Wednesday, March 31, 2010

UN Security Council Urges Iraqis to Respect Certified Poll Results ...

April 1, 2010

UN urges Iraqis to respect certified poll results

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council urged Iraq’s political parties Wednesday to respect results of the country’s general elections and called on their leaders to refrain from inflammatory actions.

A non-binding statement issued by Gabon’s UN envoy Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet on behalf of the 15-member council urged the parties “to respect the certified election results and the choices of the Iraqi people.”

Council members also called on Iraq’s political leaders “to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and actions,” according to Issoze-Ngondet, who chairs the council this month.

The members congratulated the Iraqi people and government on the successful March 7 polls and said they looked forward to the certification by the Supreme Court of the results announced last week.

Little progress has been made in forming a coalition government in the more than three weeks since the election, while negotiations between its main blocs have revealed key differences between the parties.

Hopes for rapid results have dimmed as ex-premier Iyad Allawi’s slim lead — his bloc won 91 parliamentary seats, two more than Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s — has failed to give him a commanding negotiating position.

Council members said they took note of the findings of international and independent Iraqi observers “who affirmed their confidence in the overall integrity of the election.”

They also looked forward to the formation of the new government in a spirit of cooperation and respect for national unity.

Last week, UN special representative to Iraq Ad Melkert described the polls as “credible” after the country’s Independent High Electoral Commission said there was no evidence of systematic or widespread fraud in the counting of ballots.

On Tuesday, Allawi complained that Tehran was “interfering” in the political process to try to block his path by holding talks with all of Iraq’s major political groups except his secular Iraqiya bloc.

On Wednesday Iran denied it was meddling in Iraqi politics although Tehran stood ready to help

UN Security Council Backs Poll Results in Iraq ...

Thursday, April 01, 2010

UN backs poll results in Iraq

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council last night called on all political parties to respect Iraq's election results and the choices of the Iraqi people.

The UN's most powerful body also urged the country's political leaders "to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and actions".

As the council issued its statement, political manoeuvering intensified following last Friday's release of election results that gave a coalition led by secular challenger Ayad Allawi, a Shi'ite who drew on deep Sunni support, a two-seat lead over a bloc led by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki.

The prime minister has called for a recount and his bloc has submitted legal complaints.

Al Maliki's strategy suggests he is prepared for a long and bitter fight to hold on to power, even if it alienates the country's Sunni community and risks new sectarian warfare.

Efforts to calm sectarian tensions had begun to bear fruit three years after the US troop surge, but a resurgence of major violence would complicate US plans to withdraw all its forces from Iraq by the end of next year.

The Security Council made clear its support for the results of the March 7 parliamentary vote, congratulating the people and government of Iraq for holding a "successful election".

It welcomed Friday's announcement of the provisional results by the Independent High Electoral Commission, saying it looks forward to certification by the Supreme Court.

Security Council members noted the findings of international and independent Iraqi observers "who affirmed their confidence in the overall integrity of the election".

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=274591

APRIL 1ST - PROGRESS REPORT DUE ON IRAQ

April 1, 2010

APRIL 1ST - PROGRESS REPORT DUE ON IRAQ

~ snip

“3. Requests the Secretary-General to provide written reports to the Council on a quarterly basis, with the first report no later than 1 April 2010, to include details on progress made in strengthening financial and administrative oversight of the current Development Fund for Iraq, as well as the legal issues and options to be considered to implement successor arrangements and an assessment of the Government of Iraq’s progress in preparing for the successor arrangements for the Development Fund;

“4. Calls upon the Government of Iraq to put in place the necessary action plan and timeline by 1 April 2010 and to ensure the timely and effective transition to a post-Development Fund mechanism by 31 December 2010, which takes into account IMF Stand-By Arrangement requirements and includes external auditing arrangements and enables Iraq to meet its obligations as established in the provisions of paragraph 21 of resolution 1483 (2003); *** New Mechanism to Guarantee Protecting Iraqi Money

“5. Requests the Government of Iraq through the head of the Committee of Financial Experts (COFE) to report to the Security Council on a quarterly basis, with the first report no later than 1 April 2010 to provide an action plan and timeline for the transition from the Development Fund and details on the progress made in strengthening financial and administrative oversight of the current Development Fund for Iraq, with subsequent quarterly reports to provide an assessment of progress against the action plan and oversight improvements;

IRAQ - SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR ONE MORE YEAR ...

bumped ~

Note video link at bottom of page

snip ~

"During the remainder of 2009 and in 2010, we will take action to recover the international financial standing of Iraq while at the same time managing oil and gas revenues in order to benefit the people of Iraq"

21 December 2009
Security Council
SC/9827

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York
Security Council

6249th Meeting (AM)

Security Council Extends Until 31 December 2010 Arrangements for Depositing Proceeds from Oil, Gas Sales into Development Fund for Iraq

Adopting Resolution 1905(2009) Unanimously, Council Also Requests

Iraq ’s Government to Transition to Post-Fund Mechanism by End of 2010

The Security Council today extended until 31 December 2010 the arrangements for depositing into the Development Fund for Iraq of proceeds from oil and gas export sales. The mandate of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board intended to monitor the Development Fund was also extended.

The Development Fund for Iraq, as well as its auditing mechanism -- the International Advisory and Monitoring Board -- was referred to by resolution 1483 adopted on 22 May 2003 in the wake of the invasion of Iraq by Coalition Forces, when the Council underlined that the “Development Fund for Iraq shall be used in a transparent manner to meet the humanitarian needs of the Iraqi people, for the economic reconstruction and repair of Iraq’s infrastructure, for the continued disarmament of Iraq, and for the costs of Iraqi civilian administration, and for other purposes benefiting the people of Iraq”. (See Press Release SC/7765)

Unanimously adopting resolution 1905 (2009) and acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council decided that the mechanism of the Development Fund and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board as well as other relevant provisions of resolution 1483 (2003) would be reviewed at the request of Iraq’s Government, or no later than 15 June 2010.

The Council called on the Government of Iraq to ensure the timely and effective transition to a post-Development Fund mechanism by 31 December 2010 and to put in place the necessary action plan and timeline thereto by 1 April next year. The Council further requested the Government, through the head of the Council of Financial Experts (COFE) to report quarterly to the Council on progress made.

The meeting started at 10:43 a.m. and rose at 10:45 a.m.
Resolution

The full text of resolution 1905 (2009) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Noting the letter from the Prime Minister of Iraq to the President of the Security Council, dated 13 December 2009, which is annexed to this resolution,

“Recognizing the positive developments in Iraq and that the situation now existing in Iraq is significantly different from that which existed at the time of the adoption of resolution 661 (1990), recognizing that Iraqi institutions are strengthening, and further recognizing the importance of Iraq achieving international standing equal to that which it held prior to the adoption of resolution 661 (1990),

“Recognizing that the letter from the Prime Minister of Iraq also reaffirms the commitment by the Government to resolve the debts and settle the claims inherited from the previous regime, and to continue to address those debts and claims until they are resolved or settled, and requests the continued assistance of the international community, as the Government of Iraq works to complete this process,

“Recognizing the significant role of the Development Fund for Iraq and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, and the provisions of paragraph 22 of resolution 1483 (2003) in helping the Government of Iraq to ensure that Iraq’s resources are being used transparently and accountably for the benefit of the Iraqi people, and recognizing also the need for Iraq during 2010 to transition to successor arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, to include the Committee of Financial Experts (COFE),

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1. Decides to provide an extension, until 31 December 2010, on the arrangements established in paragraph 20 of resolution 1483 (2003) for the depositing into the Development Fund for Iraq of proceeds from export sales of petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas and the arrangements referred to in paragraph 12 of resolution 1483 (2003) and paragraph 24 of resolution 1546 (2004) for the monitoring of the Development Fund for Iraq by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board and further decides that, subject to the exception provided for in paragraph 27 of resolution 1546 (2004), the provisions of paragraph 22 of resolution 1483 (2003) shall continue to apply until that date, including with respect to funds and financial assets and economic resources described in paragraph 23 of that resolution;

“2. Decides further that the provisions in the above paragraph for the deposit of proceeds into the Development Fund for Iraq and for the role of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board and the provisions of paragraph 22 of resolution 1483 (2003) shall be reviewed at the request of the Government of Iraq or no later than 15 June 2010;

“3. Requests the Secretary-General to provide written reports to the Council on a quarterly basis, with the first report no later than 1 April 2010, to include details on progress made in strengthening financial and administrative oversight of the current Development Fund for Iraq, as well as the legal issues and options to be considered to implement successor arrangements and an assessment of the Government of Iraq’s progress in preparing for the successor arrangements for the Development Fund;

“4. Calls upon the Government of Iraq to put in place the necessary action plan and timeline by 1 April 2010 and to ensure the timely and effective transition to a post-Development Fund mechanism by 31 December 2010, which takes into account IMF Stand-By Arrangement requirements and includes external auditing arrangements and enables Iraq to meet its obligations as established in the provisions of paragraph 21 of resolution 1483 (2003);

“5. Requests the Government of Iraq through the head of the Committee of Financial Experts (COFE) to report to the Security Council on a quarterly basis, with the first report no later than 1 April 2010 to provide an action plan and timeline for the transition from the Development Fund and details on the progress made in strengthening financial and administrative oversight of the current Development Fund for Iraq, with subsequent quarterly reports to provide an assessment of progress against the action plan and oversight improvements;

“6. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

Resolution Annex

Letter dated 13 December 2009 from the Prime Minister of Iraq addressed to the President of the Security Council

I refer to my letter dated 7 December 2008 addressed to the President of the Security Council, in which I made it clear that Iraq is committed to finding a satisfactory solution to the problem of the debts and claims that it inherited from the previous regime. In that letter, I expressed the wish of the Government of Iraq that the temporary assistance provided by the international community should continue, in order to permit that goal to be achieved. I also made it clear that the Government of Iraq recognizes that the Development Fund for Iraq plays an important role in ensuring that oil and gas revenues are employed in the best interests of the Iraqi people, and that the International Advisory and Monitoring Board helps to ensure that those resources are managed in a transparent and responsible fashion.


In 2010, the Government of Iraq will make appropriate arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq and International Advisory and Monitoring Board, with a view to ensuring that oil revenue continues to be used fairly and in the interests of the Iraqi people. Such arrangements will be in keeping with the Constitution and with international best practices with respect to transparency, accountability and integrity.

Here, I should like to affirm that in 2009, the Government of Iraq made great progress in settling the above-mentioned debts and claims, including by concluding agreements on the reduction of sovereign debt and other bilateral agreements concerning certain claims.

During the remainder of 2009 and in 2010, we will take action to recover the international financial standing of Iraq while at the same time managing oil and gas revenues in order to benefit the people of Iraq.

Those goals cannot be achieved without the continued assistance of the international community by means of the adoption of a Security Council resolution whereby the conditions and arrangements provided for in resolution 1859 (2008) are extended.


That resolution concerned the extension of the mandates of the Development Fund for Iraq and the International Advisory and Monitoring Board for a period of 12 months. A review of the new extension should be conducted before 15 June 2010 at the request of the Government of Iraq.

I should be grateful if you would circulate this letter to the members of the Security Council as soon as possible and include it as an annex to the resolution currently being drafted on the extension of the mandates referred to above.

Accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed) Nuri Kamel al-Maliki

Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq

13 December 2009

Video of meeting held 12-21-2009 ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTUSe9_gPsE&feature=player_embedded#


related articles ~

Links ~ Iraq and the UN and Chapter 7

What’s Ahead for the Iraqi Dinar?

31 March 2010

What’s Ahead for the Iraqi Dinar?

It’s generally accepted internationally that the elections in Iraq were, in the main, free and fair, but former prime minister Ayad Allawi’s narrow margin of victory means the results will be challenged.

Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki’s Shiite Muslim State of Law alliance filed a complaint on Tuesday with the Supreme Court, asking for a recount in several areas. When the dust settles, the Sadrist Iraqi National Alliance (INA) could be the kingmaker, having secured a strong third place.

Meanwhile, plans to re-base the Iraqi currency, the dinar, appear to be going ahead, but the exact timing of the change is still to be decided. The new dinar will be worth one thousand times the old one, which will help facilitate trade and foreign exchange, but will be otherwise neutral in terms of valuation.

While the local currency has gained in value in recent years, the planned increase in petroleum production, and the expected boom that this will create in the domestic economy, have led many to speculate that the dinar will continue to strengthen.

The dinar is already becoming more acceptable and credible as a means of exchange; mobile phone operator Asiacell just announced that it will change its tariffs and billing from dollars to dinars. And as AAIB’s Rob Edwards reports, his company will write insurance policies in either currency.

Where do you think the dinar is headed? We’d welcome your opinions in the comments section below.

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/?p=1979

Phoenix 3333 ~ Year 2012 countdown ... are you prepared?

The Phoenix 2012 Blog...What if? @ http://phoenix3333.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

What if?

What if....something major was about to happen here on earth?

Something life changing...something Earth changing?

What if.....all of the talk about 2012 and the pole shift was more than just talk?

What if.....the governments of the world knew that this event was not only very real...but may also happen very soon?

What if?

Well according to my due diligence...this may very well be the truth and not a "what if" but when?

We see the very evidence of this planning by the worlds governments with the "Dooms Day Seed Vault" that was hurriedly constructed in Norway.

And with the strange movements of the United States government to relocate command and control centers to the Denver Colorado which has an elevation of over 5,000 ft.

So we have the Air force command based in Colorado the NSA moving to Colorado and the CIA also.

We also have reports of massive under ground building projects of the US Government and other governments of the world.

All evidence supports that the information you will find in this blog may very well be true.

You will find within this blog the scientific speculation that all of the coastal areas of the world will be destroyed.

That all coastal areas of the United States will be under 200 ft of water and that all areas 500 ft and lower may receive catastrophic damage from massive tidal waves.

All sea ports....gone.

All utilities....gone.

All standard communications....gone.

All deliveries and emergency services...gone.

Think Y2K on steroids.

In this blog you will find video presentations as well as links to preparedness sites and links to assets that will be helpful to you if decide to "heed the call".

I hope you find this information both timely and useful.

Please feel free to share the link to this blog with whom ever you chose and my God be with us.

Phoenix

"He who has eyes to see, let him see, and he who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Proverbs 22:3

"A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it"

U.S. Government Building bunkers:






read more @

Iraq seeks investors to transform Saddam Hussein's villas into gold

Forward Operating Base Danger was a forward operating base operated by United States military forces in Tikrit, Iraq from the time of the occupation of Iraq in 2003 until November 2005 when it was handed over to the government of Iraq. The base was centered on Saddam Hussein's presidential palace complex. The United States Army's 1st Infantry Division and 42nd Infantry Division occupied the base at different times while in use by US forces. On 7 June 2005 Captain Phillip Esposito and 1st Lieutenant Louis Allen from the 42nd were killed at the base in what may have been the second incident of fragging among US forces during the Iraq War.


Thursday, April 01, 2010

Iraq seeks investors to transform Saddam Hussein's villas into gold

TIKRIT, Iraq: Saddam Hussein made his palaces a desert paradise, but now his hometown is seeking foreign investors to turn the late dictator’s playground into a tourist mecca.

Local officials see the 76 abandoned Saddam villas sprawled across hundreds of hectares as a potential gold mine for Tikrit’s cash-strapped Salahuddin Province.

“These villas only need rehabilitation and a few other things to turn the whole area into a wonderful tourism site,” Jewher Hamad al-Fahel, the head of Salahuddin’s investment commission, told Reuters.

Saddam built big at Tikrit, his tribal stronghold about 150 kilometers north of Baghdad. He put up six villas at his birthplace, the village of Al-Awja, and made the Tikrit palace complex his largest.

Boasting artificial lakes and date orchards, the site totals 136 buildings and covers more than 400 hectares, according to the US Army. US troops used it as a base until turning it over to Iraqi authorities in November 2005.

Now many of the sand-colored structures, often domed and turreted and with marbled interiors, sit decaying near the Tigris River. Some show heavy damage from the 2003 invasion that overthrew Saddam.

Salahuddin Governor Mutasher Hussein Allawi said he was eager to smooth the way for foreign investment in the villas since his budget was too small to rebuild decrepit infrastructure quickly.

“Iraq needs huge investment companies, because the devastation that took place after 2003 is something terrible,” he said.

Foreign tourists to Iraq are overwhelmingly Muslim pilgrims visiting holy sites, with a handful drawn to ancient ruins.

The number of religious visitors hit 1.25 million last year, more than doubling since 2007 as violence has eased, according to a Tourism and Antiquities Ministry spokesman.

Iraqis seeking an in-country getaway tend to go to mountain areas in the north.

Tikrit’s would not be the first Saddam mansion to be turned into a resort.

A guesthouse at a palace at Babylon, 100 kilometers south of Baghdad, has become a popular spot for honeymooners.

Central and southern Iraq hold about 160 Saddam mansions, 60 in Baghdad alone. Those in the mainly Kurdish north have yet to be tallied.

On a bustling Tikrit street, resident Abdullah Mohammed said he welcomed foreign investment. “Salahuddin’s security situation is good compared with other provinces, we are upbeat about the future,” he said.

Salahuddin Province’s stance underscores Iraq’s eagerness for outside investment. Deputy Industry Minister Adel Karim told Reuters Iraq could offer production-sharing deals with state companies to draw foreign investors.

Currency ~ Counterfeit Combat: Defense Is in the Details

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Counterfeit Combat: Defense Is in the Details

Your Money: Up Close and Personal

In order to stay ahead of counterfeiting, the United States government redesigns paper money on a fairly regular basis. The latest installment, a new $100 bill, is slated for unveiling on April 21. The last bill to be redesigned was the $5 bill, issued March 13, 2008.

Most notable among recent design changes are the addition of colors to the bills. But there's a lot more to the redesigns than meets the eye. Literally.

Using a super-macro lens, we get up close and personal with the latest U.S. currency designs, showing in full detail some of the features you may not be aware of. And why only the very best counterfeiters in the world can pull off a bill so good that only experts can spot it as a fake.


pictures and more @ http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgetingk/article/109221/counterfeit-combat-defense-is-in-the-details

Chapter 7 ~ Iraq Government Agrees to it's Obligations for Iraq to Emerge from Chapter 7 ...


April 1, 2010

The government agrees to accede to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

Dabbagh: Approval came in the context of the obligations of Iraq to emerge from Chapter VII


بغداد – الصباح BAGHDAD - morning

Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh reasons for approval of the Council of Ministers a draft law on Iraq's accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

وقال الدباغ في بيان صدر عن مكتبه، Dabbagh said in a statement issued by his office,

And received the "morning" a copy of it: "The cabinet decided to approve the draft Law on the accession of the Republic of Iraq to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, adopted by the United Nations and referred to the House of Representatives on the basis of the provisions of Articles (61 / item first, and 80 / item II) of the Constitution .

He added that the approval of the project comes to Iraq's fulfillment of the requirements to act transparently in this area in accordance with decisions of the government Iraq's accession to international conventions relevant to combating terrorism and the physical protection of nuclear materials and implement the recommendations of the committee formed to study the letter of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Iraq to implement UN Security Council resolutions in this regard and lifting of Security Council resolutions related to weapons of mass destruction on Iraq and ousting Iraq from the tutelage of Chapter VII, where the Convention aims to ensure international cooperation in the protection of peaceful and military nuclear power in order to avoid the dangers arising from use or unlawful use of and take the necessary measures to prevent crimes related articles nuclear and facilitate the safe transport them.

He explained that the Ministry of State for National Security Affairs, had already asked the State Consultative Council to show legal advice on accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, the Board has audited the Convention.

And such advice was that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Interior and the State for National Security Affairs supports all acceding to the Convention.

And the Ministry of Science and Technology indicated that the accession to the Convention contributes to the safety and security of nuclear and opens prospects for cooperation with Member States to obtain information and technical expertise as well as methods for secure and protected when you move the material or transit through the countries.

Dabbagh said the agreement was drafted by the representatives of (58) state has been adopted by the United Nations in the third of March 1980 and entered into force on the eighth of February 1987.

The agreement included several articles dealing with the physical protection of nuclear material. And all State Parties to the Convention it must take appropriate steps under its national law and consistent with international law to ensure the maximum extent practicable, during international nuclear transport and to provide protection at the levels set forth in the Convention and have take a decision whether or not to export unless they received assurances that the material will be protected during international nuclear transport.

And that these guarantees be the same for the import is not permissible for any State Party to allow the passage of its territory by land or in waterways or through airports or ports to States not party to this Convention were not the State Party has received assurances that these materials will be protected during international nuclear transport.

He added that the States Parties to the Convention to take appropriate decisions in accordance with their national laws to protect the confidentiality of any information obtained under the provisions of this Convention and to take necessary measures as it deems necessary to establish jurisdiction in the cases were committed by the offense in the territory of that State or on board ship or aircraft registered in that State when the alleged offender are nationals of that State or is located on its territory.

Dabbagh called the States parties to show maximum assistance in relation to criminal proceedings brought in respect of offenses relating to nuclear materials, including the provision of evidence in its possession.

They also have to take appropriate steps to inform the other States that are involved in the theft or unlawful taking of nuclear material or credible threat thereof.

The States Parties shall cooperate and consult with each other in order to obtain guidance on the design, maintenance and improvement of systems of physical protection of nuclear material in international transport.

alsabah

Talabani: our relationship with Allawi is stronger than the differences ..Al-Maliki calls for the Government of national partnership ...

April 1, 2010

Talabani: our relationship with Allawi is stronger than the differences ..
Al-Maliki calls for the Government of national partnership

The state of law emphasizes that next week will witness the Declaration of integration with the national and urges the latter to open up

بغداد- الصباح BAGHDAD - morning

It seems that the features of alliances between the winning lists will appear gradually over the coming days, which will hopefully see the authentication on the results of legislative elections.

As politicians intensified talks aimed to search for common ground before the expected announcement of alliances that will pave for the formation of the new government, coalition government of the partnership service, as emphasized by the political leaders.

While considered the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani Prime Minister Iyad Allawi Iraqi List file form alliances as a prelude to forming a government of national partnership, Maliki held important talks with the leader of the Iraqi National Coalition, Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, at the time discussed the issue of al-Hakim heads the Supreme Council with the Virtue Party Islamic political developments.

لقاء طالباني وعلاوي To meet Talabani, Allawi

In this context, he visited President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National List in his residence in Baghdad yesterday, where he was welcomed by Dr. Allawi and other members of the list.

During the meeting, according to a presidential statement received "morning," a copy of it, discuss the latest developments in the political arena and what is taking place from the talks and consultations between the blocks of winning the elections, a prelude to the establishment of the necessary alliances to form the next government.

In a press statement following the meeting, President Jalal Talabani pointed to guidelines that have been discussed, saying that "we visited our dear friend and his companion long path of struggle, Dr. Iyad Allawi and exchanged views on the status and on the necessity of the Government of genuine partnership in the country."

The President of the Republic "the importance of cooperation and dialogue among all the blocks of winning the elections and the exchange of accusations and purification of the atmosphere and sit together to reach a common outcome," stressing said: "Our relationship with Allawi, higher and stronger and stronger than the differences."

Maliki confirms a rapprochement with the political blocs

In the meantime, the coalition of Prime Minister Prime Nuri al-Maliki, the rule of law: the dialogues and discussions the political blocs to form the next government being in Iraq, not outside.

Maliki said in a press conference held by a coalition of law yesterday: "The coalition of the rule of law is now being dialogues and discussions by a dedicated team with some of the political blocs, including the National Alliance and the Kurdistan Alliance and the Accordance Front and independent figures winner in the elections," he said, adding that "the development of fonts on this or the other will negatively impact on the political process, so it must be that there will be discussions and talks with all parties to accelerate efforts to form the next government, but should not affect the speed in forming the government on the type of entities of which we are with the government and can not affect the speed in the national interest " .

Maliki reiterated that "the next government should be a government of national partnership and composed by everyone, even all Iraqis feel they are represented in the government so that we can pick ourselves up," Hu said, stressing that government positions are not confined to a specific destination as long as all segments of the Iraqi people participating in this government, and so it must be government positions belongs to everyone.

Prior to that, Maliki has discussed with the President of the reform movement, Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari yesterday, on the course of political and electoral process and the future and alliances in the coming stage and the possibility of forming a government as soon as possible.

And the transfer of the Office of the President of the stream of national reform in a statement issued Saturday evening for al-Maliki stressed that "those who faced the dictatorship, and bore the burden of history and insisted that the build of the Iraqi state on a constitutional basis so they have come together to find a solid to form the next government as soon as possible," referring to "identity of views to move forward in the performance of this entitlement and that the coalitions will continue to march together.

The statement also quoted Jaafari as saying: "The results came within the expected nature of the participants that coalitions between the national and state law and this sense of common coalitions of senior figures and we go beyond the sense of the issue of operational contexts and modes of operation."

He stressed "the need for openness and breadth of other entities to form the next government on the basis of partnership of others," and expressed hope that "there is a government expanded vocabulary for each vocabulary Iraqi politics through the investigation of the competencies and capabilities available in a bid to rebuild Iraq properly and benefit from the mistakes of past experience. "

The meeting dealt with during the meeting to the election results and the man the count of appeals and objections made by most of the political components that participated in the elections to the competent court to consider and decide, as confirmed by both Maliki and Jaafari During the meeting, they "will continue their quest to use every means legal and judicial to investigate these challenges and to ensure that the process would be the correct because it creates a stage for a future that should go together to demand that the judicial authorities in investigating this issue. "

الحكيم يدعو للانفتاح Hakim calls for openness

Also a coalition, the President of the Supreme Council, Mr. Ammar al-Hakim with a delegation from the Virtue Party developments in the political landscape and the requirements of the post-announcement of election results.

A source at the Supreme Council said in a press statement: "The wise discussed with the delegation, which included the Secretary General of the Virtue Party Hashem al-Hashemi and Deputy Hassan Shammari the importance of strengthening relations within the components of the national coalition," saying "it was stressed during the meeting the need for openness to the political blocs winners including This includes establishment of alliances that rely on forming a government of national partnership to be able to provide better services to citizens "

Hakim has had stressed the importance of working to find and strengthen the common denominators with the various national parties as a statement of the Supreme Islamic Council.

The statement noted that "the doctor said while chairing a meeting of the Shura of the Supreme Council on Tuesday evening on the importance of continuing to work within the frameworks of the constants that he believes the Supreme Council and building relationships and sustaining these foundations," pointing out "the necessity of field work in order to mobilize the masses to maintain the democratic process ongoing in the new Iraq in order to block the way of all attempts that desire to undermine the new experience as well as the importance of developing the security forces and enable them to protect the country against the sort of different agendas aimed at the democratic experiment. "

The meeting discussed the alliance's parliamentary and invite the Iraqi National Coalition to sit the masses winning a round table to mature views on the form the next government and the program should work and doctrine and to emphasize the importance of basing the next phase on the principle of national participation as a principle, which guarantees the participation of all Iraqi factions in decision-making and prevents the feeling of any of the parties Awalthmic exclusion.

محادثات بين عبد المهدي والهاشمي Talks between the Mahdi and Hashimi

In terms of meetings, research Vice President Dr. Adel Abdel Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashemi political developments.

The statement quoted Hashemi as saying during a meeting with Abdul-Mahdi said: "The dialogue began with the National Coalition before the election," emphasizing that "good will continue to form the future government."

During the meeting discussing the affairs of coalitions and alliances and the importance of openness everybody against each others to form the next government.

And the visit of a delegation from Hashemi's office to the religious authority Ali al-Sistani said the vice president that "the visit had been successful they are part of a series of visits continued to Najaf to meet with the various authorities to inform them of our point of view in a number of issues of concern to public opinion at the present time and will continue to these visits in the future. "

The positions of the winning blocs

And within the atmosphere of parliamentary blocs and their positions on the current moves to form new alliances, said Maysoon Damluji spokesman for the Iraqi "The coming days will witness intensified dialogue with by the Iraqi political blocs to form a government."

Damluji drew in a press statement that "Iraq will be negotiating to form a government, especially after the return of some leaders of political blocs that were present in the outside."

For his part, member of the Iraqi Radwan Kalidar that his coalition "stands by Iyad Allawi's nomination to head the next government."

He Kalidar "The formation of the government will take a long time, and the reason for the delay is due to the nature of alliances and negotiations in this regard", noting that "Allawi's nomination to head the government, if achieved, the choice of ministers will be in accordance with principles of efficiency, citizenship, and everyone on the list was agreed that the next government You must be a functioning government and ministers from the owners of efficiency and integrity.

According to sources in the Iraqi List, "the delegation from the list will be a regional tour in a number of neighboring countries to discuss the developments in the political situation and the movements of the existing Iraqi government is formed a national partnership called by all the blocs that participated in the parliamentary elections, indicating that" the next government, which seeks the Iraqi formation will take it upon themselves to build balanced relations with neighboring countries based on the basis of good neighborliness and non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual respect for sovereignty and strengthen Iraq's relations with its Arab, Islamic and international. "

In the meantime, said the leadership of the coalition of state law, Haider al-Abadi said next week will announce a list of the Iraqi National Coalition, in a single parliamentary bloc holds nominate a prime minister.

Abbadi said in a press statement: "The prime minister the right to block major, a parliamentary bloc, formed a coalition of state law and the Iraqi National Coalition, and this is unsettled either the presidency of the Republic, there is a candidate from the Kurds, and we respect this nomination and appreciate," he "It will be agreed during the negotiation of the two posts together and during the next week will be announced the formation of the major parliamentary bloc."

It is said that the Federal Court has interpreted the biggest bloc as a cluster consisting of a list of one or two lists at the time of first session of the new Council of Representatives, according to a statement released on 25 of the current month (the day before one of the final results were announced by the Electoral Commission for elections) .

For his part, said coalition member of the state of law Keywords existence of "positive signs and good state of law in talks with the Iraqi National Coalition to form a broad coalition."

He Keywords: "The idea of forming a broad is what is being talked about now, and there is a committee formed of coalitions to discuss the mechanics of forming this coalition," noting that "the talks were moving well and there is great potential to form an alliance between the coalitions and the formation of the parliamentary bloc to form the next government."

On the other hand, Finance Minister and leader of the National Coalition Bayan Jabr said "The next phase will build a modern state based national service and working to overcome the problems of the previous stage through the promotion of services and resolve the housing problem, unemployment and events that intersect with the building of Iraqi society afternoon.

Zubaidi said during his meeting yesterday with the Ambassador of the Republic of Algik to Iraq, Bronislava Tomashova conveyed congratulations to the successful elections, said that "the next term will see the mobility politically mature between blocks of winning the election, will be reflected positively in the formation of the government and parliament, praising the" EU support for its active role in his presence, the Iraqi elections which reflected the special place acquired by Iraq after the fall of the former regime and return to the international community in documenting its economic relations and trade and political relations with countries of the world. "

For his part, stressed Nassar Rubaie, leader of the Liberal block (a component of the National Coalition) that "the close election results had to blocks to form a government after the national partnership that was mostly including the National Coalition calls for a majority national government."

Rubaie said that the "political blocs is trying to reach an agreement on a government program, there should be a guideline for the selection of positions sovereign of the three," stressing the need for "differentiation between the Government of National Partnership and the Government of quotas, because we want a strong government and strong opposition as well."

He continued: "The next stage requires consensus is simple, does not hold a political process that created corruption and caused Scott blocks on spoilers in agreement," noting that "there are several characters will be the positions of sovereign and must have the candidate by year, and can not get the point for two Syadjien must take into account the diverse composition of Iraq. "

The center of the photo's office announced that the province of Kurdistan, "Kurdistan Regional Government then ally themselves with parliamentary blocs to form the next government in accordance with agreements strategy, and abide by the constitution."

And move the location of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Fouad Hussein, chairman of Presidium of the Kurdistan region as saying that "the Government of the province in line with other lists to form the next government on the basis of agreements Strategy that the conditions for the regional government to participate in the next government is abiding by the Constitution to resolve all outstanding issues between Baghdad and the region."

He added, "must be established and a clear and shared during the consultations with the Iraqi and menus without this program will not work and negotiate with the menus of Iraq."

For his part, called Arslan Baez, Vice President of the Kurdistan parliament to unite and positions before the winning Kurdish groups in Baghdad.

He said Baez in a press statement after meeting with heads of parliamentary committees in the Parliament of Kurdistan: "The electoral process was successful by all standards, with some notes here and there, but that the process of the elections took place in a calm and successful," stressing on the necessity of unity and the situation in Baghdad.

To the Islamic Party, announced that he had not allied with any list so far and what is going on with several lists only the dialogues, the most prominent of dialogues held with the Iraqi List.

The Islamic Party said in a statement issued yesterday, "The compatibility list is still studying the scene after the elections, and the foundations of their position or alliance with any list will depend on two fundamental principles: sovereignty and unity of Iraq and the security and prosperity of the citizen, who bled over the years it was time to reap what he has sown ".

alsabah

Iraq declares self-sufficiency cultivating vegetables during next 5 years ...

April 1, 2010

Prevent the import of seven varieties of vegetables

بغداد ـ مصطفى مجيد Baghdad Mustafa Majid

Proceed with the Ministry of Agriculture as of today to prevent the introduction of seven varieties of vegetables imported into the country, and praised the experience of greenhouses in the cultivated locally iddah basis for the success the country's bid to declare the self-sufficiency of vegetables during the next five years.



Said Undersecretary Dr. Subhi Jum
aili the "morning", said the ministry had issued a decree that asked the Directorate of border points of the Ministry of the Interior, preventing the introduction of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, onions, beans, the trees, and okra to the country, through the border gates official, as of today, the first of April until further notice, adding that the move was to be just a slide of farmers and protect their products and crops of the process of flooding local markets with agricultural products, competition and lower prices, which has caused much damage to the agricultural economy of the country, peasants and farmers alike over the past six years.

For his part, Undersecretary Technical Dr. Mahdi Qaisi the "morning": that the development project growing vegetables protected adopted by the ministry beginning in 2007, shares changing the thinking of the peasants towards the covered ones, to contribute to its increased receipts at low prices, due to the support given to them in various magazines through the initiative launched by the government, agricultural, which have an active role in the reactivation of the agricultural sector through specialized funds lent.

alsabah

BP ~ Oil drilling contracts awarded in Rumaila worth 500 million dollars

April 1, 2010

Oil drilling contracts awarded in Rumaila worth 500 million dollars

بغداد – الصباح BAGHDAD - morning

Granted, the Oil Ministry in conjunction with BP. My major oil company and its partner, China National Petroleum drilling contracts worth about 500 million dollars in Rumaila giant.

The Director of the Office of Licensing at the Ministry of Oil Abdul Mahdi al-Amidi, quoted by Reuters news agency: The Ministry has awarded contracts to drill 49 new wells, each worth about ten million dollars.

Amidi said: I got all of China's Daqing and a joint venture between Schlumberger and the Iraqi Drilling Company governmental contracts for the drilling of 21 wells, while Weatherford International, got a contract to drill seven new wells.

He pointed out that there were essentially contracts for the drilling of 56 wells on the table, but it is however, "we left the wells remaining seven for a later time after reviewing the performance of the contractors." Reserves are estimated Rumaila about 17 billion barrels and produces around half of the total production of Iraq's 2.5 million barrels per day.

And reserves of this field alone, the largest reserves in OPEC member Algeria. It is expected that more than me. BP and its Chinese partner, have signed a contract to develop it for 20 years, the field to produce 2.85 million barrels per day.

The political leaders meet in preparation for alliances to form a government

Thursday, April 01, نيسان 2010

The political leaders meet in preparation for alliances to form a government

بغداد – الصبا BAGHDAD - morning

Last few hours witnessed a number of meetings between political leaders in an effort to unify the positions and the search for common denominators to form alliances pave the way for form the new government.

Observers believe that the features of alliances between the winning lists will appear gradually over the coming days, which will hopefully see the authentication on the results of legislative elections.

Meetings the leaders stressed the importance of forming a coalition government based on the basis of national partnership so that it can improve services provided to citizens in various fields, and take it upon themselves to assume responsibility during the next four years.

Has discussed with President Jalal Talabani Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi List, a formation of alliances to come.

President of the Republic stressed the "importance of cooperation and dialogue among all the blocks of winning the elections and the exchange of accusations and purification of the atmosphere and sit together to reach a common outcome," he said: "Our relationship with Allawi, higher and stronger and stronger than the differences."

Maliki has held important talks with the leader of the Iraqi National Coalition, Dr. Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

He also called on Maliki to form a Government of national partnership, noting that "the development of fonts on this side or that would adversely affect the political process."

In the meantime, discussed Mr. Ammar al-Hakim heads the Supreme Council of the Islamic Virtue Party with the political developments and future requirements.

In terms of meetings, too, discussed Vice President Dr. Adel Abdel Mahdi and Tariq al-Hashemi political developments.

The statement quoted Hashemi as saying during a meeting with Abdul-Mahdi said: "The dialogue began with the National Coalition before the election," emphasizing that "good will continue to form the future government.

The center of this picture, announced the Electoral Commission for elections, 75 political entities Btonha formally submitted, noting that "the results of these appeals will appear within ten days."

US dollar share of Q4 global FX reserves rises - IMF

March 31, 2010

US dollar share of Q4 global FX reserves rises - IMF

The IMF data, which covers about two-thirds of the world's foreign exchange reserves, showed the dollar's share of the roughly $4.6 trillion allocated reserves rose to $2.8 trillion.

The greenback in the third quarter of 2009 had a share of 61.5 percent. In the second quarter of 2001, the dollar share was 73 percent.

Marc Chandler, global head of FX strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman in New York, said the dollar's share of global reserves is likely to increase in the first quarter as well, given the euro's decline of almost 5.7 percent against the greenback during the period and a 6.3 percent fall in sterling.

"The dollar's share is going to rise further because investors are getting away from the euro. Your central bankers usually begin the year with half of its reserves in dollars and half of it in euros," said Chandler.

"Over the course of the year, the dollar goes up in value so your euros are going to be worth less than 50 percent. Once you go through the math, it's clear that the dollar's appreciation is going to lower the value of the non-dollar reserves."

The IMF estimates that at the end of 2009, global reserves stood at $8.1 trillion, up from $7.9 trillion in the previous quarter.

Of the allocated reserves, the euro's share slipped to 27.4 percent from the third quarter's 27.8 percent share. The euro had accounted for about 18.1 percent of allocated reserves at the end of the first quarter of 1999 when it was first launched.

The yen's share slipped to 3.0 percent from 3.2 percent in the previous period while sterling's share was steady at 3.2 percent.

Meanwhile, unallocated reserves, in which China accounts for the bulk, rose to $3.5 trillion in the fourth quarter from $3.4 trillion previously.

While China is said to be diversifying away from U.S. assets, the country reportedly holds 65 percent to 75 percent of its reserves in U.S. dollars.

Emerging market holdings increased to $5.4 trillion from $5.2 trillion in the third quarter.

The IMF data provides only limited insight into shifts in the composition of central bank holdings because it doesn't show one-third of the world's reserves.


AP

Iraq oil law a priority - PM hopeful Allawi

March 31, 2010

Interview - Iraq oil law a priority - PM hopeful Allawi

BAGHDAD - Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on Wednesday he would honour deals signed with global oil majors in recent months and would move quickly to pass a new hydrocarbons law if his bloc forms the government.

But Allawi, whose cross-sectarian Iraqiya coalition won the greatest number of seats in Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election, said the deals might need some minor adjustments and he wanted to see more competition in Iraq's energy sector.

"We are going to honour all contracts. We are going to honour all agreements because we believe this is very important," Allawi told Reuters in an interview.

Iraq awarded billions of dollars of contracts to oil majors to refurbish its dilapidated oil fields after years of neglect and war. Baghdad's goal is to expand production capacity to 12 million barrels per day (bpd) in about six years from about 2.5 mln bpd now.

The contracts could catapult Iraq into the top ranks of global producers. The war-shattered nation has the world's third-largest reserves but is just the 11th largest producer.

Companies involved in the deals include U.S. major Exxon Mobil Corp; Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe's largest oil company; Russia's Lukoil; and China National Petroleum Corp.

Allawi lamented Iraq's lack of an oil and gas law to govern the sector and said he would move quickly to put one before parliament.

"It will definitely be a priority," Allawi said. "It won't take us long."

"STRONG RESERVATIONS"

Allawi, who led a transitional government in 2004-05, said he had "strong reservations" about the way the government headed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki handled the contracts.

"But the agreements have been signed. We have to respect them and we have to honour them, maybe with little adjustments here and there," Allawi said.

Asked what kind of adjustments, he said he had concerns about whether the contracts were handled "with full integrity" on the Iraqi side. He also wanted to see the sector opened up to more competition.

Allawi said he would like a hydrocarbons council of experts similar to one he instituted as prime minister to oversee the sector rather than just the oil minister.

"We want to have, ultimately, the ministry as a regulator rather than an operator and the operations should be handled by the private sector and the investors," Allawi said.

"There is a lot of scope for other companies to come into Iraq. We need heavy investment."

AT LOGGERHEADS

He blamed Iraq's central government for disagreements that have hampered the development of the oil industry, including one between Baghdad and the semi-autonomous northern Kurdistan region.

The Kurdish government and Baghdad have been at loggerheads for months over oil deals Iraqi Kurdistan signed independently with foreign oil firms, which the central government says was illegal.

Oil exports were halted as the Kurdish regional government and Baghdad fought over revenue and production-sharing. The region's natural resources minister said a week ago that it was ready to start exporting oil as soon as a new central government was formed.

"There were squabbles between the central government and the regional government in Kurdistan and we lost a lot of time because of these problems and it was initiated by the central government here," Allawi said.

"We need to bring this to a halt. We need to get this (oil and gas law) very fast through the parliament."

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/1/worldupdates/2010-03-31T230530Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-473620-1&sec=Worldupdates

Iraq Boosts Energy Links with Turkey ...

March 31, 2010

Iraq boosts energy links with Turkey

BAGHDAD, March 31 (UPI) -- Baghdad and Ankara reinforced energy links with a new agreement that will keep Iraqi oil pumping from the northern Kirkuk oil fields to Turkey's Ceyhan terminal on the Mediterranean.

Meantime, Turkey's state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corp. is negotiating to drill in the rich Rumaila oil field in southern Iraq as part of Baghdad's drive to upgrade and expand its long-neglected oil industry.

The Turkish concern reportedly is prepared to drill 45 wells in Rumaila's southern sector that could triple the field's output to 2.8 million barrels per day. A deal could be signed by the fall.

All this enhances Turkey's strategic ambition of becoming the key energy hub for Middle Eastern and Central Asian oil and gas moving westward to an energy-hungry Europe.

Negotiations for renewing the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline agreement, which expires at the end of March, began in 2009 and were sealed this month by Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister Ahamd al-Shamma and Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.

The 625-mile pipeline, with two trunks, has a combined capacity of 1.6 million barrels a day. But it has been operating at around one-third of that because of disruption to Iraq's oil output following the U.S. invasion of March 2003.

Iraq plans to boost its output of around 2.3 million barrels a day to 10 million-12 million within six years as its fields are upgraded by foreign oil companies under 20-year production licenses awarded in 2009.

Kirkuk accounts for about one-third of Iraq's output. The oil ministry says Kirkuk exported 12.7 million barrels via Ceyhan in February, compared to 45.2 million from the southern fields that are shipped via the Gulf.

"Expansion of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline fits in with recently announced Turkish strategic plans to turn Ceyhan into a fully integrated oil hub over the next five years," Asia Times Online, which monitors regional energy affairs, said.

Turkey is already the western terminal for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline from Azerbaijan's Caspian Basin via Georgia.

Earlier this year, Iraq was moving toward exporting between 5 billion and 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year to Turkey, gas that would be funneled into the Nabucco pipeline project.

That is intended to carry natural gas 2,000 miles from the Caspian Sea basin through Turkey to Austria to feed Europe and break Russia's stranglehold of its gas supplies.

Turkey is reported to have signed up Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish enclave to provide 8 billion cubic meters a year of gas for transit.

But this, and Baghdad's commitment to boost the Kirkuk-Ceyhan throughput, may prove to be something of a gamble.

Iraq's Kurds want to establish a separate state in their enclave in the northeast bordering Turkey and Iran. There is a major dispute over the future of the Kirkuk fields.

The Kurds, who want them to be the economic backbone of their state, insist that Kirkuk is historically part of the Kurdish provinces that existed under the Ottoman Empire until its demise after World War I.

Baghdad doesn't want to relinquish the energy-rich region that from the 1970s was heavily colonized by Arabs as part of Saddam Hussein's campaign to crush rebellious Kurds.

With Iraq in ferment following a dead-heat parliamentary election and the prospect of wide-scale sectarian violence erupting once again, the country's stability appears to be in doubt -- and with it all commitments regarding oil and gas supplies.

Still, in January, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs signed a memorandum for a strategic energy partnership with Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani in Baghdad.

EU energy experts believe that Iraq could provide between 5 billion and 10 billion cubic meters per year, including the gas from Kurdistan.

In July 2009, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced in Ankara to prospective Nabucco users that his country could provide up to 15 billion cubic meters a year by 2015. That's half the pipeline's planned capacity.

That commitment too could be in danger if Maliki fails to cobble together a coalition to trump his main rival, former premier Iyad Allawi.

Allawi: the priority of the new oil law

31 March, 2010

Allawi: the priority of the new oil law

The head of the Iraqi List, Iyad Allawi Wednesday that he will respect the deals signed with major international oil companies in recent months and will move quickly to pass a new law on oil and gas if formed a mass of government.

He said Allawi, who won the majority of Iraq's "multi-ethnic, led by the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections in the seventh of last March that the deals might require some minor amendments and said he wanted to see more competition in the energy sector in Iraq.


.alfayhaa.tv/

April 1st ~ The first of April pricing scratch cards for all mobile phone companies Bdinaraeraki instead of the dollar ...

31 March, 2010

The first of April pricing scratch cards for all mobile phone companies Bdinaraeraki instead of the dollar

Said Communications and Media Authority said in a statement Wednesday that mobile phone companies operating in Iraq (Asia Cell, Zain Iraq, Cork) will be priced scratch cards (Rtat) PAL Iraqi dinar instead of the dollar as of tomorrow, the first of April.

The statement noted that the appeals will be calculated in seconds instead of minutes and that companies will pre-announced conversion process in all media, audio-visual and print media in order to prepare participants to do so.

He said through these ads will determine the value of the new recharge cards and the cost of telephone calls by those companies.

Congress rule of law hold their first meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Nouri al-Maliki

March 31, 2010

Congress rule of law hold their first meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Nouri al-Maliki

House of Representatives convened the new parliament, who will enter the list of the rule of law have a meeting chaired by Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister and Chairman of the list.

This is their first meeting after the announcement of election results, which showed the state of law by the protest, describing it as subject to manipulation and fraud, and refused to recognize it unless the votes be recounted manually.

The meeting was described as deliberate on the future of the political process, is likely to issue a formal statement after the voting this evening.

www.wasatonline.com

Humanitarian crisis in Iraq ends - UNICEF

March 31, 2010

Humanitarian crisis in Iraq ends - UNICEF

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:


The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday that the humanitarian crisis in Iraq has ended.

“Although the crisis has ended, there are still some weak points,” the UNICEF said in a report posted online.

It said that investments in Iraq should move from dealing with minor cases toward embracing more permanent solutions.

MH (P)/SR

April 10th ~ 100 international firms to attend Karbala investment conference

The holy Shiite province of Karbala lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad

March 31, 2010

100 international firms to attend Karbala investment conference

KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq:

Preparations have been made for an investment conference in Karbala, where nearly 100 international companies are expected to participate.

“The Chamber of Commerce has completed all preparations needed for the success of the investment conference, which will be held in Karbala on April 10 under the auspices of the local government,” the head of the Chamber of Commerce in the province, Nabeel al-Anbari, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Nearly 100 international companies willing to invest in Iraq will attend the conference, he added.

During the conference, a number of protocols and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) will be signed with traders from different countries in an attempt to encourage trade activities in Iraq.

The holy Shiite province of Karbala lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

SS (P)/SR

Trade Ministry, Vietnam discuss trade relations

March 31, 2010

Trade Ministry, Vietnam discuss trade relations

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq:


Meetings have taken place between the Iraqi Ministry of Trade and its Vietnamese counterpart to discuss the development of relations and the settlement of unresolved issues.

“A Trade Ministry delegation, led by Abdulhadi al-Humairi, held a series of talks with an under-secretary in the Vietnamese Trade Ministry with the aim of boosting trade relations between the two countries,” according to a ministry statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
The talks have also discussed the work of the Iraqi-Vietnamese company, the statement pointed out.

The delegation met several times with representatives of the Vietnamese Venafood Company in an attempt to resolve pending issues with the state-run Company for Seeds Trade.

SS (P)/SR

____________

Monday, March 01, 2010

Vietnam has won a contract to ship 90,000 tonnes of five-percent broken rice to Iraq, announced by the Northern Food Corporation on March 1.

The Corporation, which was assigned by the PM as the main body for rice exports to Iraq, has negotiated and taken part in bidding for the contract.

With its prestige in business, the Corp. and the Vietnam-Iraq Rice Processing Joint Venture won contract for 60,000 tonnes of rice in October 2009, and is preparing for delivery now.

The last bidding finished on February 28 and Vietnam continued to become a winner with large amounts of rice bid. Between March and May 2010, Vietnam will export 150,000 tonnes of good-quality rice to Iraq.

Previously, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Finance to buy 50,000 more tonnes of rice from farmers for national reserves in 2010.


On February 25, the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) guided its 30 members to buy up 1 million tonnes of rice for reserves to stabilise prices in the winter-spring season in the Mekong River Delta.

Source QDND

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Hidden Tax on Annuities and The Coming Obama Retirement Trap Has Started!

Must read ~ The Coming Obama Retirement Trap Has Started!


Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A Hidden Tax on Annuities Lurks in the Health Care Reform Law

The Obama administration is trying to encourage people to buy annuities to ensure that they don't outlive their savings. But a little-noticed provision of the new health care reform law will slap a 3.8% tax on payouts from annuities purchased by high-income earners outside their workplace. And, not surprisingly, the life insurance industry isn't happy about that.

Life insurers, which have sold approximately 15 million so-called "nonqualified" policies containing some $710 billion in assets, hope to get this particular provision of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 repealed. The health care reconciliation bill made amendments that House wanted for the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 23.

"This is a countermand to all that this administration has been doing since they took office in encouraging saving for retirement and using annuities as guaranteed lifetime income," says Catherine Weatherford, president and chief executive officer of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), a Washington, D.C., trade association that represents the annuity industry.

A Plea Fell on Deaf Ears

To help pay for the $940 billion health care reform measure, the administration and congressional Democrats included a 3.8% Medicare payroll tax on single people who earn more than $200,000 a year and couples earning over $250,000 a year. Starting in 2013, the tax will be applied to annuity distributions, interest, dividends, capital gains, rents and royalties. While there are no estimates of how much the annuity portion of the tax may raise, all of the investment taxes are expected to contribute $210 billion over the next 10 years to Treasury's coffers.

"We've got a retirement spike coming," Weatherford says. "Saving for retirement using this vehicle will give them that paycheck for life."

The IRI along with the American Council of Life Insurers, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the National Association for Fixed Annuities co-signed a March 24 letter that urged the Senate in vain to leave the annuity provision out of the bill. As defined-benefit pensions continue to vanish from the workplace, "Individual annuities are an important tool used by millions of Americans to accumulate retirement savings and to secure lifetime retirement income," the letter said, noting that 78 million working Americans lack access to a workplace retirement plan.

The 3.8% Medicare tax on income received from individual annuities "would serve as a disincentive to save in a product that uniquely allows an individual to accumulate retirement savings and to guarantee that savings can never be outlived," the letter said, and it concluded: "In today's savings-poor environment, policy-makers need to create incentives for retirement planning."

An Inconsistent Strategy

Insurers also point out that the Obama administration has taken steps to try to promote annuities in other areas. The administration's Middle Class Task Force report issued in January included a call for "promoting the availability of annuities and other forms of guaranteed lifetime income, which transform savings into guaranteed future income, reducing the risks that retirees will outlive their savings or that . . . retirees' living standards will be eroded by investment losses or inflation."

The Labor and Treasury Departments have issued a request for information to look at possible impediments to the use of annuities and other types of lifetime guaranteed income in employer-sponsored plans and Individual Retirement Accounts. In his fiscal 2011 budget, President Obama also included a provision that would make it easier for holders of nonqualified annuities to take partial payouts without having to exchange their annuity contracts.

"The inclusion of annuities in the [Medicare] tax flies in the face of what we're trying to achieve here on lifetime security," comments Alane Dent, vice president of federal affairs for the American Council of Life Insurers.

Maintaining "Favorable Tax Treatment"

The administration disagrees that the tax will discourage people from choosing annuities. In a March 23 letter to the IRI, Michael Mundaca, acting assistant Treasury secretary for tax policy, said the tax is "not a proposal that is designed to or should discourage individuals from saving through purchasing annuities." The tax "does nothing to alter the favorable tax treatment of annuities inherent in deferring taxation of annuity earnings until annuity payments are made and then treating a portion of each payment as a return of the previously taxed funds used to purchase the annuity," he wrote.

Mundaca also noted that the tax applies only when an annuitant's income exceeds the $200,000 or $250,000 annual threshold.

But nonqualified annuities aren't typically sold to low-income people, say Diane Boyle, director of federal government relations for the National Association of Insurance Financial Advisors. Such plans usually aren't suitable for lower-income earners, who may not have the funds to purchase annuities, she says. Moreover, the income threshold "isn't that high for areas like Washington, New York and [Philadelphia]," where two-earner middle-income couples easily make that much, she adds.

"The financing of health care reform should not be paid for on the backs of individuals who are planning their retirement," Boyle says. Even if it affects only high-income people, "It does have a chilling effect any time you begin taxing lifetime income," the IRI's Weatherford says.

Coming Back for More?

Complicating the tax is that while it's fashioned as a tax primarily on annuity payouts from nonqualified plans, income from employer-sponsored plans such as 401(k)s will also be hit. While annuity income on qualified plans above the threshold amounts won't be subject to the 3.8% tax, all annuity income, including income from qualified plans, is considered in calculating income to meet the tax threshold, Dent of the American Council of Life Insurers explains.

And the insurance industry fears that this won't be the last time it's eyed for new tax proposals. "We're concerned this is a Congress that is looking for ways to finance different initiatives and programs," Boyle says. "They're looking at all areas of the tax code to find revenue. It's concerning that they're finding it in investments and programs that are designed to assist people with their long-term financing for retirement."

Weatherford pledges to try to get the tax repealed: "We think this is so important, we are going to continue to work with this administration and Congress to see if we can look toward repeal of this provision."

http://newresearchfindingstwo.blogspot.com/2010/03/hidden-tax-on-annuities-lurks-in-health.html

The Coming Obama Retirement Trap Has Started!

Obama to Announce Offshore Oil, Gas Drilling Proposals Today


March 31, 2010

Obama to Announce Offshore Oil, Gas Drilling Proposals Today

U.S. President Barack Obama will today announce proposals to allow oil and natural-gas drilling off U.S. coastlines in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico when he delivers a speech on energy security.

Obama will propose allowing exploration off the coast of Virginia and, if a Congressional moratorium is lifted, in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida, according to an administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Obama is providing his most detailed comments to date on coastal drilling, a topic that has long divided lawmakers and now threatens to derail efforts to reach a compromise on climate-change legislation. Democratic senators such as Bill Nelson of Florida have said they won’t support a bill providing for unlimited exploration, while U.S. oil companies press to increase domestic exploration.

“Our member companies are very interested in access and want to see areas opened up,” said Randall Luthi, president of the National Ocean Industries Association. The Washington-based trade group represents companies in the offshore energy industry, such as Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil Corp.

A federal ban on drilling off the East and West Coasts and in parts of Alaska expired in 2008. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a Republican, supports offshore drilling off his state and this month signed legislation on how to distribute royalty revenue from energy production.

Under Obama’s proposal the Department of the Interior will allow drilling 50 miles off the coast of Virginia and open up the rest of the outer continental shelf in the south- and mid- Atlantic to oil exploration, the official said.

In Alaska, Obama is proposing the cancel of leasing in Bristol Bay, and cancel sales in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas pending further scientific research, the official said.

Obama, Sarkozy want sanctions on Iran in weeks

March 31, 2010

G8 urges strong steps, China believed warming to sanctions, Obama, Sarkozy want sanctions on Iran in weeks

United States President Barack Obama said early Wednesday he would like to see new U.N. sanctions placed on Iran in a matter of weeks as he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy presented a united front on Tehran's nuclear program, as the world's leading industrial nations expressed optimism that China will agree on possible next steps.

Obama and Sarkozy, at a joint White House news conference, made clear they felt it was time to move ahead with tougher sanctions that their governments have been negotiating with China, Russia, Germany and Britain.

"My hope is that we are going to get this done this spring," Obama said. "I'm interested in seeing that regime in place in weeks."

China, reluctant for months, is believed to be slowly falling in line in backing the idea of new sanctions.

Sarkozy said "the time has come to take decisions" on Iran and that with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, "we will make all necessary efforts to make sure that Europe as a whole engages in the sanctions regime."

The United States and its allies believe Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, a charge Tehran denies.

Obama said the long-term consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran are unacceptable and that Tehran had so far rejected diplomatic entreaties.

"The door remains open if the Iranians choose to walk through it," he said.

The latest U.S.-drafted sanctions proposal would expand a U.N. blacklist to include members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and firms controlled by it.

In Gatineau, foreign ministers from the Group of Eight nations urged the international community to take "appropriate and strong steps" to show its resolve over the nuclear program. They left the door open to diplomatic dialogue.

Western powers have wrestled for months over whether to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran, even as evidence has mounted raising doubts about whether Tehran is telling the truth when it says its nuclear program is only to produce peaceful atomic energy.

Particularly damning was a report in February from the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, that said Iran may be working to develop a nuclear-armed missile.

China's support is critical given that it has the power to veto any new sanctions resolution from the U.N. Security Council.

In Beijing on Tuesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said his government opposed Iran acquiring nuclear weapons but stopped short of backing new sanctions.

"At present, we hope that all sides will make substantive efforts and demonstrate flexibility over the Iran nuclear issue," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying sanctions were a part of diplomacy, said Iran had repeatedly shown an unwillingness to fulfill its international obligations over the last 15 months.

"That's the basis on which I express my optimism that we're going to have a consensus reached in the Security Council," she told a news conference after the meeting in Gatineau, Quebec, just outside Ottawa, ended.

Obama, however, injected a note of caution, saying that many countries believed their commercial interests with Iran are more important than long-term geopolitical interests.

"Now, do we have unanimity in the international community? Not yet. And that's something that we have to work on," he said.

In their final communique, the G8 ministers said they wanted Iran to comply with demands from the Security Council and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"Ministers agreed to remain open to dialogue and also reaffirmed the need to take appropriate and strong steps to demonstrate international resolve to uphold the international nuclear nonproliferation regime," the communique said.

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/03/31/104530.html