a magnet to international oil companies, according to a document seen by Dow Jones Newswires. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=42120
8. Controlling Investment in Iraq -- The Christian Science Monitor -- With considerable fanfare, Iraq's Cabinet last week announced approval of a draft law that would permit foreign investment in the nation's oil industry and provide for distribution of oil revenues among the regions and thus the country's main sectarian blocs. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/03/06/10108956.html
9. Iraq sets provincial oil production quotas -- BAGHDAD, March 5 (UPI) -- The Iraq Oil Ministry will set production quotas for provinces to ensure oil revenue sharing, though the effects of war still hamper the vital oil sector. "Each province will be notified of its weekly quota to guarantee fair sharing," Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani was quoted in a ministry statement. http://www.upi.com/Energy/iraq_sets_provincial_oil_production_quotas/20070305-123053-6314r/
10. China oil officials due in Baghdad for Ahdab talks - Reuters, 5 March 2007 - BAGHDAD - Oil officials from China will arrive in Baghdad on Tuesday for negotiations with Iraqi oil ministry officials over a Saddam-era contract to develop the Ahdab oilfield, an Iraqi official said on Monday. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/focusoniraq/2007/March/focusoniraq_March37.xml§ion=focusoniraq
11. A new line for transferring Iraqi oil abroad http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3358
12. Turkey is receiving help in prospecting for oil in northern Iraq - Turkey said on Thursday that foreign companies expressed an interest in working with the Turkish company T.B.A.O for oil prospect, which is owned by the State, in the search for crude oil and natural gas in northern Iraq. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3356
13. Chinese delegation in Iraq for oil search - A Chinese delegation has arrived in Iraq with a mission to resume a US$700 million oil deal signed during Saddam Hussein's time, state media reported. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/news/new1518.htm
14. Turkey resumes exports from Silopi to Iraq - An energy crisis between Turkey and Iraq was resolved after the foreign ministers of the two countries met on Monday. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari signed an agreement resuming energy exports from Silopi to northern Iraq. http://www.todayszaman.com:80/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=104595
15. Iraqi Sunni group warns parliament against passing oil and gas law. Text of report by Association of Muslim Scholars website on 6 March [Statement by the Association of Muslim Scholars, AMS: "Statement No 382 Concerning the Oil and Gas Law, Which Was Approved by the Current Council of Ministers and Which Is Intended to Be Passed Through Parliament"] The Association of Muslim Scholars [AMS] has issued Statement No 382, in which it warned of the endorsement of the Oil and Gas Law at parliament, after approving it by the Council of Ministers. The AMS said that the Iraqi people is watching all these scenes and will not allow anyone to trade in its resources. The Iraqi people will not forgive any person who squanders its resources. If those who seek the issuance of this law think that passing it represents their chance to reap gains at the expense of the Iraqi people, they are entertaining illusions and they should recalculate because the occupation will not last long, and, consequently, justice will be restored, sooner or later. Following is the text of the statement: Statement No 382 concerning the Oil and Gas Law, which was approved by the current Council of Ministers and which is intended to be passed through parliament. Praise be to God, and peace and prayer be upon God's messenger, his household, mujahid companions, and followers. The US occupation forces, followed by the British forces, have started to show their greed for the Iraqi oil wealth, after they sought to hide this over the past years. Today, they are in a hurry to endorse the oil and gas bill. In order to pass this bill, they are seeking the help of those they appointed in [charge of] the political process, in deals that sell the rights of generations and that squander the country's elements of strength. Here, we register the following: First, such serious pieces of legislation should not be passed in exceptional circumstances, like ours. The current constitution is an occupation constitution. The drafting of this constitution was confined to the two Kurdish parties and the two known Shi'i parties, and other components [of Iraqi society] were excluded from drafting it. This was done under the direct supervision of the US ambassador. There are many contestations of this constitution. Besides, those who drafted it have promised to introduce amendments to it. They stated this in a special article, and they have not done anything to this effect. Consequently, enacting a law that harms the greater interests of the Iraqi people in such circumstances, as we mentioned, is invalid and it lacks the legitimacy necessary for passing it. Second, this law comes at a time when Iraq is witnessing the worst security and political conditions, and even a large number of [members of] parliament is now threatening to withdraw [from parliament] because of the failure of the political process in all fields. So what is logic of passing such a law in such circumstances? Third, our Iraqi people is called upon today to work, with all its strength and determination, to preserve a gain, for which it sacrificed a great deal in order to liberate it from the grip of monopolistic companies. Cancelling national investment and adopting mechanisms and formulas, which are subject to exploitation and political pressures, mean returning to this monopolistic grip and squandering the rights of generations in an exposed, conspiratorial manner. Fourth, we caution the parliament that it is faced with a historical responsibility and it will have to choose between: siding by the people in preserving its right and the right of its future generations from squandering and exploitation by the pharaohs of the age, and siding by the occupier and its conspiracies to seize this great national wealth. Using the justification of making observations on the law to correct its articles and clauses will not be the best remedy. Nor will this absolve them [MPs] from the religious, national, and legal responsibility because it ultimately falls within the context of approving the original text of the bill, recognizing the policies that are contained in it, and offering concessions at the expense of the sacrifices of our people. This is meant to benefit from this wealth in favour of their country and their sons. Fifth, we caution the political parties - especially those that are active in pushing for this law, and which are known to the sons of our people - that they are moving in the wrong direction. Those parties were not satisfied with helping in the occupation of Iraq, taking into consideration that this has brought disasters on the Iraqi people that reached the extent of killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people and destroying the infrastructure of their country. Nor were they satisfied with seeking to partition it under the name of federation. In fact, they today seek to strike deals with the occupier that would squander the biggest national wealth possessed by the Iraqis. We caution them that the Iraqi people is watching all these scenes and will not allow anyone to trade in its resources. The Iraqi people will not forgive any person who squanders its resources. If they think that passing this law represents their chance to reap gains at the expense of this people, they are entertaining illusions and they should recalculate because the occupation will not last long, and, consequently, justice will be restored, sooner or later. [Signed] The General Secretariat 16 Safar 1428 hegira, corresponding to 6 March 2007 Source: Association of Muslim Scholars website, in Arabic 6 Mar 07
END
Iraq Reconstruction News 5 March 2007
Iraq Reconstruction News
5 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 1 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Oil Law Details Untouched Fields - Iraq's draft hydrocarbon law, the centerpiece in the development of the country's shaky oil industry, details dozens of untouched oil fields loaded with proven reserves and scores of exploration blocks that may prove a magnet to international oil companies, according to a document. Development of the long-delayed draft law has suddenly picked up pace in recent weeks, with hopes that it may be approved by lawmakers later this month. It is expected to open the country's 115 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the world's third largest, to foreign investors. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117303961669326351.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
3. Violence prevents Iraq from exporting crude to Jordan - Azzaman, March 4, 2007 - Mounting violence in western Iraq has prevented the country from resuming oil exports to Jordan, Oil Minister Hussein Shahristani said. The minister said Iraq had agreed to resume exports to Jordan at preferential prices but both countries have found it almost impossible to carry out deal. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-04\kurd.htm
4. A Shared Stake in Iraq's Future - Under the national hydrocarbon law approved this week by Iraq's Council of Ministers, oil will serve as a vehicle to unify Iraq and will give all Iraqis a shared stake in their country's future. This is a significant achievement for Iraqis' national reconciliation. It demonstrates that the leaders of Iraq's principal communities can pull together to peacefully resolve difficult issues of national importance. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/02/AR2007030201143.html
5. Why Iraq's new oil law won't last - With considerable fanfare, Iraq's cabinet last week announced approval of a draft law that would permit foreign investment in the nation's oil industry and provide for distribution of oil revenues among the regions and thus the country's main sectarian blocs. Details of the draft are tricky. Revenues from current oil fields are to be shared according to population. Yet no recent census has been taken. The Kurdish region in the north and the provinces can sign new oil contracts, but these must be reviewed by an independent federal committee, not yet appointed. There is concern that foreign oil companies might try to get better terms by playing the provinces against one another. But some oil experts are skeptical of the significance of the measure. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0305/p17s01-cogn.html
6. Iraqi oil law restructures the National Company - Barham Salih, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, said that the new oil law approved by the Cabinet will restructure the Oil Company to become a controlling independent company, and form a federal council to put the national oil policy. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3323
7. Iraqi trade delegation due in Tehran today - Tehran Times Economic Desk - TEHRAN, March 4 (MNA) – An Iraqi trade delegation is to arrive here today to ink a memorandum of understanding (MOU), Janali Halvaii, Iran’s commercial attaché in Baghdad, said Sunday. He expressed hope that bilateral commercial ties will be reinforced during the visit. http://www.tehrantimes.com:80/Description.asp?Da=3/5/2007&Cat=9&Num=028
8. A conference call with General Walsh on reconstruction in Iraq - RedState.com - Yesterday I participated in a blogger conference call with Brigadier General Michael Walsh from Iraq. It was a particularly interesting opportunity since the General is, as the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Gulf Region Division, in charge of reconstruction projects. According to conventional wisdom, the failure of the US to effectively restore the Iraqi infrastructure has been one of the great "mistakes" of the post-war period. Iraqis have seen their quality of life materially diminish after the fall of Saddam, and so have turned against the "occupation" forces. There's no electricity, no water, and oil production has stagnated. Explanations for this state of affairs range from incompetence to neglect to impotence in the face of the volatile security situation. But General Walsh has a different story to tell--and one that does not dovetail quite so neatly with the known truth that Iraq is a failure. Quite the contrary, actually. http://www.redstate.com:80/stories/war/a_conference_call_with_general_walsh_on_reconstruction_in_iraq
9. Iraq economy growing despite conflict - Iraq's economy continues to grow despite continued civil unrest, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. In its report on productivity in the Middle East, the New York-based economic research group said that Iraq's gross domestic product growth rate increased by 7.3 percent in 2005, compared to a 14.2 percent decrease posted in 1995. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3216
10. 18 reconstruction projects costing 270 million dollars - The Strategic Board of Reconstruction associated to the Ministry of Planning approved, in the presence of representatives of the international organizations working in Iraq and representatives of the Iraqi ministries and institutions, 18 projects costing $ 270 million including two projects for the Ministry of Planning. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3243
11. Halliburton sees Iraq contract awards in 2nd qtr - NEW YORK, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. (HAL.N: Quote, Profile , Research), whose KBR unit is the largest private contractor in Iraq, said on Wednesday it expected the U.S. Department of Defense would announce awards for new Iraq contracts in the second quarter, later than the company expected. http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2007-02-28T151104Z_01_N28449122_RTRIDST_0_HALLIBURTON-IRAQ.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna
12. Iran's Kish Free Trade Zone Inks Cooperation Agreement with Iragi Kurdestan http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php?refid=DH-S-28-02-2007&article=15010
13. Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq - Getting civilian and military officials from the U.S. government to work together more effectively in conflict and post-conflict zones has been an enormous challenge in recent years. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States has experimented with entities called "provincial reconstruction teams," (PRTs) which are intended to close the gap between civilian and military efforts as well as to enable civilians to work in insecure areas. This USIPeace Briefing examines the various models of PRTs that have been used and suggests the need for more rigorous ways of evaluating their effectiveness. http://www.usip.org/pubs/usipeace_briefings/2007/0220_prt_iraq.html
14. Egyptian businessmen and the investment in Iraq - Minister of Trade, Dr. Abdul Falah Hassan Assdani, invited all Egyptian businessmen to invest in Iraq either individually or through economical groups, stressing that Iraq would give priority to Arab investors to enter the Iraqi market. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3208
15. Reforming the Iraqi Interior Ministry, Police, and Facilities Protection Service - In December 2006, Iraq’s “Year of the Police” ended with the completion of several milestones. The Multi-National Security Transition Command’s (MNSTC-I) program trained and equipped 135,000 members of the Iraq Police Service. Training and equipment was also provided to the 24,400 members of the Iraq National Police (constabulary) and 28,360 members of the Border Police. Nearly 180 American Police Transition Teams and 39 National Police Transition Teams were embedded with Iraqi forces, while a 100-member Ministry Transition Team was assigned to the Ministry of Interior to improve its operations. http://www.usip.org/pubs/usipeace_briefings/2007/0207_iraqi_interior_ministry.html
16. The Other Face of Iraq. For most people, the images of Iraq are of a country mired in sectarian violence or civil war - a country suffering car bombs, random killing, kidnapping, ethnic cleansing - a country in collective despair. There is validity to these images. However, alongside these tragic daily occurrences Iraq has its other face, a face of life and a degree of normalcy. This other face of Iraq is reflected in a series of pictures published by Halim Salman in his two monthly magazines published in London. The first is al-Tab’a al-Jadida [The New Publication] which, in terms of layout, is close to Life magazine or to the French “Paris Match.” The other monthly, titled al-Hilwa [The Beautiful Woman], is a pictorial magazine for women. Halim has a news website al-Rafidayn (www.alrafidayn.com ) which disseminates up-to-date news from Iraq in Arabic seven days a week. http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=iraq&ID=IA33007
END
5 March 2007
1. Brookings Iraq Index 1 March 2007 http://www.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
2. Iraq Oil Law Details Untouched Fields - Iraq's draft hydrocarbon law, the centerpiece in the development of the country's shaky oil industry, details dozens of untouched oil fields loaded with proven reserves and scores of exploration blocks that may prove a magnet to international oil companies, according to a document. Development of the long-delayed draft law has suddenly picked up pace in recent weeks, with hopes that it may be approved by lawmakers later this month. It is expected to open the country's 115 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the world's third largest, to foreign investors. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117303961669326351.html?mod=special_page_iraq_1
3. Violence prevents Iraq from exporting crude to Jordan - Azzaman, March 4, 2007 - Mounting violence in western Iraq has prevented the country from resuming oil exports to Jordan, Oil Minister Hussein Shahristani said. The minister said Iraq had agreed to resume exports to Jordan at preferential prices but both countries have found it almost impossible to carry out deal. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-04\kurd.htm
4. A Shared Stake in Iraq's Future - Under the national hydrocarbon law approved this week by Iraq's Council of Ministers, oil will serve as a vehicle to unify Iraq and will give all Iraqis a shared stake in their country's future. This is a significant achievement for Iraqis' national reconciliation. It demonstrates that the leaders of Iraq's principal communities can pull together to peacefully resolve difficult issues of national importance. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/02/AR2007030201143.html
5. Why Iraq's new oil law won't last - With considerable fanfare, Iraq's cabinet last week announced approval of a draft law that would permit foreign investment in the nation's oil industry and provide for distribution of oil revenues among the regions and thus the country's main sectarian blocs. Details of the draft are tricky. Revenues from current oil fields are to be shared according to population. Yet no recent census has been taken. The Kurdish region in the north and the provinces can sign new oil contracts, but these must be reviewed by an independent federal committee, not yet appointed. There is concern that foreign oil companies might try to get better terms by playing the provinces against one another. But some oil experts are skeptical of the significance of the measure. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0305/p17s01-cogn.html
6. Iraqi oil law restructures the National Company - Barham Salih, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, said that the new oil law approved by the Cabinet will restructure the Oil Company to become a controlling independent company, and form a federal council to put the national oil policy. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3323
7. Iraqi trade delegation due in Tehran today - Tehran Times Economic Desk - TEHRAN, March 4 (MNA) – An Iraqi trade delegation is to arrive here today to ink a memorandum of understanding (MOU), Janali Halvaii, Iran’s commercial attaché in Baghdad, said Sunday. He expressed hope that bilateral commercial ties will be reinforced during the visit. http://www.tehrantimes.com:80/Description.asp?Da=3/5/2007&Cat=9&Num=028
8. A conference call with General Walsh on reconstruction in Iraq - RedState.com - Yesterday I participated in a blogger conference call with Brigadier General Michael Walsh from Iraq. It was a particularly interesting opportunity since the General is, as the commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Gulf Region Division, in charge of reconstruction projects. According to conventional wisdom, the failure of the US to effectively restore the Iraqi infrastructure has been one of the great "mistakes" of the post-war period. Iraqis have seen their quality of life materially diminish after the fall of Saddam, and so have turned against the "occupation" forces. There's no electricity, no water, and oil production has stagnated. Explanations for this state of affairs range from incompetence to neglect to impotence in the face of the volatile security situation. But General Walsh has a different story to tell--and one that does not dovetail quite so neatly with the known truth that Iraq is a failure. Quite the contrary, actually. http://www.redstate.com:80/stories/war/a_conference_call_with_general_walsh_on_reconstruction_in_iraq
9. Iraq economy growing despite conflict - Iraq's economy continues to grow despite continued civil unrest, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. In its report on productivity in the Middle East, the New York-based economic research group said that Iraq's gross domestic product growth rate increased by 7.3 percent in 2005, compared to a 14.2 percent decrease posted in 1995. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3216
10. 18 reconstruction projects costing 270 million dollars - The Strategic Board of Reconstruction associated to the Ministry of Planning approved, in the presence of representatives of the international organizations working in Iraq and representatives of the Iraqi ministries and institutions, 18 projects costing $ 270 million including two projects for the Ministry of Planning. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3243
11. Halliburton sees Iraq contract awards in 2nd qtr - NEW YORK, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. (HAL.N: Quote, Profile , Research), whose KBR unit is the largest private contractor in Iraq, said on Wednesday it expected the U.S. Department of Defense would announce awards for new Iraq contracts in the second quarter, later than the company expected. http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2007-02-28T151104Z_01_N28449122_RTRIDST_0_HALLIBURTON-IRAQ.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna
12. Iran's Kish Free Trade Zone Inks Cooperation Agreement with Iragi Kurdestan http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php?refid=DH-S-28-02-2007&article=15010
13. Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq - Getting civilian and military officials from the U.S. government to work together more effectively in conflict and post-conflict zones has been an enormous challenge in recent years. In both Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States has experimented with entities called "provincial reconstruction teams," (PRTs) which are intended to close the gap between civilian and military efforts as well as to enable civilians to work in insecure areas. This USIPeace Briefing examines the various models of PRTs that have been used and suggests the need for more rigorous ways of evaluating their effectiveness. http://www.usip.org/pubs/usipeace_briefings/2007/0220_prt_iraq.html
14. Egyptian businessmen and the investment in Iraq - Minister of Trade, Dr. Abdul Falah Hassan Assdani, invited all Egyptian businessmen to invest in Iraq either individually or through economical groups, stressing that Iraq would give priority to Arab investors to enter the Iraqi market. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3208
15. Reforming the Iraqi Interior Ministry, Police, and Facilities Protection Service - In December 2006, Iraq’s “Year of the Police” ended with the completion of several milestones. The Multi-National Security Transition Command’s (MNSTC-I) program trained and equipped 135,000 members of the Iraq Police Service. Training and equipment was also provided to the 24,400 members of the Iraq National Police (constabulary) and 28,360 members of the Border Police. Nearly 180 American Police Transition Teams and 39 National Police Transition Teams were embedded with Iraqi forces, while a 100-member Ministry Transition Team was assigned to the Ministry of Interior to improve its operations. http://www.usip.org/pubs/usipeace_briefings/2007/0207_iraqi_interior_ministry.html
16. The Other Face of Iraq. For most people, the images of Iraq are of a country mired in sectarian violence or civil war - a country suffering car bombs, random killing, kidnapping, ethnic cleansing - a country in collective despair. There is validity to these images. However, alongside these tragic daily occurrences Iraq has its other face, a face of life and a degree of normalcy. This other face of Iraq is reflected in a series of pictures published by Halim Salman in his two monthly magazines published in London. The first is al-Tab’a al-Jadida [The New Publication] which, in terms of layout, is close to Life magazine or to the French “Paris Match.” The other monthly, titled al-Hilwa [The Beautiful Woman], is a pictorial magazine for women. Halim has a news website al-Rafidayn (www.alrafidayn.com ) which disseminates up-to-date news from Iraq in Arabic seven days a week. http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=countries&Area=iraq&ID=IA33007
END
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