Iraq Reconstruction News 29 January 2007

Iraq Reconstruction News
29 January 2007


1. Donors, UN map plan to rebuild Iraq. Foreign donors and the United Nations are close to agreeing on steps Iraq must take to secure funds for rebuilding the country, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt said at the weekend. Iraq had expected billions of dollars in foreign funds after a US-led invasion toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 2003. But relentless bombings and kidnappings have kept foreign companies away.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/donors-un-map-plan-to-rebuild-iraq/2007/01/28/1169919210667.html

2. Iraqis fail to reach deal on draft oil law. BAGHDAD: Iraqi officials say a hotly debated proposed oil law will not favour Americans but acknowledge that foreign companies will be allowed to take their profits out of the country - an incentive to draw foreign investment. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=168594&Sn=BUSI&IssueID=29315

3. IWPR Iraqi Press Monitor. http://www.iwpr.net/?apc_state=henmicrc-1-1169769600-2-1169856000-3-icr&o=c-1-1169769600-2-1169856000-3-icr&o1=month-1,year-2007&month=1&year=2007 and http://www.iwpr.net/?apc_state=henmicrc-1-1169769600-2-1169856000-3-icr&o=c-1-1170028800-2-1170115200-3-icr&o1=month-1,year-2007&month=1&year=2007

4. Turkey's Ilisu Dam Will Cut Flow of Tigris. Iraq Worried about Turkish Dam. The Ilisu Dam will, when it's finished, provide hydroelectric power in south-eastern Turkey. Iraq, though, is worried it may also cut flows of the vital Tigris River. Officials in Iraq are angered by Turkish plans to construct a gigantic dam on the river Tigris in southeast Turkey, near the Iraqi border. The so-called Ilisu Dam's 300 square kilometer reservoir would be a significant source of hydroelectric power, and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at an opening ceremony on Aug. 5 that it "will bring big gains to the local people." But in Iraq, health officials are concerned that these gains will come at the expense of their own people. http://www.arabenvironment.net/archive/2006/10/112054.html

5. Talks over the Euphrates River water quotas. A source in the Syrian Ministry of Irrigation said on Monday that the Joint Syrian-Turkish Water Committee will resume its work in Damascus soon to discuss water issues between the two sides, to reach an agreement on better investment of the river Euphrates for the benefit of Syria, Turkey and Iraq. http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3020

6. IMF managing director urges Iraqi authorities to move toward tighter monetary policy. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/IMF+managing+director+urges+Iraqi+authorities+to+move+toward+tighter+monetary+policy__1112422.html?PHPSESSID=2fc3eb23caaceb5bd1b194c20ca822bd

7. Iraq Information, Communication, Technology and Education Summit, Feb. 27-28 2007. On Jan. 24 the Iraq Development Program (IDP) confirmed that Iraqi Minister of Science and Technology Raed Fahmi will be attending the (ICTE) Feb. 27 to 28 in Sharjah, UAE. http://www.iraqdevelopmentprogram.org/idp/istc/index.htm Other ICTE guests are Minister of Communications Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Abed Theyab. http://www.portaliraq.com/news/Iraq+Information,+Communication,+Technology+and+Education+Summit,+Feb.+27-28__1112426.html

8. Funding Directorates Instead of Ministries. http://thegroundtruth.blogspot.com/2007/01/funding-directorates-not-natl.html

9. Iraqis Receive 80% of Reconstruction Dollars. In today's Senate Foreign Relations hearing on Iraq reconstruction, David Satterfield, senior advisor to the secretary of state and coordinator for Iraq, stated that Iraqi firms are currently receiving approximately 80% of the contracts for the reconstruction in Iraq. http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/996

10. Trade fair of Iraqi products, 25-28 April 2007. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-01-25\kurd1.htm

11. Iraq Birds Thriving Anew. Discovery News. The Garden of Eden is making a comeback in Iraq — at least for local birds. While the war rages on elsewhere, a fertile expanse of what was once a wetland the size of Lake Ontario is coming back to life. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/01/25/iraqbird_ani.html?category=animals&guid=20070125113030&dcitc=w19-502-ak-0000

12. Hello, Mr. Chips: Vendors feeding demand in Iraq. USA TODAY. BAGHDAD — It's a sight on Baghdad sidewalks as common as cigarette or kebab vendors: Rows of clear plastic bags, some the size of small duffle bags, bulging with golden potato chips. Dates are the country's biggest food export and pistachios are a better-known local commodity. But Iraqi-made potato chips — deep fried, thin and greasy — are considered more than a snack: They're a delicacy. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-01-25-life-in-iraq_x.htm

13. Iraqi Insurgents Target Water and Electricity, But Spare the Cell Phone. Throughout Iraq, insurgents have attacked water and electricity plants to spread chaos and disrupt progress, but they have allowed the communications sector to rebuild -- primarily because they rely on mobile phones to plan their attacks. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june07/infrastructure_1-29.html

14. N. Iraq key to oil deals, says Baghdad. The Iraqi National Oil Company (SOMO) has sent statements to Turkish companies exporting oil products to neighboring Iraq, suggesting that they contact officials in northern Iraq if they want to continue to do business with the Iraqi company. http://www.kurdishinfo.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5824

15. Turkey rejects Iraqi oil marketing firm's advice to trade with Iraqi Kurds. Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia. BBC Monitoring.ANKARA (A.A) -28.01.2007 -Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) sent a notice to Turkish companies which transport oil products to Iraq as 'if you want to continue to work, from now on you shall contact officials in northern states'. Upon question of A.A correspondent, Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen confirmed the incident, and reacted as, "those who want to test Turkey will pay the price." SOMO did not accept the demands (for a new contract) of Turkish companies after their contracts ended, and then sent a notice to these companies which says 'if you want to continue to transport oil to Iraq via Turkey, you shall contact related authorities in northern states.' Speaking to A.A correspondent, Tuzmen confirmed the notice and said, "we saw that such strange notices were sent to our companies. We have learned that some of companies were warned verbally similarly. Officials in Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretariat asked for information from SOMO. However, we have not received a response yet. Officials of SOMO do not answer the phones." Stressing that this new attitude of SOMO cannot be acceptable, Tuzmen said, "if somebody is trying to test Turkey, its price will be paid. Turkey recognizes an Iraq which has a territorial integrity and which is not fragmented. Thus, in our oil shipment, our interlocutor is Iraqi central government and SOMO." In line with a circular of Prime Ministry, Turkey's interlocutor in oil trade with Iraq is only Iraqi central government and SOMO. On the other hand, Tuzmen sent a letter to Iraqi Petroleum Minister and conveyed his reactions about the notice of SOMO. Source: Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0914 gmt 28 Jan 07

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