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