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Iraq: House approves the draft of the first amendment CPA order No. 87 to facilitate projects

Baghdad (newsletter). House of representatives voted to ratify the draft law of the first amendment Coalition Provisional Authority order No. 87.

Reporter (News Agency): the House of representatives voted on the draft law of the first amendment Coalition order No. 87 in terms of abolition and replacement by a competent court.

The first amendment l t o th e Bills t ؤق t pain ugh No. 87 for 2004 includes the abolition of the Administrative Tribunal of the organization under authority order bills OT ؤق pain ugh its now defunct No. 87 for 2004 and any reference to them in this order and the laws and regulations in force, and the ordinary courts hear disputes that were handled by the Administrative Tribunal established by the command

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Editorial: Kuwait put the ball in our court, It is up to Iraq to come out of CH VII

Not to say that the new Iraq and the Division have recklessly and rhetoric and Bill heading the former regime (of Saddam) wanton invasion of its neighbor Kuwait, well known far and wide that the shock of the war and the mini-crisis provoked the former regime left traces and serious implications for the Iraqi people in various walks of life and precise details

And no doubt terrifying consequences today and they are paying for subsequent generations and perhaps the worst and most dangerous decisions injustice and harm against Iraq is the so-called Chapter VII and that national effort is now out of the reach of this chapter and the final liberation from the constraints of sanctions and restrictions imposed on Iraq.

Truth be told that Iraq could over the past two decades to implement all the commitments imposed on it, leaving only a few things especially with understanding (Iraqi-Kuwaiti) and determination of common binary to resolve all the outstanding problems, whether those relating to Chapter VII or other … To liberate Iraq from the chapter the dreaded would open the gates of the future in front of him and allow him to breathe the air naturally and regain its role as an active member of the United Nations.

The visiting Kuwaiti Prime Minister Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-for Iraq and meeting Iraqi officials led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has given a strong boost by the Kuwaiti Permanent Representative at the United Nations,The Security Council would consider Iraq output theme from Chapter VII on 27 June and predicted that current passes resolution unimpeded while the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee confirmed that Iraq official approval by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to remove Iraq from Chapter VII for a convergence of views between Iraq and Kuwait as Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Undersecretary (Khaled Al-Jarallah) confirms that a note intended to be adopted soon between Iraq and Kuwait to develop fields North and then directly in the extraction of oil in the light of the present note, indicating that the end of the month will automatically exit from Iraq under Chapter VII.

The amount remaining on Iraq and 11 billion dollars, and that Baghdad was required to pay once and for sure about this situation the ball is in the Court of Iraq.

Important Iraq fulfilled its obligations, in particular concerning resolution 833 remained non-fair international resolution for Iraq is waiting for impatiently.

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Holding Off The Holocaust in Iraq

Iraqis are frustrated with their inability to end the centuries old violence between Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs and Kurds (who are mainly Sunnis, but that doesn’t matter). Until 1918, when Turkish rules ended, the Sunni minority was supreme because the Turks were Sunni. Any Shia or Kurdish resistance was quickly and brutally suppressed. When the British took over from the Turks after 1918 they used the existing Sunni Arab dominated bureaucracy to run things. The current government, dominated by Shia politicians, is accused of trying to establish a Shia dictatorship that would be no better than the Sunni dictatorship established in the 1950s when Sunni soldiers murdered the royal family and shut down the parliament of the constitutional monarchy that had existed from 1932-58. The constitutional monarchy was an imperfect democracy, but in hindsight it was better than the decades of Sunni Arab corruption and violence that followed. The British established monarchies in Jordan as well, and that worked out despite the fractious minorities there. But in Iraq the Sunni radicals were not satisfied with compromise and that has led to decades of violence. There is no end in sight, even though the current Shia government, and the Shia majority it represents, is capable to destroying the Sunni Arab minority in Iraq. That is where this is headed, and neighboring Sunni nations (especially Saudi Arabia) are not (as the Iraqi Sunnis hope) going to invade to prevent the destruction of the Sunni Arab minority. Some Sunni Arab politicians recognize this danger, but they have not got enough support among the Sunni Arab population to turn off the Sunni Arab terrorism (which is the only thing that will stop the coming backlash.)

One bright spot in Iraq is the economy, which continues to grow despite the Sunni terrorism and Shia corruption (which diverts much of the money into private bank accounts). This is all driven by growing oil production, which is the source of 95 percent of the government budget (and a growing number of family fortunes among the Shia bureaucracy). Oil production is currently at 3.5 million barrels a day and headed for 4.5 million next year. A year ago Iraqi production passed three million barrels of oil a day. This was notable because it was more than neighboring Iran was producing and more than the Saddam Hussein had ever achieved for over two decades of trying. Iraqi oil production had been stuck at 2.5 million barrels a day since the 1980s (production had peaked in the late 1970s at four million barrels a day and then declined because of the Iran-Iraq war and general mismanagement). Iraq has 9 percent of the world’s oil reserves, but decades of war and mismanagement had prevented necessary maintenance and construction in the oil fields. For the last few years the oil regions have been safe for foreign oil production companies to bring in their experts, and cash, in to get the job done, so Iraqi production has been steadily increasing. The goal is ten million barrels a day by the end of the decade. The Kurds plan to start exporting 80,000 barrels a day largely with the help of Turkish investors. The remaining problem is how to deal with the corruption that has diverted so much oil income into the pockets of thieving politicians and government officials. In Iraq, corruption is like the weather; everyone talks about it but not enough people do anything about it.

The head of ISI (Islamic State in Iraq) has defied orders from the supreme leader of al Qaeda (bin Laden successor Ayman al Zawahiri) to stop poaching members from the Syrian Jabhat al Nusra (JN). Earlier this month Zawahiri declared the April merger of the new (since January) Syrian JN with the decade old ISI as unacceptable and ordered the two groups to remain separate. The reason for this was that the merger was announced by ISI without the prior agreement of the JN leadership. The merger formed a third group; Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) That was the problem, as many JN members then left their JN faction to join nearby ones being formed by ISIL Most JN leaders saw this as a power grab by ISI and most of the JN men who left to join ISIL were non-Syrians. Many of these men had worked with ISI before and thought they were joining a more powerful group. But ISIL was apparently just an attempt by ISI (which is having a real hard time in Iraq) to grab some glory, recruits, cash and power by poaching JN members. JN appealed to Zawahiri for help and got it. But as has often happened in the past, orders from al Qaeda supreme headquarters are being ignored. That’s not the first time al Qaeda has been called on to slap down misbehaving Iraqi Islamic terror groups and won’t be the last. In the past al Qaeda leadership escalated and quietly ordered the assassination of the rebellious Iraqi al Qaeda leaders. In any event the Iraqi branch (ISI) is now technically at war with the Syrian branch (JN). This will not end well for al Qaeda which, in the grand scheme of things, is not an entirely bad outcome.

In northern Iraq the autonomous Kurds are demanding more autonomy (but short of declaring themselves a separate state, which would enrage Turkey) and turning into a dictatorship run by the Barzani family. The Iraqi Kurds had long been divided into warring clans, the two largest of them led by the Barzani and Talibani families. Since the 1990s the Barzanis have emerged as the most powerful clan and they are behaving more like a dictatorship (corruption, suppression of dissent and rigged elections). Popular anger against this among Kurds is increasing. Despite that, Kurds living outside the autonomous area continue to move back to the Kurdish region. Even the Iraqi Army, which was rebuilt after 2003 with a core of experienced, loyal and reliable Kurdish troops is losing many of its Kurds. It’s mainly a matter of not wanting to get caught up in the war between Shia and Sunni Arabs.

The Sunni Arab terrorists are now launching their attacks in waves, with multiple (sometimes a dozen or more) carried out the same day and often in the same (usually Shia) part of the country. This makes sense as it is cheaper to bribe or intimidate security personnel and move suicide bombers and their bomb equipped cars and trucks all at once.

Some Syrian border crossings remain under Syrian government control. These crossings are manned by troops who are cut off in a largely Sunni Arab controlled eastern Syria. These border posts take fire from Sunni rebels on the Syrian side and Iraqi Sunni terrorists on the Iraqi side. The Shia dominated Iraqi government supports the current Syrian (Assad clan) government mainly because the Assads have been paid allies of Iran since the 1980s. The Assads lead a Shia minority in Syria. The Iraqi government helps supply the few remaining Syrian government forces in eastern Syria and also allows convoys of Iranian military aid to pass through Iraq and into Syria. The Syrian rebels thus accuse the Iraqi government of supporting an “Iranian invasion of Syria,” a catchphrase that enflames Sunnis throughout the region. At the same time, attacks on Shia shrines in Syria and Iraq has led to thousands of Iraqi Shia volunteering to fight for the Assad government of Syria. These Iraqi volunteers fly to Damascus where they are allowed to join pro-government militias. Meanwhile a growing number of Syrian Sunni refugees in Iraq (where over 125,000 ended up in the last year as Sunni rebels fought to take control of most of eastern Syria) are returning home. Eastern Syria was always mostly Sunni and that helped drive out Shia controlled government forces.

June 1, 2013: The government announced shutting down an al Qaeda cell that was trying to produce nerve gas and mustard gas at two improvised labs in Baghdad. Five al Qaeda members were arrested thus aborting the plan to use the poison gas against Shia pilgrims in Iraq.

The UN estimated that about a thousand people were killed by terrorist violence in Iraq last month. This is the highest monthly total since the height of the Sunni terrorist activity in 2006-7 (when up to 3,000 a month were killed). Back then the Sunnis were defeated when Shia death squads began to go after Sunni civilians the same way the Sunnis had been killing Shia women and children. That is starting to happen again, despite government attempts to prevent it. The government feels that they may not be able to stop the Shia death squads this time around if they start killing like they did in 2007.

Strategy Page

Assyrian International News Agency

Allawi: Iraq heading towards civil war

6-18-13 Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Head of the Iraqiya Slate, Ayad Allawi, stressed “The situation in Iraq is heading towards civil war following the violence spate.”

Allawi mentioned in his (Twitter) page “The situation in Iraq indicates its drifting towards civil war,” pointing out “Iraq is losing 1500 martyrs every month except the injured and the persons with disabilities.”

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

SHABIBI STATED THAT THE IRAQ DINAR WOULD BE THE STRONGEST

Tuesday, 18 June, 2013 | Poppy3

6-17-2013 Intel/Newshound Guru Poppy3 AS I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES WHEN DR SHABIBI WAS GOVERNOR OF CBI HE STATED THAT THE IRAQ DINAR WOULD BE THE STRONGEST AND BEST VALUED IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND MANY ECONOMIST ALSO SAID IT WOULD BE WITHIN A DIME OF THE KUWAIT DINAR IN EXCHANGE VALUE. THIS ADDS TO SPECULATION OF THE RATE POSSIBILITIES FOR ALL OF US.

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

51 Killed in Iraq As Islamic Tensions Rise

Baghdad (AP) — A blistering string of apparently coordinated bombings and a shooting across Iraq killed at least 51 people and wounded dozens Sunday in a wave of violence that is raising the prospect of a return to widespread sectarian killing.

Violence has spiked sharply in Iraq in recent months, with the death toll rising to levels not seen since 2008. Almost 2,000 have been killed since the start of April, including more than 180 this month.

The surge in bloodshed accompanies rising sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis within Iraq and growing concerns that its unrest is being fanned by the Syrian civil war raging next door.

One of the deadliest attacks came in the evening when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a cafe packed with young people in a largely Shiite neighborhood of Baghdad. Eleven people died, according to police.

Most of Sunday’s car bombs hit Shiite-majority areas. The blasts struck half a dozen towns in the south and center of the country.

Clothes shop owner Saif Hameed, 24, was watching TV at home when he heard the blast nearby. He saw several of the wounded being loaded into ambulances.

“It seems the terrorists are targeting any place they can, no matter what it is,” he said. “The main things for them are to kill as many Iraqis as they can and keep the people living in fear.”

There was no claim of responsibility, but the attacks bore the hallmark of al Qaeda in Iraq, which uses car bombs and suicide bombers against security forces and members of Iraq’s Shiite majority.

The U.S. Embassy condemned the attacks, saying it stands with Iraqis “who seek to live in peace and who reject cowardly acts of terrorism such as this.” The United States withdrew its last combat troops from Iraq in December 2011.

The attacks came a day after the leader of al Qaeda’s Iraq arm, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, defiantly rejected an order from the terror network’s central command to stop claiming control over the organization’s Syrian affiliate, according to a message purportedly from him.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s comments reveal his group’s desire to link its fight against the Shiite-led government in Baghdad with the cause of rebels trying to topple the Iran-backed Syrian government.

Assyrian International News Agency

Iraq will be out of Chapter VII in the next couple of days

millionday] Confirmed to the parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, Iraq’s access to formal approval by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to remove Iraq from Chapter VII and to the convergence of views between Iraq and Kuwait.

This comes at a time when promised the new picture of the evolution of the Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations are the typical image that it should be a level to enhance Arab relations portal joint Arab cooperation in all fields. Committee member MP Hassan al-Hamdani said that as a result of the great political movement and communication and the minute before Iraq is to reach the exit from Chapter VII-VI.

[millionday] He said al-Hamdani for »Center Brief for the Iraqi Media Network» that «the sticking points between Iraq and Kuwait have become accessible and parked on transforming Iraq from Chapter VII-VI, which makes Iraq has the sovereign right to cover legally and constitutionally support it,

noting that the new image of the relations Iraqi-Kuwaiti is a political maturity between the two countries to reach a convergence of views and access to a common view and thus solve the problem, especially since it will lead to the convergence of the economic and political level also lead to a rapprochement with all Arab countries.

[millionday] so with the release they can enter and will back to the global world of trade

[millionday] He said a member of the committee that «Iraq and Kuwait players economists senior at the level of the region and the Arabian Gulf and through the gateway to Iraq with the Arabian Gulf, which in turn will contribute to the economic exchanges is high between Iraq and Kuwait,

in addition to that it will lead to the improvement of relations with all Arab states because of their role It is important in the settlement of disputes between Arab countries. Hamdani has increased by saying that «at this time began the first step toward implementation and coming days the official files, indicating that the implementation mechanism dependent on the final report by the State of Kuwait, which is scheduled to submit it to the UN Security Council.

millionday] oh baby this is great so in a couple days the report will be done and they will be going forward with the new Iraq

[millionday] The Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah met with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki last Wednesday on an official visit to Iraq on the back of the settlement of the outstanding issues between the two countries.

In a joint statement the two sides of Iraq and Kuwait came after the end of their meeting, stressed the «strengthening and developing bilateral relations and push for new horizons and further communication and coordination at all levels,

reflecting the level of development in bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries», pointing out that «the two sides reviewed during the meeting the bilateral relations between the two countries, and expressed their satisfaction at the progress of tangible progress in the areas of cooperation between the two countries and issues of common interest.

simbaspen*] Is it really true????? Awesome

[millionday] whooop whoooop [millionday] oh yes its true

[LBnFL] millionday Could this not still be the meeting on the 28th? I don’t see “next couple days” in article.

[millionday] LBnFL no — its in there hun and the meeting is the 27th you are referring to but this will be complete by report in a couple days

[millionday] For his part, expressed committee member Rh and his deputy g Mahdi optimism about the great efforts and tireless efforts made by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, in addition to some friendly countries of Iraq, especially since it has been addressed many of the outstanding issues with Kuwait.

The Mahdi said that Iraq supports going to open a new page and to be serious steps towards strengthening relations between the two countries, noting that the approach to Iraq is the normalization of relations with neighboring countries and to deal with them, whether Arab or other countries and its joint on solid foundations.

[millionday] so there will be a huge celebration in iraq it appears and also iraq and the region this is a long time coming !! the official announcement from Moon is very good news

[Papatom] millionday THAT SENTENCE end….WHICH IS SCHEDULED to submit to the UN security council…..that says it there….not the general assembly…the UN security council is all that needs to vote on it!

[millionday] what vote?

[Papatom] millionday don’t they vote to allow IRAQ out of 7?

[janiem] Are you saying Iraq will be out of Chapter VII in the next couple of days?

millionday] The promise of a member of the Iraqi-Kuwaiti relations a new step towards the Arab Gulf states, poof pages past filled with problems due to the follies of the former regime, stressing that the approach Strateja by the Iraqi government and continue to normalize relations with all neighboring countries.

Saw Mehdi that the development of relations between the two countries and an end to files sticking his big role in persuading the UN Security Council to remove Iraq from Chapter VII and converted to Chapter VI.

In the meantime, informed sources revealed »Sabah» Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari will travel this week to New York to finalize arrangements for the withdrawal of Iraq from Chapter VII., As sources pointed out that he will be in the 27 of this month, the vote by the Security Council on the exit Iraq from Chapter VII to Chapter VI after the approval of Kuwait and ensure Russia’s vote to approve it. smile

[millionday] there is a report that will be given to the un in the next couple of days and they have gotten the formal approval of Moon to remove them due to the letters of request from kuwait

Papatom] millionday so realistically, we are looking at a strong possibility it could pop between the 27th and the 1st of July……right?

[millionday] so they will be removed or they will be moved to chapter 6 ] i have nothing in ink that says dates for the rate hun

[Papatom] millionday i know that…..i guess i wasn’t saying a rate…but once the 7 is lifted….wouldn’t that leave the door open?

[ANYdaynow] Date and rate…that will be one of life’s little surprises.

[millionday] i wish i did but — i could speculate and tell you it is very close due to this because they have to have a price that is competitive for the sale of dinar to the globe now that trade is going to be opened and their return is happening

[letsroll] millionday .. very encouraging to see it in ink now …

[millionday] To that revealed the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry near the adoption of a memorandum of understanding with Iraq on joint oil fields between the two countries. Said Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah on file joint development of oil fields in a press statement that «there is a memorandum prepared and will soon be adopted in the two countries and direct in oil operations in the light of this note«.

In terms of the Iraqi side during the visit to the subject of the port of Mubarak, said Jarallah «did not we address this topic in a visit of the Kuwaiti delegation to Iraq, and the port of Mubarak proceeding according to plans drawn to him and there is no new, and we hope soon to work in the port of Mubarak, the reception of ships, spin the wheel very vital in the port, which will not be in the interest of Kuwait only, but also for the benefit of Iraq «.

[millionday] The official described the Kuwaiti Prime Minister’s visit his country Jaber Al-Mubarak recently to Iraq b »successful by all standards» said «we went to Baghdad to turn the page on the past and establish a relationship filled with respect and understanding, good neighborliness and common interests« stressing that »the talks were positive and fraternal and transparent and frank with our brothers in Iraq» .

pointed to «During the visit, he was addressed to all the files and did not rule out a dossier certain of these files at all, and there is a common understanding between us and our brothers in Iraq on these files that are related to bilateral and fraternal relationship between the two countries’.

[millionday] ok finally the last of the report >>>>>>>>>He continued, Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry «We have worked with our brothers in Iraq out of Chapter VII and access to Chapter VI, and this is a result of the fulfillment of Iraq of its obligations, especially in relation to the resolution 833 and we expect during the next week or at the end of the month to begin the transition to our brothers in Iraq out of Chapter VII in Final ».

And reparations owed by Iraq by the former regime’s invasion of Kuwait, Jarallah said «reparations owed by Iraq for the benefit of Kuwait is going according to its program, and Iraq has committed to pay this compensation and one-time or continues to be in his mid-2015«.

millionday] so there we have it — yes they are being removed — no ifs or buts about it — they have received the official statement that they are being released

[cookie2] the end of the month to begin the transition to our brothers in Iraq out of Chapter VII — woo hoo!

[millionday] love it love it love it and now it is time for a big whoop whoop smile yiipp yiiip yay rurray all these years finally we see it love it so i dont see anything more that is important but oh wow

millionday] we sure did hit it tonight — so sorry for those that missed it after all these years of waiting for good news

[millionday] so dont miss any news from here on out — it just may be something you regret after all these years of following this oh this is great news — this ought to be a great month

[millionday] the news is rocking and the order to roll with industry and get going for trade — so nice to read all of this

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Closes Anbar Border Crossing

An official from the Anbar province, which is located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the Iraqi capital, said that the central government in Baghdad is trying to punish the province over the protests that have been taking place for months against government policies by depriving it of the proceeds from one of the most important border crossings in the country.

The head of Anbar’s Provincial Council, Jassim al-Halbusi, told Al-Monitor that the central government, which oversees the management of Iraq’s border crossings, asked the administration of the Traibil [Turaybeel, Tirbil, Tarbiel, Trebil] border post (pictured) — linking Iraq and Jordan — at the beginning of this month “to tighten procedures for inspecting cars and trucks that use this crossing. This led to a decline in traffic at this crossing, as well as a decline in its revenues, of which the province receives five percent.”

“Things have escalated since the morning of Tuesday, June 11, to the point that the crossing was totally closed to all traffic,” Halbusi added. He said he believes that “this measure is aimed at punishing Anbar residents who have rejected the government’s persistent failure to manage the country’s affairs.”

The Jordanian Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Sunday, June 9, that Iraq reported that it would close the Trebil border crossing that connects the two countries as of next Tuesday for a period of 48 hours, for reasons related to “internal Iraqi affairs.”

The statement, reported by the Jordan News Agency, said that the closure would affect all passenger and cargo movement “and will not include air traffic, which will operate normally during the closure period. There will be no changes to any scheduled flights.”

Anbar, the most prominent Sunni Arab stronghold in Iraq, has seen protests and sit-ins that have entered their sixth month against the policies of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Iraq had closed the crossing at the end of April, amid reports that the Iraqi army intended to storm a square where protesters were marching against Maliki near the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province.
According to a statement reported by local media outlets on June 11, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq said, “The continuation of the closure will have an adverse effect on the Iraqi economy and will hinder the flow of goods. It will also increase the hardships faced by transport truck drivers, as they will not be able to continue along their way.” The statement added, “A lot of goods have been damaged due to the fact that they are not allowed to enter the country.”

Mutlaq’s statement noted, “The closure of the border crossing at Trebil contributed to a rise in food and commodity prices.”

Halbusi said, “The losses endured by the province are not limited to the fact that it will lose its share of the border crossing proceeds; another problem is the salaries of the workers who are paid on a daily basis.”

“Dozens of families survive based on the daily wages their sons who work in Trebil receive. If these workers are to stop their work, then this means that they will not be getting paid,” he added.

Kareem Khudair, who owns a truck and works in the transport of goods to and from Jordan through the Trebil crossing, said that “the transport fares doubled when the crossing authorities tightened the procedures for checking our trucks, prior to completely closing the border crossing.”

He told Al-Monitor, “About two months ago, the transportation fares for my truck ranged between $ 1,500 to $ 1,700 per shift, while they had increased to $ 3,000 prior to the crossing’s closure.”

“We had to wait at the crossing for weeks, while it used to take us only two days to cross,” he added.

Economist Jawad al-Shammari said, “The prices of most of the goods received through Jordan to Iraq increased by about 10% due to the tightened inspection procedures in Trebil.” He added, “The decision to completely close the crossing will lead to a further increase in prices.”

“The prices of vegetables, fruits, printing materials and several types of canned foods have increased because of the Trebil problem,” Shammari told Al-Monitor. “A lot of these items are consumed on a daily basis, which means that Iraqi citizens will be the ones to directly feel this price increase.”

Omar al-Shaher is a contributor to Al-Monitor’s Iraq Pulse. His writing has appeared in publications including France’s LeMonde, Iraq’s Alesbuyia, Egypt’s Al-Ahaly and the Elaph website. He previously covered political and security affairs for Iraq’s Al-Mada newspaper.

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Assyrian Organization Condemns Kurdish Incursion Into Assyrian Villages in Iraq

The Assyrian Universal Alliance received ominous news from Assyrians living in the village of Rabatki in the district of Aqra in the Dohuk province, Northern Iraq. The village, which has never had any Kurdish inhabitants, has been fending off land grab attempts since the early 1990s. Seven cars full of Kurdish men armed with Kalashnikovs and other weapons, mostly belonging to the Zebari tribe, attacked the village on June 13 (AINA 6-13-2013). The motive behind the attack was to forcefully claim parts of the village. The village chief, Mr. Zaya Barcam Khoshaba, was beaten in the face by an attacker with the side of a Kalashnikov.

A similar violation has been instituted against other towns and villages located on the outskirts of Dohuk, North of Iraq, in the Assyrian villages of Kori Gavana, Blejani and many others in which the defenseless residents in these villages were threatened and intimidated by the Kurds. Assyrians in many of these villages stopped sowing their rich agricultural lands – their only source of income — because they were warned by the Kurds that if anyone attempted to produce a crop, their farms and houses would be burned to the ground. This threatening menace was the fundamental reason why hundreds of Christian families left their homes in the village and fled to neighboring countries.

The Assyrian Universal Alliance condemns in the strongest terms possible these illegal and intimidating intrusions against the indigenous Assyrian people of Iraq by the Kurds. We hold the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) accountable for not stopping these discriminatory behaviours against Assyrians, deeming it a party to the unlawful and immoral occupation and transfer of Assyrian-owned lands to Kurdish squatters. These illicit acts are contrary to the obligations of Iraq’s national unity and civil peace that the faithful citizens of the country are seeking.

An appeal has been made to the world leaders to intervene with the Iraqi authorities to investigate and take immediate steps to reverse and prevent any further violations and abuse. We demand that the KRG immediately cease these unlawful aggressions against the Assyrian Christian inhabitants of our ancestral villages, returning any occupied lands to their rightful owners.

On June 3 The Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Member for McMahon, raised in the Australian Federal Parliament a motion focusing on the Assyrian demand for the establishment of an autonomous province in the heart of the Assyrian ancestral lands in the Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq (AINA 6-5-2013). The AUA feels compelled to formally bring this matter to the attention of the allied governments and seek their support to confer with the Iraqi authorities about this issue.

Assyrian Universal Alliance

Assyrian International News Agency

Wave Of Car Bombs In Iraq Kills At Least 30

A wave of car bombs across central and southern Iraq has killed at least 30 people and wounded dozens.

The blasts early on June 16 struck predominantly Shi’ite areas.

The deadliest attack occurred in the central city of Kut where at least seven people were killed and around 20 were injured.

Officials said car bombs went off also in the cities of Aziziyah, Mahmudiyah, Nasiriyah, and Basra.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

There has been a spike in attacks in Iraq since the beginning of the year, coinciding with rising discontent among the Sunni Arab minority against what it says is discrimination by the Shi’ite-led government.

The bloodshed has raised fears of a return to the sectarian violence that left thousands of Iraqis dead in 2006-07.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Kuwait: Near to work with Iraq in joint oil fields

Revealed the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry near the adoption of a memorandum of understanding with Iraq on joint oil fields between the two countries.

The Kuwaiti delegation headed by Prime Minister Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah visited Iraq last Wednesday and signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding announced during talks Iraqi and Kuwaiti officials said the two governments had asked of Mendobhma UN interview Ban Ki-moon and informed agreement of the two countries and that Iraq had been implemented fully the obligations imposed on it under Chapter VII by the Security Council resolutions and the demand of the secretary-general of the UN report it to the Security Council to raise the terms of Chapter VII of Iraq.

Said Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah on file joint development of oil fields in a press statement that “there is a memorandum prepared and will soon be adopted in the two countries and direct in oil operations in the light of this note.”

In terms of بتطرق the Iraqi side during the visit to the subject of the port of Mubarak, said Jarallah, “did not we address this topic in the visit of the Kuwaiti delegation to Iraq, and the port of Mubarak proceeding according to plans drawn to him and there is no new, and we hope soon to work in the port of Mubarak, the reception of ships, spin the wheel very vital in the port, which will not be in the interest of Kuwait only, but also for the benefit of Iraq. “

The official described the Kuwaiti Prime Minister’s visit his country Jaber Al-Mubarak recently to Iraq as “successful by all standards,” he said, “we went to Baghdad to turn the page on the past and establish a relationship filled with respect and understanding, good neighborliness and common interests,” stressing that “the talks were positive and fraternal and transparent and frank with our brothers in Iraq” .

He pointed out, “It was during the visit, addressed to all the files and did not rule out a dossier certain of these files at all, and there is a common understanding between us and our brothers in Iraq about these files that are related to bilateral and fraternal relationship between the two countries.”

He continued, Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry “We have worked with our brothers in Iraq out of Chapter VII and access to Chapter VI, and this is a result of the fulfillment of Iraq of its obligations, especially in relation to the resolution [833] and we expect during the next week or at the end of the month to begin the transition to our brothers in Iraq out of Chapter seventh in the final. “

And reparations owed ​​by Iraq by the former regime’s invasion of Kuwait, Jarallah said “reparations owed ​​by Iraq for the benefit of Kuwait is going according to its program, and Iraq has committed to pay this compensation and one-time or continues to be in his mid-2015.”

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has held a telephone conversation with the Emir of Kuwait, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on the latest developments Alalacah between the two countries before it receives representatives of Iraq and Kuwait in the international organization to ask the Ki-moon displayed Iraq out of Chapter VII of the UN Security Council.

According to Kuwait’s permanent representative to the United Nations, the Security Council will consider the matter on June 27 present and that he believed that the resolution will pass without any hindrance.

And witnessed the official relations between Iraq and Kuwait described the positive developments during the past few months, to end the outstanding issues between the two countries, and to remove Iraq from the international sanctions imposed on it in the seventh item, by the UN Security Council.

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Closes Anbar Crossing As Sunni Protests Continue

An official from the Anbar province, which is located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the Iraqi capital, said that the central government in Baghdad is trying to punish the province over the protests that have been taking place for months against government policies by depriving it of the proceeds from one of the most important border crossings in the country.

The head of Anbar’s Provincial Council, Jassim al-Halbusi, told Al-Monitor that the central government, which oversees the management of Iraq’s border crossings, asked the administration of the Trebil border crossing — linking Iraq and Jordan — at the beginning of this month “to tighten procedures for inspecting cars and trucks that use this crossing. This led to a decline in traffic at this crossing, as well as a decline in its revenues, of which the province receives five percent.”

“Things have escalated since the morning of Tuesday, June 11, to the point that the crossing was totally closed to all traffic,” Halbusi added. He said he believes that “this measure is aimed at punishing Anbar residents who have rejected the government’s persistent failure to manage the country’s affairs.”

The Jordanian Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Sunday, June 9, that Iraq reported that it would close the Trebil border crossing that connects the two countries as of next Tuesday for a period of 48 hours, for reasons related to “internal Iraqi affairs.”

The statement, reported by the Jordan News Agency, said that the closure would affect all passenger and cargo movement “and will not include air traffic, which will operate normally during the closure period. There will be no changes to any scheduled flights.”

Anbar, the most prominent Sunni Arab stronghold in Iraq, has seen protests and sit-ins that have entered their sixth month against the policies of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Iraq had closed the crossing at the end of April, amid reports that the Iraqi army intended to storm a square where protesters were marching against Maliki near the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province.

According to a statement reported by local media outlets on June 11, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq said, “The continuation of the closure will have an adverse effect on the Iraqi economy and will hinder the flow of goods. It will also increase the hardships faced by transport truck drivers, as they will not be able to continue along their way.” The statement added, “A lot of goods have been damaged due to the fact that they are not allowed to enter the country.”

Mutlaq’s statement noted, “The closure of the border crossing at Trebil contributed to a rise in food and commodity prices.”

Halbusi said, “The losses endured by the province are not limited to the fact that it will lose its share of the border crossing proceeds; another problem is the salaries of the workers who are paid on a daily basis.”

“Dozens of families survive based on the daily wages their sons who work in Trebil receive. If these workers are to stop their work, then this means that they will not be getting paid,” he added.

Kareem Khudair, who owns a truck and works in the transport of goods to and from Jordan through the Trebil crossing, said that “the transport fares doubled when the crossing authorities tightened the procedures for checking our trucks, prior to completely closing the border crossing.”

He told Al-Monitor, “About two months ago, the transportation fares for my truck ranged between $ 1,500 to $ 1,700 per shift, while they had increased to $ 3,000 prior to the crossing’s closure.”

“We had to wait at the crossing for weeks, while it used to take us only two days to cross,” he added.

Economist Jawad al-Shammari said, “The prices of most of the goods received through Jordan to Iraq increased by about 10% due to the tightened inspection procedures in Trebil.” He added, “The decision to completely close the crossing will lead to a further increase in prices.”

“The prices of vegetables, fruits, printing materials and several types of canned foods have increased because of the Trebil problem,” Shammari told Al-Monitor. “A lot of these items are consumed on a daily basis, which means that Iraqi citizens will be the ones to directly feel this price increase.”

By Omar al-Shaher
AL Monitor

Assyrian International News Agency

Iranian Dissident Camp Comes Under Mortar Fire In Iraq

The Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) Iranian exile group sheltering in Iraq says at least one person has been killed after its camp outside Baghdad came under mortar fire.

MKO camp spokesman Shahriar Kia said a number of camp residents were wounded in the attack.

It was unclear who fired the mortars.

The Iraqi government wants the MKO out of the country and the UN has been working to find another location for the group to live.

The MKO is the militant wing of a Paris-based Iranian opposition group that opposes Iran’s current government and fought alongside Saddam Hussein’s forces in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

By removing Iraq from Chapter 7, is that act alone making the IQD internationally tradable?

millionday] here we go ready Fresh?

[millionday] Asked a member of the Committee on the economy and investment Attorney Nora Albjara, the federal government opened the port Trebil border in Anbar province as a result of its impact on the smooth flow of trade movement and increased commodity prices in local markets.

The Bijari said in a press statement that the “Trebil port which is located on the border with Jordan Anbar province, is one of the most important border crossing points of the country in terms of trade and import of essential goods by land transportation from neighboring countries.”

[millionday] It showed that “the continuation of the closure of the port by the Iraqi government of Seychelles trade movement and the passage of goods and thus will affect the prices of goods and imported materials in the local market,

in addition to damage in Anbar province, the fact that most motorists trucks from the people of the province, as well as increasing commodity prices in the market Anbari.”

She added that the “Committee for the economy approached those responsible to open port Trebil, stressing the importance of open port with tighter supervision and control to prevent the infiltration of terrorists into Iraq.”

The Iraqi government announced late last month closed port Trebil for security reasons and for days, without having to explain later re-opened, while considered port strategically states of Iraq and Jordan, especially for Anbar province, which is witnessing protests and demonstrations in nearly five months.

[millionday] so as we know the protests are to a very low minimum and it looks as though they are preparing for trade — which is great

[lorijeanmarshall] As I was just about to say before my computer decided to shut itself off…. I would copy chat but MY compter shuts off randomly whne it wants to and I would lose everything from chat.

[millionday] The Coalition/Arabic/Iraqi resolve and insisted the vote on the confirmation of bills that only the Committee of five, which is the most important constitutional and legitimate demands of protesters under the dome of the Parliament immediately after the House of representatives on 16 June.

Statement for the damage it received (News Agency), the media spokesman for the iraqiya Coalition Arabic Dr. Anas Al-Azzawi, was quoted as saying: the Iraqi Arabic coalition led by Dr. Saleh Al-mutlak did not fail or decline to complete and achieve Browning bills that address the most important demands of the protesters and peaceful protestors who passed on their uprising more than 180 days.

[millionday] And that the Coalition is determined to mobilize the votes required establishment of these projects under the dome of the Parliament during the next few days towards the end of the holiday house on 16th of this month.

He said Al-Azzawi: had to be legitimate and constitutional and moral responsibility on the Iraqi political forces a sincere response to the legitimate rights and claims of constitutional implementation on the ground, especially after the agreement of representatives of the main political forces represented in the Committee of five projects and Cabinet approval.

[millionday] We hope the House after the arrival of most of its projects to vote in its first session after the holiday to reinforce public confidence in the credibility of the legislative and executive branches, away the electoral analhasabat and political and media speculation.

The five-Member Committee formed by the Government in power and Dr. Saleh Al-mutlaq highlighted their leadership has been Browning 5 laws projects represent major demands of the protesters in the six provinces, the rebel and ratified by the Council of Ministers and submitted to Parliament for approval, but synchronized with the holiday house on May 16, the last vote and approval until next Sunday the expiry date of the holiday.

[millionday] so we see that they are returning after this holiday — meaning sunday — and they are for sure going to be pushing for peace

[millionday] i say that because we know ramadan is coming up and we hope that is a push for many things – smile now remember what they are pushing for and look at this

[millionday] The top five draft laws approved by the Council of Ministers at its more than a month ago as the demonstrators ‘ demands are highlighted (legal 76 and 88 cancellation of reservation property) and amendments to the accountability and Justice Act No. 10 of 2008, amending the code of criminal procedure the Iraqi detention and secret detective Act, national balance law, the adoption of the amnesty law on innocent people who have stained their hands with the blood of Iraqis,

plus the release of prisoners and detainees were covered by the amnesty law And the total number of approximately 7 thousand detainees and prisoners who have blood on their hands with the blood of Iraqis or arrested by guilt.

[millionday] the reason is say that is that the agenda of the return of parliament addresses all of these issues and then some smile

[millionday] it also addresses tarriff — and to answer your question — the ammendments are done and now they need to vote them through and they were either completed by leaders or the committee of 5 so there should be no risk of them not being happy as they designed the ammendments themselves

[millionday] brb with more roundtable is when you can bring anything yourslef and i hope you will talk — so if you have anything speak up — it is welcome brb

[wmawhite] millionday ………..when Iraq was originally put under the Chapter 7 sanction, did that not make the IQD non-tradeable internationally?

[millionday] wmawhite yes

[wmawhite] another question

[millionday] here is something that i want up to look at again makes my heart skip a beat everytime

[millionday] According to Iraq’s semi-official Alsabaah newspaper, the finance committee received specimens of the new Iraq banknotes from the Central Bank of Iraq. The specimens were of the 25, 50, 100, and 200 dinars.

The committee urged the central bank to delay the introduction of the new currency from January 2013 to July 2013 to study all the aspects of the process. Other Iraqi media reports state that the new currency will be issued in denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 dinars for banknotes and 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 fils, plus 1 and 2 dinars for coins.

The designs have been already chosen for banknotes and coins: 5 dinars: Beck waterfall and palm tree 10 dinars: dinar coin minted in the reign of the Umayyad dynasty and lighthouse Hadba in Mosul 25 dinars: King Hammurabi receiving the law and farming of Iraqi Kurdistan 50 dinars: King Codaa and Fort Ukhaydir 100 dinars: Central Bank building in Azwaip area in Baghdad and ziggurat 200 dinars: bridge and school

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall thanks hun — smile

[wmawhite] Then is the reverse so……by removing Iraq from Chapter 7, is that act alone making the IQD internationally tradable?

[wmawhite] millionday ……..I remember that article……it is from July 12, 2012.

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall we had that on wed and there is much discussion on it too hun — if anyone wants to look at it it is a great find — thanks lori and belabun — good job !!

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Sorry. I hadn’t seen it before.

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday I am loving the article above about the New Currency though. I remember when that came. Glad they ahve re-released it with the July 2013 in there.

[millionday] wmawhite they have changed their policies so that they will be sold as a product in the currency market — meaning stock market so shouldnt be instant by their new policies

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall no that is a great and very informative report — i am glad it is in there by itself so no one misses it and its implementations

[wmawhite] millionday ……….so by removing Chapter 7 the currency regains an international status.

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall me too — great to see that when we are in june — smile

[letsroll] millionday … was there a UN meeting about iraq slated for the 14th , thought that was in news several days ago .. ? Ty

[dinarmamma] millionday is this date of July also adding to implications of reval by that time, with new denoms slated for approval then.?

[millionday] wmawhite yes due to trade it should unless they have regulations that holds that process off by cbi — which they dont — the largest product all countries have is their currency —

[millionday] dinarmamma yes imo

[wmawhite] millionday ….concur

[millionday] if they stick by the plan on world bank site as it is printed — they will be distributed and could begin way before then as a matter of fact due to the size of the change

[wmawhite] millionday ….did you see this:…UN Rep from Kuwait: Lifting Iraq from CH VII will pass without hinderance on June 27

[Domino] millionday Morning hun, hate to ask this again but was “The Plan” put in the forum? If yes, where?

[millionday] wmawhite yes — thank you fo rthe e-mail

[wmawhite] millionday yw

[Dianne777] millionday so they should be international and rv by july 1st?

[millionday] i think it is being discussed today myself due to my research

[millionday] should — but remember this is iraq — but please hun — cross everything — smile

[Dianne777] millionday ty honey

[millionday] Domino i forgot to put it in there again hun — i will repost it and stick it again — think it accidently got unstuck during cleaning

[lorijeanmarshall] Good questions from the members today. Keep it up PI~

[millionday] yw all the time

[Fresh] lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall love the discussion in here Today!

[millionday] we need to know what happened today — i know i will have it tonight but would like a preveiw for us here today — smile

[Domino] millionday Could you also email me a copy while you’re at it please?

[lorijeanmarshall] Fresh

[millionday] yes hun — i sure will

[Dianne777] millionday that would be so nice

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh i love when they take part –

[millionday] i dont like talking to myself — people begin to talk brb with more — whoooop whooop i know one thing i am ready and the next couple weeks should show us alot — brb

[dinarmamma] millionday its when you come up with your own anweres is people really start talking..

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday I was on UN site early this morning and Moon was giving a live statement. I didn’t hear the first part cause it was too low. The second part was about Syria. So, I don’t know if he mentioned Iraq in the begining or not. But you never see him on the live webcam. So, must have been pretty important.

[Domino] millionday So how about the increasing conversation and speculation that the US & UN will have a greater role in Iraq govt. and possibly when we see the RV based on Obama’s agenda or mood here at home

[millionday] i argue with my self and then they get a little scared

[wmawhite] millionday ………..another question:……..what is the mechanism that triggers the US Treasury to premit all US bank to trade the IQD?…..I believe it is the lifting of the Chapter 7. Your opinion?

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall great hun — i will look for the transcript and try to bring it tonight for us

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday A little scared????? We get VERY scared!!!

[dinarmamma] lorijeanmarshall I had heard yesterday on the news talk, that Syria set of a chemical bomb somewhere-sarin nerve gas. Mayby in their own region??

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Awesome. Thanks. I was trying so hard to hear him but just couldn’t make it happen. I think there was something wrong with the microphone at the podeum.

[millionday] wmawhite i believe it is who iraq does business with and who is set up for international banking to this extreme and that is what gives us who has to mail it off ect

[lorijeanmarshall] dinarmamma Yep. That was on CNN

[millionday] lorijeanmarshall

[millionday] dinarmamma not too smart if you ask me

[lorijeanmarshall] Assad needs a bullet in the forehead

[letsroll] millionday … so if chap.7 is lifted to 6 and they have no protection from creditors would it matter if they remain at 1166 -1170 rate or defitnitly need a international recognised currency

[millionday] must not have anyone to play with

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Not smart at all. Now he is going to be in for it.

[dinarmamma] millionday millionday lorijeanmarshall lorijeanmarshall what are they thinking over there??? its total nonsense

[lorijeanmarshall] letsroll good question

[millionday] letsroll yes — they dont have enough currency to cover all of their business — they wil lose at that rate and they will lose alot

[letsroll] smile

[millionday] the rate has to represent their value as a whole –

[Heidi] wowowowowow

[millionday] they have set a rate to cover what they are capable of at this point due to the fact that the markets that configure the gdp are not active due to sanctions so they are speculating some as they have with other countries check out the implications of this

[millionday] Fresh thanks

[millionday] Oil and Energy Commission invited the Quartet representative newly formed between the Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government expedite discussion of oil and gas law to support the success of the energy strategy launched yesterday. Committee member ULI Al-Shara told the News Center for the Iraqi media network, the energy strategy in Iraq needs technical issues and administrative and legislative to start their application and that the most important things that you need is the oil and gas Act legislation for its success.

[millionday] hmmm — the law applies to market

[millionday] i have to say — i am so excited about where we are with this and have everything crossed with ya too — it all looks very good to all of us but as we all have — i have trust issues as well — but — it sure looks very positive smile brb with more

[lorijeanmarshall] Well I have faith in UNSC to release them and I have faith in the CBI (99%)

[letsroll] The Facts and truth is all i seek , whatever it will be ..awesome million…

[millionday] this is why today is going to bring answers imo

[millionday] said: that after two days will be the agreement between Iraq and Kuwait, the secretary-general of the United Nations, will be issued a decision to close all the files between the two countries, as it did not remain nothing but war reparations which paid by Iraq, which is 11 billion, and if Iraq paid the full amount will close the file. ***This time line of 2 days they are talking about with the UN puts us RIGHT at the June 14th meeting scheduled with the UNSC!!! [millionday] smile

[millionday] maybe a report and meeting of all of its agreements and moves now on the 27th for the world to see but they are addressing iraq today — cant wait to get that report

[Domino] millionday So how about the increasing conversation and speculation that the US & UN will have a greater role in Iraq govt. and possibly when we see the RV based on Obama’s agenda or mood here at home

[wmawhite] millionday …….did you see this:……raq joins the membership of an Islamic institution for investment insurance (ICIEC) 13/6/13 12: 00 am Economic capacity development indicators

[millionday] lets look at some other things [millionday] brb

[millionday] Domino i am sure that they are working on as much gain as they possibly can get from our investment as that is how the US works and most democratic societies — the price we pay for our country and it seems for the gov flashlights and income and lifestyle that as we have seen in news lately is much greater then any of us are blessed with

[Domino] millionday Can you seculate from your research if Obama has to do with when this will be released. Boy that’s a big questions isn’t it?

[millionday] wmawhite yes and it also was paired with security commision written and press assurances along with the goi assurances as well as much as they mean to the citizens ect — they are trying to gain trust in the modern banking –

the country is yeasr behind in the minds of its citizens and it will take leaps and bounds for them to understand but we have to know what this means to investors — meaning international — and this will bring jobs and naturally grow as their wallets do —

[wmawhite] millionday …this was an issue at the London, UK trade seminar last year.

[millionday] television reports and the many reports that have gone out to the citizens will help as well — but the products they have created in their banking market have to be sold in order for stakeholders to be happy and the country to grow imo

[The s family] After chapt 7 are there more things needing to be completed?

[millionday] yes — the monetary policy needs to be activated and the many reforms in their entirety along with all strategic agreements and the monetary agreements for funds owed — now this has been ordered already — i believe it has been four or five days since that order if i remember correctly

[letsroll] millionday … One thing Iraq has going for it is youth and most accept change somewhat better than ” the older set in their ways ” group .. jmo cheers … back to work

[millionday] letsroll right i agree

[millionday] i have tried to get this report to translate but it is blocked and i cant get around it let me look at anohter way to get in it — brb

[millionday] ok company has arrived unexpected so i will se everyone tonight at 730 est i am hoping to have un meeting and more on the changes at cbi — so see you here ] thank you Fresh for copying –

[millionday] have a great day all

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Thanks MD.

[Wisdom] Thanks MD

[millionday] yw all the time –

[millionday] love to ya and know they have stated we have a decision coming today of some sort so i will do my best to find it for you — be here tonight — 730 est

[dlherm] Thanks millionday! See ya later

[Heidi] thank you million!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq out of Chapter VII and moves on to the sixth and Kuwait happy editing restrictions

6-14-13 Almada News / BAGHDAD / Press-term:   Iraq announced, on Wednesday, he was approaching the exit from Chapter VII and understandings conducted with the Kuwaiti side capable of moving to “Chapter VI”.

The Kuwaiti Prime Minister Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah arrived on Wednesday morning, to Baghdad on an official visit was scheduled in May last year but it was postponed for technical reasons.

And signed both Iraq and Kuwait, the end of last May, two memoranda of understanding concerning the arrangements for the physical maintenance of the common border and the financing of the construction of a residential complex in Umm Qasr.

The UN Security Council issued a year (1993) Resolution No. (833) which provides for the demarcation of the border between Kuwait and Iraq, and the extended length (about 216 km), and the application of the decision in part by the former regime to the deduction of large swathes of Iraqi territory and annexed to land Kuwaiti territory included in the Safwan area and in Umm Qasr area since the mid-nineties became a whole within the limits of the State of Kuwait. At a press conference held by Iraqi Foreign Minister with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, said Zebari signed six agreements with Kuwait in all fields, while stressing that Iraq has fulfilled all its obligations under it in Chapter VII with Kuwait and will move to Chapter VI, said Kuwaiti Foreign Minister that his country would be the United Nations should be out of Iraq from Chapter VII.

Zebari said at the conference which was attended by (range Press), “The Iraqi government signed during the visit of the Kuwaiti delegation headed by Kuwaiti Prime Minister Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation yesterday, six memoranda of understanding and agreements between the two countries, including a memorandum of understanding between the two institutes diplomats of Iraq and Kuwait , and a memorandum of understanding on an executive program on cultural affairs for cultural relations between the two countries, and an agreement in the field of environment, the Convention in the field of higher education and scientific research, and the Convention in the field of air transport services, and the Convention on Economic and Technical Cooperation. “

He added Zebari said “Iraq and Kuwait have made significant progress and tremendous in the course of their relations especially through the fulfillment of Iraq, a majority or all of its obligations incurred by him through the provisions of Chapter VII, which ruled the relationship between Iraq and Kuwait after the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam’s regime last,” stressing that “we we have reached impressive results rid of this responsibility on Iraq. “ He Zebari that “today’s meeting was to plan and look to the future outside the framework of Chapter VII and binding decisions via normal relations between the two countries to achieve a true partnership of economic and trade between the two countries,” pointing out that the two sides traded “a set of ideas about how to develop economic and trade cooperation and investment between the two countries, We agreed on a set of next steps to consolidate popular relations between Iraq and Kuwait through the promotion of relations between universities and academics, parliamentarians, athletes and delegations folk art and heritage. “

The Zebari said “the Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait and the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq Sivhban together to deliver the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Security Council messages about Iraq’s implementation of its obligations out of the provisions of Chapter VII, this progress came after the effort and talks art tortuous and thorny,” adding that “the cooperation of the parties The sincerity and the will made a lot of common outstanding matters, particularly maintenance of border markers that أنجزناها completely, Kuwaiti prisoners and missing Kuwaitis and Kuwaiti property. “ Zebari pointed out that “the Security Council issued a resolution will be transferred internationally Iraq dossier from the provisions of Chapter VII to Chapter VI,” revealing “The presence of international support for the two countries in order to close all these files and look forward to a prosperous and bright future between the two countries.”

For his part, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, in a speech at the conference, said, “This visit comes to complement the high-level visits between the two countries in the past year and the first half of this year 2013,” and expressed his hope that “complemented by a more high-level visits between the officials of the two countries. “

He Sabah expressed his happiness “transfer phase exceeded the outstanding issues between the two countries to future cooperation better, it has accomplished in the visit of Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, in the 27 of last May, the State of Kuwait that is required as a state of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq on the obligations under resolution 833 and signed an agreement to form a committee for the physical maintenance of frontiers. “

He said Kuwaiti Foreign Minister “We in Kuwait would be very glad the exit of our brothers in Iraq from Chapter VII, until Iraq becomes loose from all restrictions, and it becomes a fundamental pillar in the growth and prosperity of this region, which has suffered a lot,” stressing that “Iraq from the big and influential in our region and represents a fundamental pillar of security and stability. “

The morning that “Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq, understanding fully transferring responsibility for follow-up remains of Kuwaiti prisoners of war and the National Archives of the Kuwaiti Special Representative under Chapter VII to the United Nations Mission in Iraq under Chapter VI, and this has been communicated to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General will his report to the Security Council in the middle of this month and will be discussed in the Security Council later this month this subject, so that Iraq has fulfilled its obligations under the resolutions of the Security Council under Chapter VII. “

The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister that “this visit inaugurates a new start for cooperation between the two countries and we are keen to be intense between the two countries and support the continuation of the relationship and filed and تعضيدها all these elements that represent the success of the relationship between the two brotherly countries and their peoples.”

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Kurdish Mob Attacks Assyrian Village in North Iraq — Attempts Land Grab

North Iraq (AINA) — Armed Kurdish men, mostly belonging to the Zebari tribe, attacked the Assyrian village of Rabatki on Thursday at 18:00 local time in Northern Iraq. The motive behind the attack was to forcefully claim parts of the village.

When the villagers realized that the large truck filled with construction material and bricks approaching their village was an attempt by the Kurds to forcefully erect a house on their lands, they quickly formed a road block using their cars, effectively blocking the truck from entering the village. The move angered the Kurds, who then left only to come back less than one hour later, at 18:00 with seven cars full of Kurdish men armed with Kalashnikovs and other weapons.

A fight broke out between the male inhabitants of the village and the attackers and several rounds were shot in the air by the Kurds to try to scare the villagers. The village chief, Mr Zaya Barcam Khoshaba, was beaten in the face by one of the attackers with the side of the kalashnikov. The attack stopped only when police were called to the area.

The village of Rabatki lies in the district of Aqra in the Dohuk province. The village, which has never had any Kurdish inhabitants, has been fending off land grab attempts since the early 1990s. The Kurds living in the area belong to the powerful Zebari clan, with their most known clan member being Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq’s current foreign minister and a prominent member of the Kurdish political elite.

The first court ruling concerning the ownership of the village and its lands came in 1992. The verdict stated that the village and its lands belong to its Assyrian inhabitants. The Kurds would not accept the outcome of the civil process and continued to file complaints, which they continued to lose. The problem pressed on even after the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein. In 2006 the American Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Dohuk investigated the ownership issue after Kurdish complains only to conclude what former court cases had found more than a decade earlier — the Kurds did not have any valid ownership claims over the village and its lands.

Assyrians, who are the indigenous people of Northern Iraq, have been subjected to massive land grabs and discrimination by the Kurdish political establishment, headed by Masoud Barazani and his Kurdistan Democratic Party. Dozens of Assyrian villages in Northern Iraq are either partly or entirely occupied by Kurds.

Assyrian International News Agency

Chaldean Synod: Revitalising the Christian Presence in Iraq and Freedom for Syrian Bishops

Chaldean Synod: Revitalising the Christian Presence in Iraq and Freedom for Syrian Bishops

Baghdad — Creating a “competent” Christian political class, training well-prepared priests, boosting the faithful’s role as a “bridge between cultures” and partner with Muslims, reviving the ecumenical movement by opening a “brave and honest dialogue with the Church Assyrian Church of the East” are but some of the issues mentioned in the final paper issued by the Synod of the Chaldean Church, held on 5-10 June in Baghdad.

As chair of the assembly of Fathers, which brought together all the bishops of Iraq and the Diaspora, except for Mgr Sarhad Jammo from California, the Chaldean Patriarch, His Beatitude Mar Raphael I Louis Sako, used the occasion to present his thoughts on “the bishop’s pastoral work”, whose success depends on “spirituality and prayer,” not on “administrative work alone.”

The Synod, which saw the leaders of the Chaldean Church address a number of issues, ended with a dinner given by the patriarch. Political and religious leaders, including Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, took part in the repast. The patriarch used the venue to propose a committee to promote dialogue.

In their final paper, the Fathers expressed “regret for the violence in the region, especially in Syria” and said that they would pray that “Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazigi, the two kidnapped bishops, be released.”

Invoking the blessing of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary “on the children of the homeland and the diaspora,” the prelates said that they supported political action by “lay people” and the establishment of ” cultural and social centres as well as schools where to teach our language”.

They also went along with what Patriarch Sako had already said, namely that the clergy must “engage in priestly vocation and services” and give their support to (Christian) politicians in the defence of “the dignity and rights of the people.”

Renewing the “structures of the Patriarchate” is one of the many challenges that lay ahead. Inspired by the motto “Authenticity, Unity and Renewal” His Beatitude chose at the time of his election, this renewal will affect the way the Patriarchate and all the dioceses, religious orders and church institutions are organised.

With this comes a commitment to train the clergy and nurture religious and priestly vocations. However, “the ordination of priests should not be done in a rush just to fill pastoral vacancies”. Good solid training is needed to avoid “negative repercussions for the Church.”

The Synod Fathers also raised some questions about the practice of moving priests from one diocese to another “without the permission of the bishop”, a practice that “undermines the priestly service”. For this reason, they call on the dioceses not accept “priests without the permission of their bishop.”

Among the topics for reflection, “the Christian presence in Iraq” took centre stage. Even though half of the community left in the past ten years, Christians are and will continue to be “a bridge between communities” and work to “strengthen mutual coexistence and raise the voice of truth vis-à-vis ongoing changes.”

As the last item, Patriarch Sako and the bishops turned to the contents of the letter sent to Pope Francis through the papal nuncio to Iraq, Mgr Giorgio Lingua. In their message, the Synod Fathers “express love” for the Pontiff and “respect for his points of view, which encourage openness and dialogue between nations.”

By Fr. Albert Zarazeer
Asia News

Assyrian International News Agency

2 Killed in Failed Assassination Attempt on Sunni Governor in Northern Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say that the governor of Iraq’s northern Sunni-dominated province of Ninevah has escaped an assassination attempt that left two people killed and three others wounded.

Two provincial police officials said that the Thursday night attack occurred when a car bomb went off next to the motorcade of Atheel al-Nujaifi in the volatile city of Mosul, 360 kilometers (220 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

Police say the governor, the brother of parliament speaker Osmam al-Nujaifi, escaped unhurt but two civilian passers-by were killed.

A hospital official confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief the media.

Mosul has been recently the scene of a series of deadly attacks and clashes amid a rising tide of sectarian and political violence hitting Iraq.

Assyrian International News Agency

Iraq fulfills Chapter VII commitments to Kuwait; Compensation to Kuwait remains lone issue

Kuwait and Iraq will inform the United Nations that Baghdad has fulfilled its commitments towards Kuwait as per UN resolutions relevant to Saddam Hussein’s occupation of Kuwait in 1990, the two countries’ foreign ministers of announced Wednesday.

In a joint press conference with Iraqi FM Hoshyar Zebari, Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al­Khaled Al­Hamad Al­Sabah said that Kuwait has reached agreements with Iraq on their sticky issues to pave the way for ending Iraq’s Chapter VII status.

“An agreement on the maintenance of border markers has been inked during foreign minister Zebari’s recent visit to Kuwait,” Sheikh Sabah Al­Khaled said, adding that “representatives of the two countries will meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki­moon to hand him a copy of the agreement to be deposited at the UN.”

The Kuwaiti top diplomat also noted that Kuwait has agreed on moving a number of the files from the Chapter VII to Chapter VI of the UN Charter. “We have agreed on moving the Kuwait POWs, missing persons and confiscated government archives from Chapter VII to Chapter VI and apprised the UN Secretary General on that agreement also.” Sheikh Sabah Al­ Khaled affirmed that Iraq has fulfilled its commitments under the UN Chapter VII.

“The UN Secretary General will present his report (on Iraq’s implementation of its commitments toward Kuwait) mid this month to be reviewed by the UN Security Council before the end of the month, by this, Iraq would have fulfilled its commitments as per Chapter VII,” stated the Kuwaiti minister.

Sheikh Sabah Al­Khaled expressed Kuwait’s support of Iraq’s moving to Chapter VI.

“We will be very pleased with Iraq’s removal from Chapter VII to restore its status as a pillar of stability and progress in the region.” He pointed out that the senior Kuwaiti delegation’s visit to Baghdad on Wednesday signals the start of a new chapter in bilateral relations.

“This visit opens new doors for bolstering bilateral relations and cooperation in popular and cultural domains.”

For his part, Iraqi foreign minister Zebari hailed both countries’ agreement to fold the old chapter of their relations and to open up a new one based on mutual respect and cooperation.

“We have reached impressive results today,” Zebari said at the press conference, adding that Iraq and Kuwait’s permanent UN delegates will meet with the Secretary General to brief him on the outcome of the talks.

He expressed gratitude for the Kuwaiti government’s support of Iraq to end its Chapter VII status.

“We seek to build on these achievements and are looking forwards towards normal relations and a real partnership between the two countries,” he said.

Zebari, however, underlined that the only commitment which has not yet been completed is that of the war compensations.

“Iraq still owes Kuwait USD 11 billion, and, if Iraq decides to pay the remaining amount in one batch, it will immediately find a complete exit out of Chapter VII.“

Meanwhile, Zebari also noted that talks had touched upon means to boost economic, investment, sports, parliamentary and cultural cooperation, after an earlier signature of six agreements and memorandums of understanding during official talks between HH the Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al­Sabah and his Iraqi counterpart Nouri al­Maliki.

Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al­Khaled al­Sabah and Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari signed a memorandum of understanding between Saud al­Nasser al­Sabah Kuwaiti

Diplomatic Institute and the Iraqi Foreign Service Institute. The two officials also signed a cultural protocol.

Moreover an agreement on environment was signed by the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister and the Iraqi Minister of Environment Sarkoun Slewa.

An agreement on education and scientific research is to be signed by the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister and the Iraqi Minister of Education Ali al­Adeeb.

An agreement on aviation services was signed by the Kuwaiti Minister of Communications Salem al­Uthaina and the Iraqi Minister of Transportation Hadi al­Amri.

Furthermore an agreement on economic cooperation was signed by the Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mustafa al­She

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq is to be released from chapter 7

[millionday] i have something to say that is interesting on the report that says the dinar /usd exchange rate to be raised in june — there is a picture of a 10,000 usd with a 25000 dinar on top of it just thought it was interesting

[millionday] Held at the Prime Ministry in Baghdad Wednesday afternoon, Iraqi-Kuwaiti talks led by Prime Minister Nouri Kamel al-Maliki and Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, during which movement emphasized the relationship between Iraq and Kuwait to a new stage.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office received (News Agency) a copy of it: that the talks began with a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Nouri Kamel al-Maliki and Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, followed by a joint meeting attended by members of the Iraqi and Kuwaiti delegations.

[millionday] note — we always love the new stage lets hope it doesnt come with a horse lol

[millionday] The Prime Minister said, during a joint meeting session, opened a new phase in relations between the two neighbors and said: we will not only overcome the crises, but we open a new era of cooperation and develop political and economic relations in the areas of investment, energy, transport and environment,

business and the private sector to take advantage of the many available investment opportunities in Iraq, and called for the convening of a joint Conference of businessmen from both countries to discuss opportunities for collaboration in this area.

Said Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah: we have opened a new phase in the Kuwaiti-Iraq relations beyond which deal with the heavy legacy of the past to broader relations in all areas

millionday] whoop whooop

[millionday] Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, during the meeting: the State of Kuwait sent a letter to all members of the UN Security Council and the United Nations to report on the fulfilment by Iraq of its obligations and that the remaining ones can be processed under item VI.

The statement said: during the meeting it was decided that the Ministers from the two sides follow the Tenet agreement and its follow-up and implementation, and joint meeting issued the following statement:

[millionday] ‘ From the brotherly ties and relations between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq, wishing to strengthen and develop bilateral ties, pushed to a higher level in order to further communication and coordination at all levels and at the kind invitation of Nouri Kamel al-Maliki, head of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Iraq, Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait on an official visit to the Republic of Iraq on Wednesday,

in a spirit of friendship and cooperation that reflects the level of development in the bilateral relations between the two countries, the two sides held discussions During which they reviewed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries and stressed the importance of development in various fields and expressed artiahamhma of tangible progress in the areas of cooperation between the two countries and issues of common concern

[millionday] The two sides welcomed the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding covering aspects of economic, trade, cultural, environmental, diplomatic and transport,

this has cost the Government of Iraq officials positive and constructive role of the people and the Government of the State of Kuwait to help Iraq out of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations after Iraq fulfilled all its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions.

They reiterated their intention to continue and continued coordination and consultation at all regional and international developments and to promote security and stability in the region and agreed to move forward with work to promote bilateral cooperation in all fields and to open new horizons for realizing the aspirations of the leaders and peoples of the two countries.

[millionday] At the end of the visit by Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, President of the Council of Ministers of the State of Kuwait thanks and appreciation to the delegation by the warm welcome and honor of their brothers in Iraq during visit./ [millionday] wow

lorijeanmarshall] millionday When you are done can I bring in a snippet for you?

[wmawhite] millionday …………..Are they happy??? or what???

[letsroll] It would seem Iraq and Kuwait would not want to have huge different currency values to have trade & investment between the two …

[millionday] so as we see here they are to be released from chapter 7 — and it says here they are already since it said after they fulfilled and now they are moving on to next part of their new relations but the announcement from the UNSC has not been officially done yet

[lorijeanmarshall] said: that after two days will be the agreement between Iraq and Kuwait, the secretary-general of the United Nations, will be issued a decision to close all the files between the two countries, as it did not remain nothing but war reparations which paid by Iraq, which is 11 billion, and if Iraq paid the full amount will close the file.

***This time line of 2 days they are talking about with the UN puts us RIGHT at the June 14th meeting scheduled with the UNSC!!!

8:49 AM [lorijeanmarshall] ***will be issued a decision to close all the files between the two countries~per the UNSC http://peopleinvested.co ··· -imposed Full article in the forum.

wmawhite] lorijeanmarshall …..Iraq must have decided to pay the $ 11 Billion…………..yes????

[millionday] thanks hun [millionday] lets look at it all here it comes

[millionday] Description Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, visiting Prime Minister of Kuwait and his accompanying delegation to Baghdad and agree to work to remove Iraq from Chapter VII of the UN Security Council Zebari said at a joint press conference with his Kuwaiti counterpart Khaled Ahmed Sabah,

in a statement received (News Agency news) copy of it: that relations Iraq – Kuwait has helped to stimulate trade and economic relations between the two countries. added: achieved and messages that will be delivered to the Security Council is the culmination of joint action, which worked on during the past ten years, where it’s a series of cumulative meetings,

but since Last year, relations have witnessed a qualitative leap and the insistence of completion and an end to all these files that will restore Iraq to normal. said:

[lorijeanmarshall] wmawhite Yep. They decided a coupe days ago

millionday] lorijeanmarshall great work hun — good find

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Thx

[millionday] now let me say something before i bring the rest [millionday] smile

[millionday] the report i just brought was later it looks like as this appears to be before because now they are saying that all have been done and they have signed off on it all — so that means that this is where they were in the meeting and then just now this other came out so what we get from that thanks to lori and her hard work — is a look in the window at the meeting — they have completed what they set out to complete and kuwait is very happy and have announce4d to their people and the

[millionday] citizens of iraq that they are now moving forward to the many other agreements they have made — trade — economics — joint ventures ect — and have sent a letter to all the UNSC members stating just that fact so we are now cooking with gas [millionday] smile here comes the rest

[lorijeanmarshall] There were so many different versions of this article this morning, it was hard to pick just one. Belabun found the first one this morning and then it all snowballed from there. LOL

[millionday] right and this one that i just brought was upon exit and completion of the meeting in its entire thing so this is the results and girl — they couldnt be any better for us

millionday] whooop whoooop

[lorijeanmarshall] millionday Woooooo hooooooooo

[Mrs. Beans and Rice] Giant triple whooooooooooooop

[millionday] and yes they have paid according to kuwait so we should see as she was saying a release of sanctions – if not there will be more uproar than we saw last year when the vote was done this rocks

[Dianne777] millionday will that trigger the rv?

[tiger_ag] and that would be at the un meeting on the 14th?

[millionday] i have a couple more so brb

[wmawhite] Dianne777 ………the change in value is an IMF issue.

millionday] Dianne777 they will need a competitive rate to enter the world market which is the result of the lift of sanctions [millionday] i disagree smile wow — that was once my friend – lol brb with more

[wmawhite] lol

[millionday] He left Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation, the capital city of Baghdad, ending his one-day official visit. According to sources (News Agency): Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah left Heber, afternoon, inerrancy, concluding his one-day official visit, was placed at the forefront of Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and a number of Ministers and officials, the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Baghdad [millionday] brb with more

[millionday] press release today before he left

[millionday] Zebari said at a joint press conference with his Kuwaiti counterpart Khaled Ahmed Al Sabah in a statement received (News Agency) a copy of: the Iraq-Kuwait relations helped to stimulate trade and economic relations between the two countries.

He added: the messages that will be delivered to the Security Council is the culmination of our joint work during the past 10 years, so it’s a cumulative series of meetings since last year, but relations have seen a qualitative leap and to accomplish and finish all these files which return Iraq to normal.

[millionday] they are done and could be released at the meeting on the 14th and then more of its membership and ect on the meeting of the 27th — now i find it interesting that they are two weeks apart in the month of june — very interesting also that look at this

[anthonlcs] there is news about this on the fox news ticker

[millionday] the 14th is on friday and the 27th is on thursday so the weekend follows no matter but it follows for us on the 14th and them on the 27th so i find that interesting is all

[millionday] the elections for the governors went on and were successful it looks like — we will make sure for tonight [millionday] brb with more

[millionday] anthonlcs about their historic meeting you mean?

[anthonlcs] yes…it just went by…saying they signed bilateral agreements

[lorijeanmarshall] anthonlcs AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[millionday] excellent find my friend – thanks also they should have a massive report on mosaic tonight i would assume

[millionday] here is He explained: that after two days will be the agreement between Iraq and Kuwait, the secretary-general of the UN, and will issue a decision to close all the files between the two countries, as it did not remain nothing but war reparations paid by Iraq, which is 11 billion, and if Iraq paid the full amount will close the file. so the decision will be issued on the 14th nice

[millionday] i am bringing this but i cant verify it until tonight so it could be carp let me have the floor for just a sec

[millionday] The parliamentary Finance Committee, on Tuesday, said that the coming days will witness a significant decline of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar, after the new central bank measures to raise the exchange rate of the dinar.

Committee member said Haitham al-Jubouri ‘s ( IMN) “The dollar started to decline against the Iraqi dinar to the conventional level (125) thousand dinars for each $ 100,” he said, adding that he “will arrive to (120) thousand dinars per $ 100 this month.”

He said al-Jubouri, “The actions carried out by the central bank good to keep the price of the Iraqi dinar, and the most important of opening letters of credit and cash sales, which reached more than 55% of the sales total for the currency by private banks which contributed to reduce demand and increase supply

[millionday] this is the important part >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the coming days will witness a significant decline of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar, after the new central bank measures to raise the exchange rate of the dinar.

[millionday] now let me verify it by tonight through a better source — this was from a blog newspaper that does not have journalists and that is never a good thing lol

[anthonlcs] .90 cents?

[millionday] so yes i do know that is out there but we also have multiple things coming from the same source that are not true so lets see what i find on it tonight smile not going to work for iraq — sounds like the USD value though —- sure isnt a dollar lol lol

[no-regret] 120 thousand to 1 hundred is the same as 1200 to 1 dollar . i think they are referring to the street rate or auction rate here jmo

[millionday] that is the amount of the change they have already made let me say what this report said — they said all of the changes in the rate they have made in the last few months and said they are raising it significantly in the next couple of days — this is huge if it is true — because it is a revalue

[millionday] everyone is confused about the translation a little the amounts are talking about the changes that already occurred but the one part is saying they are rving in the next few days or days to come as they put it

[millionday] so that is it for roundtable my friends — and wow we have waited a long time for this one so be here tonight i am supposed to be getting some raw news and that doesnt happen often

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Both Iraq & Kuwait representatives head to UN to request relieving Iraq from 7th Chapter

Baghdad (AIN) -The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hoshyar Zebari, announced that both the Iraq and Kuwait’s representatives headed to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to present him the file of relieving Iraq from the burdens of the 7th Chapter of UN Charter.

In a joint press conference with his Kuwaiti Counterpart, Subah Khalid al-Subah, Zebari said “Both of Iraq and Kuwait’s representatives will request the UNSG to relieve Iraq from the 7th Chapter.”

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Eyes 29% Boost in Oil Production By 2014

BAGHDAD (AP) — A senior Iraqi official on Wednesday said his country expects to ramp up oil production to 4.5 million barrels per day by the end of next year from around 3.5 million barrels now, thanks to work by a handful of international oil companies developing the country’s prized oil and gas fields.

Oil revenues make up 95% of the country’s budget.

The chairman of the prime minister’s advisory commission, Thamir Ghadhban, also said that resource-rich Iraq, which sits atop the world’s fourth largest proven reserves of conventional crude, is also aiming to produce 9 million barrels a day by 2020.

The 2014 target would boost oil production 29%; the 2020 goal represents an increase of 157%.

Ghadhban, a former oil minister, made the comments at a ceremony in Baghdad to lay out a long-term energy plan that sets policies and recommendations to develop infrastructure, satisfy local demand, diversify the economy, create jobs and improve living standards.

The Integrated National Energy Strategy says Iraq needs to see $ 620 billion invested in its oil and gas and related industries through 2030. It suggests that Iraq could generate about $ 6 trillion based on an estimated price of about $ 100 for per barrel of oil.

Benchmark oil prices were trading above $ 95 a barrel Wednesday.

Iraq has been struggling to develop its oil and gas reserves after years of war, international sanctions and neglect. Foreign companies with the resources and expertise were hesitant to come in after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion due to deteriorated security situation. But since 2008 when security situation started to improve, Iraq has awarded more than a dozen oil and gas deals to international energy companies such as U.S. Exxon Mobil, UK’s BP, France’s Total and others.

Since then, daily oil production increased remarkably from around 2.4 million barrels a day to around 3.4 million barrels a day now and exports from less than 2 million barrels a day to 2.4 million barrels a day now.

Although the plan was approved by the Cabinet in April, it is unclear if the government will be able to implement it.

Baghdad-based analyst and former planning minister Mahdi al-Hafidh said the plan is “very important” for the future of Iraq, but political infighting and instability could hamper it.

“There is no doubt that it is very important to guarantee political stability, to defuse political tension and to enable the government to have real authority all over the country,” al-Hafidh told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the ceremony.

But he said a solution of the country’s current acute crisis must come first. The last months have seen increasing polarization between the Shiite-led government and Sunni Arabs as well as the worst wave of violence in years.

Iraq’s daily production and export could see bigger contribution from the oil-rich, self-ruled northern Kurdish region, but a payment row with the Arab-led government prompted the Kurds to suspend exports through Baghdad-run pipelines.

Also Wednesday, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister for energy Hussain al-Shahristani said there is still no agreement between the two sides to resume oil exports despite a visit by the prime minister to the Kurdish region on Sunday in a bid to improve their strained relations.

The Kurds have unilaterally signed dozens of oil exploration deals with foreign energy companies over the objections of Baghdad, which maintains that they are they illegal. Early this year the Kurds began trucking oil through Turkey to the international market, prompting charges of smuggling and threats of lawsuits from Baghdad.

The rights to develop natural resources are part of a long-running dispute between Arab-led government in Baghdad and the Kurds that also involves territory and the allocation of money.

By Sinan Salaheddin

Assyrian International News Agency

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister: our discussions with Iraq is successful and we have made progress in binary files

6-12-13 Baghdad (newsletter). Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that Iraq wants to strengthen its relationship with the State of Kuwait.

While the Deputy Foreign Minister said Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah at a joint press conference with Zebari: that our discussions with brotherly Iraq was successful and we have made progress in the files relating to the obligations of Iraq and Kuwait.

He said the Conference, which was attended by (News Agency): that Kuwait would be the Security Council the progress made for the purpose of transporting Iraq from Chapter VII to item VI of the Charter of the United Nations/finished

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq announces lifting of Chapter VII of the end of the current month

6-12-13 Twilight News / Iraqi government said Wednesday that the UN Security Council will meet later this month and issue a decision as Iraq moves from the provisions of Chapter VII to Chapter VI.

He said Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said in a joint press conference with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sabah Al-Sabah in Baghdad attended by “Twilight News” that Iraq has all international Altazamth towards Kuwait in preparation for the exit from the provisions of Chapter VII.

The Kuwaiti Prime Minister Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to Baghdad on Wednesday on an official visit, accompanied by a number of ministers and Kuwaiti officials.

Zebari stressed that the Kuwaiti delegation’s visit resulted in the signing of six agreements between Iraq and Kuwait on aspects of cultural, environmental, economic and international transport services.

For his part, Foreign Minister Sabah al-Sabah said his country would be happy to exit Iraq from the provisions of Chapter VII, stressing that the coming period will witness significant progress on the level of bilateral relations with Iraq in various fields.

Sabah said that the visit that took place the day of the Kuwaiti delegation to Iraq will open new horizons for cooperation between the two countries, stressing that Iraq is one of the large and influential countries and represents a fundamental pillar in the security and stability in the region.

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Increasingly Drawn Into Syrian Battlefield

BAGHDAD (AP) — Signs are growing that stretches of Iraq and Syria are morphing into a single battlefield for militants, exacerbating Iraq’s slide into renewed deadly chaos a year and a half after U.S. troops pulled out.

Iraqi border posts along the Syrian frontier are coming under attack, and Syrian truck drivers have been singled out and shot inside Iraq. Syrian soldiers earlier this year sought refuge across the border, only to be massacred by al-Qaida.

Combat-hardened Iraqi fighters, meanwhile, are crisscrossing the frontier. Al-Qaida-linked Sunni militants are cooperating with hard-line Islamists among the Syrian rebels, while Iraqi Shiite fighters are joining militiamen from Lebanon’s Hezbollah to fight alongside forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s Iranian-backed regime. U.S. officials believe Iranian arms are still being shuttled to Damascus through Iraqi airspace.

“What is going on in Syria has a big, clear impact on us … especially since there are attempts to move the battle to Iraq,” said Ali al-Moussawi, spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

It’s happening as the deadly drumbeat of violence is growing louder across Iraq. Nearly 2,000 lives have been violently snuffed out across the country since the start of April.

The extent of the killing hasn’t been this bad for half a decade, when Iraq’s last tip toward civil war was easing and American troops were still here to help keep the peace. Attackers killed more than 60 people in a relentless wave of bombings on Monday. Another nine were slain Tuesday.

“The events in the past three or four months prove that the violence in Iraq and Syria are two sides of the same coin,” said Haider Ayed, a 35-year-old math teacher and father of two in Baghdad’s southwestern Bayaa neighborhood. “We are going through a very dangerous period.”

It’s a worrying trend for the United States, which is mulling whether to arm Syria’s rebels even as it adapts to a new relationship with Iraq following a divisive war that claimed nearly 4,500 American and more than 100,000 Iraqi lives.

The spokesman for the American Embassy in Baghdad, Frank Finver, said the U.S. shares Iraqi government concerns about the level of violence in Syria, as well as about extremists who are trying to capitalize on the situation in Syria and incite violence inside Iraq.

The U.S., Finver added, is working with allies and moderate members of the Syrian opposition to isolate extremists and “ensure their violent and divisive ideology does not take root in Syria or spill over into Iraq.”

Iraq officially remains neutral in the Syrian conflict. Al-Maliki has repeatedly called for a peaceful, political solution to the crisis, though he has also warned that a victory for the rebels would unleash sectarian war in Iraq and Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari insisted that Iraq has no official or military role in the civil war, and said Baghdad does not encourage the movement of any Iraqi fighters to Syria.

Still, the cross-border violence continues. An Iraqi border guard was killed and two others were wounded Sunday in clashes with fighters the Interior Ministry said were members of the Free Syrian Army rebel group. Border guards thwarted two other attempts by gunmen and smugglers to sneak into Iraq from Syria, officials said.

The long and porous border runs along Iraq’s Sunni-dominated provinces of Anbar and Ninevah, and was a key conduit for arms and al-Qaida fighters in the years following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Centuries-old cultural and tribal affiliations span the loosely defended desert frontier.

A Western diplomat in Baghdad described Iraq’s control of the border with Syria as limited.

“With all the air power and surveillance the (U.S.-led) coalition had, it did not fully control that border,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly. “On the border area there is a nexus of smuggling and informal links and trade.”

Sadoun al-Shaalan, a provincial councilman in Anbar province, said clashes along the border between Iraqi forces and gunmen from Syria are growing more frequent. He attributed the uptick to a rise in smugglers profiting from the war as well as insurgents shuttling fighters back and forth.

Iraqi army units deployed near urban centers within the province — where anti-government sentiment is strong — are often unwilling to confront insurgents deep in the desert because they lack sufficient aerial support and experience in the harsh, remote environment, he added.

“Most of the time, the gunmen and smugglers have better weapons and equipment than our units,” he said.

Iraq’s isolated western desert was the scene of the country’s deadliest incident of spillover from the Syrian conflict — a March attack in which 51 Syrian soldiers were killed. The Syrian troops had retreated into Iraq after their border post was attacked by rebels, and were later ambushed, along with their Iraqi military escorts, in a highly organized assault involving explosives, gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades unleashed by al-Qaida’s Iraq arm.

The militant group, known as the Islamic State of Iraq, linked the mission directly to the conflict in Syria, saying it planned the raid following “the blessed operations carried out by our brothers in Syria.”

The group has since attempted to frame its cause as part of a broader cross-border battle. Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi went so far as to announce a merger in April with Syria’s Jabhat al-Nusra, the most powerful rebel force fighting to topple Assad. Al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammad al-Golani quickly distanced himself from that takeover attempt.

Al-Qaida’s central leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, has tried to end the squabbling. He released a statement this week ordering the two groups to remain separate and not to attack one another, while saying both of their leaders could keep their posts.

Syrians were also targeted in Iraq earlier this month when gunmen set up a fake checkpoint on a main highway linking Baghdad to Syria and Jordan. The gunmen killed three Syrian truck drivers and burned their rigs.

Al-Shaalan, the provincial council member, said the attackers managed to operate their checkpoint for a full hour and then got away with several hostages without any resistance from the Iraqi military.

Anthony Cordesman, a longtime observer of Iraq as an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, questions the lack of American attention on Iraq, particularly in light of Washington’s efforts to isolate Iran, Syria’s main patron.

“For all the current attention to Syria, Iraq is the larger and more important state,” he wrote in a commentary this month. A slide toward civil war inside Iraq will push its majority Shiites closer to Iran and Syria, he predicted.

“If Assad survives and the Arab Gulf states continue to isolate Iraq, the largely token U.S. presence in Iraq is likely to become irrelevant and Iraq is likely to become part of a Shiite axis going from Lebanon to Iran,” Cordesman wrote. “If Assad falls … Iran seems likely to do everything it can to replace its ties to Syria with influence in Iraq.”

By Adam Schreck

Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Sinan Salaheddin and Sameer N. Yacoub in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Assyrian International News Agency

Iraq: High inflation recorded in May

The Ministry of Planning high annual inflation index for the month of May compared with May of last year by 1.1%.

Said a ministry statement received by the agency “WAM” a copy of it, that “the inflation index for the month of May last year fell by 1.3% compared with April the previous year, noting that the general index of consumer prices was (142.2%) in the month of May.”

The ministry added that “the Central Bureau of Statistics completed the inflation report for the month of May 2013 which was prepared on the basis of field data collection for prices of goods and services components of the consumer basket of selected sample of sales outlets in all governorates of Iraq.”

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Political problems behind deteriorated trade movement in Iraq, says MP

6-10-13 Baghdad (AIN) -MP Salman al-Musawi, member of the parliament Economic Committee attributed the deterioration of the trade movement in Iraq to the political problems.

Musawi stated to All Iraq News Agency (AIN) “The trade movement witnessed backwardness due to the recent events, but it can be addressed through resolving the political problems,” noting “any political problem has negative impact on both the security and the economic files.”

He called all the political blocs “to pay attention to the country’s interest and settle the disputes.”

He called to “legislate the laws that would help boost the investment and the commercial movement,” pointing out that “The parliament approved a group of laws pertaining to the economy such as the tariff and the local products protection law and others, but unfortunately all these laws are not approved by the Council of Ministers yet for frail reasons.” /End/

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Hit By Wave of Bombings; Dozens Dead

BAGHDAD (AP) — A wave of car bombings rocked central and northern Iraq on Monday, killing at least 39 people and extending the deadliest eruption of violence to hit the country in years.

Attackers initially targeted market-goers early in the morning, then turned their sights on police posts after sunset. Security forces scrambled to contain the violence, blocking a key road in central Iraq and imposing a curfew in the former Sunni insurgent stronghold of Mosul after the blasts went off.

Killing in Iraq has spiked to levels not seen since 2008. The surge in bloodshed, which follows months of protests by the country’s Sunni Arab minority against the Shiite-led government, is raising fears that Iraq is heading for another bout of uncontrollable sectarian violence.

The upsurge comes as foreign fighters are increasingly pouring into neighboring Syria, where a grueling civil war has taken on sectarian overtones similar to those that pushed Iraq to the brink of its own civil war in 2006 and 2007.

Syria’s conflict is fueling sectarian tensions inside Iraq, with Iraqi al-Qaida-linked militants cooperating with ideological allies among the Syrian rebels, while Iraqi Shiite militants increasingly fight alongside forces loyal to Syria’s Iranian-backed regime.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s attacks — as has been the case for much of the violence in recent weeks — but coordinated car bombings in civilian areas are frequently the work of al-Qaida’s front group in Iraq, known as the Islamic State of Iraq.

Monday’s deadliest single attack hit Diyala province when three parked car bombs exploded virtually simultaneously around a wholesale fruit and vegetable market at the height of business in the town of Jidaidat al-Shatt. The town is just outside the provincial capital of Baqouba, about 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

The blasts killed 15 people and wounded 46. Soon after the explosions, security forces sealed the roads linking Baqouba to Baghdad in an apparent effort to prevent further attacks.

Shortly after midday, another car bomb went off near a fish market in the northern Baghdad suburb of Taji, killing seven shoppers and wounding 25, police said.

In the northern city of Tuz Khormato, police said a parked car bomb exploded near a small outdoor market just before the sunset, killing three people and wounding 22. The town is about 200 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad.

Baqouba and the surrounding Diyala province were once the site of some of the fiercest fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents in Iraq, and it remains a hotbed for terrorist attacks. The area is religiously mixed and witnessed some of the worst atrocities as Shiite militias battled Sunni insurgents for control in the years after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The three car bombs used in the attack near Baqouba were deployed in different locations in and around the market in order to inflict the most damage and casualties, police said. One of the vehicles was a pickup truck loaded with produce that was parked inside the market.

Last Friday, Diyala was the site of another deadly bombing. A suicide attacker drove an explosives-laden car into a bus carrying Iranian Shiite pilgrims visiting holy shrines in Iraq, killing 11 and wounding more than two dozen. The attack took place in the town of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad.

Provincial councilman Sadiq al-Husseini blamed that attack and Monday’s bombing in the produce market on al-Qaida-linked groups.

“When the grip is tightened on these groups, they resort to random attacks on residents and foreign pilgrims in order to show to the people that they are still active,” he said. “Our security forces still lack intelligence and bomb detecting equipment” to stop such attacks, he said.

In the evening, a rapid-fire wave of car bombings erupted in the volatile northern city of Mosul, killing at least 14 and wounding dozens.

Police in Mosul said one suicide bomber rammed his car into a police post, killing seven police and one civilian.

In another attack, a bomber detonated his vehicle at a security checkpoint, killing three. A similar attack on another checkpoint killed three police.

Mosul authorities imposed a curfew on the city. Mosul, the capital of Ninevah province, which borders Syria, has been one of the hardest areas to tame since bloodshed erupted after the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.

Hospital officials confirmed the death tolls. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the details to reporters.

According to the United Nations, at least 1,045 Iraqi civilians and security personnel were killed in May. The tally surpassed April’s 712 killed — at the time, Iraq’s deadliest month since 2008. According to an Associated Press count, more than 100 people have been killed so far in June.

Assyrian International News Agency

Iraq thwarts attack on two oil wells in Kirkuk

6-10-13 Twilight News / security sources said oil and Iraqi police foiled, on Monday, an attempt to blow up oil wells in the vicinity of the city of Kirkuk, adding that exports to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey was not affected.

alt Officials at the North Oil Company run by the state, told Reuters seen by “Twilight News” The bombs discovered near the raw wells تنتجان the Bai Hassan field, which currently pumps about 150 thousand barrels per day.

The police official said that the oil guards noticed in the Bai Hassan oil field strange device connected to electrical wires near one of the oil wells and summoned police explosives experts who have discovered two more bombs next to the other wells.

No group claimed responsibility, but several armed factions operating in Kirkuk as waging Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda frequent attacks on security forces and oil installations in an attempt to undermine the Shiite-led government.

The militants have stepped up in recent attacks on oil export pipeline in the north in a sign of the challenges faced by Iraq to protect the oil infrastructure facilities at a time when re-building industry crushed by years of war and sanctions.

And stop the flow of crude oil from Iraq to Turkey through a pipeline Kirkuk – Ceyhan in May because of repeated attacks.

The attacks were aimed mostly oil tanker pipe but started moving towards the oil installations, where he defeated Iraq in recent al-Qaeda planned to blow up an oil facility in Baghdad.

The violence peaked since the beginning of the year after the organization stepped up the Islamic State of Iraq, a local wing of al Qaeda and other Islamist militants attacks in an attempt to raise sectarian conflict on a large scale.

The issue most Iraqi oil from the southern port of Basra but slightly less than 400 thousand barrels per day – a quarter of the total exports – is pumped through the Kirkuk pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Deadly car bombs hit Iraq market

A spate of car bombings have hit a market in central Iraq killing at least 13 civilians and wounding 30 others, officials say.

A police officer said three parked car bombs exploded virtually simultaneously early on Monday, tearing through a wholesale vegetable and fruit market in the town of Jadidat al-Shatt in Diala province, just outside the provincial capital of Baquba some 60km northeast of Baghdad.

The officer added that the death toll could rise.

No group claimed the attack, but Iraq is facing a surge in sectarian violence that officials blame on Sunni insurgents determined to drag the country into a civil war.

Violence has spiked in Iraq in recent weeks, raising fears of a return to widespread sectarian bloodshed.

According to the United Nations, at least 1,045 Iraqi civilians and security personnel were killed in May. The tally surpassed April’s 712 killed.

144

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE)

Bureaucracy Hampers Iraq Car Bombing Probes

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Byzantine rules regulating the sale of used cars in Iraq have hamstrung investigators hunting the owners of vehicles used as car bombs in a wave of violence last month, police say.

The surge in violence meant May was Iraq’s deadliest month since 2008, with the UN warning that unrest was ready to “explode” amid widespread fears of a revival of the country’s brutal sectarian war.

At least 34 car bombs exploded during the month, and the authorities are now struggling to identify the owners of vehicles used to launch the wave of carnage.

Investigators blame the rules governing the sale of used cars. These were initially put in place as a temporary measure during the chaos that followed the 2003 US-led invasion but have yet to be fully phased out.

“The security forces have managed to get some licence plate numbers for the cars that were blown up,” a senior security official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“But we are facing some difficulty in finding their owners.”

“Some of these cars have been sold more than a dozen times. When we start searching, we end up with no address for the actual owner.”

Iraq was flooded with new cars after 2003 when import duties were slashed, but many were driven for months without any registration documents.

Authorities eventually put temporary measures in place, issuing interim black licence plates to cars bought after the invasion, instead of the white number plates that were prevalent beforehand.

It had been planned that those measures would quickly be phased out, but they stayed in place for several years.

Setting up a vehicle registration database took longer than first mooted, which meant owners selling their cars were unable to fully transfer ownership under the interim system.

Instead, buyers and sellers exchanged notarised court documents indicating the change of ownership — and the more times a car was sold, the longer the paper trail.

While a new system has been put in place for newly purchased cars, those bought in the interim have yet to be properly registered.

As a result, the authorities have no centralised database identifying the current owners of an estimated 600,000 cars bought in the interim, and many of these have been sold on several times.

Security officials say many of vehicles used as car bombs in the recent wave of attacks were bought in that time, bearing black licence plates, making it difficult to identify their owners.

Tough new restrictions have now been placed on cars with black plates in an attempt to combat the rise in violence.

This has caused problems for many with interim plates, among them taxi driver Mohammed Karim.

“The slow pace of the registration of vehicles is a big joke,” the father of three said.

“These restrictions have hurt my livelihood instead of punishing a government which has failed to record the details of these cars for 10 years.”

Others have suffered even worse knock-on effects.

A week ago, police investigating twin car bombings in the Habibiyah neighbourhood on May 27 questioned Emad al-Azzawi and searched his house, alleging that his black-plated car had been used.

Azzawi, a mechanic, told AFP by telephone from a police station in Baghdad that he produced paperwork supporting his claim that while he was the vehicle’s original owner, he had sold it on.

But police were apparently unable to locate the most recent driver and instead arrested Azzawi, as the documented owner of the vehicle.

Asked about his case, a senior security official said Azzawi would probably be released, but human rights groups say systems of arbitrary arrest and long periods of detention without charge are rife within Iraq’s justice system.

The lack of proper registration systems for cars on Baghdad’s streets has caused government concern as well, with deputy interior minister Adnan al-Assadi claiming the police were using every available resource to identify the owners.

But in a television interview, Assadi admitted that the lack of a centralised system for tracking vehicle ownership was a “major security defect.”

By Ammar Karim

Assyrian International News Agency

Shaping Good Health for Iraq

6-9-13 Iraq Business News:   From May 27-28, renowned regional and international healthcare experts convened at the Iraq Healthcare Conference 2013 in Erbil, Iraq (Kurdistan Region) to discuss the current state of the Iraqi health system and to develop urgently needed strategies to shape a strong public health system for Iraqi citizens. The Iraqi health system is in pressing need of targeted investments to ensure a brighter future for the health of all Iraqi people.

Covering all aspects from medical education to health insurance to hospital management, the conference participants agreed on lack of expertise and leadership skills as decisive flaw of the Iraqi healthcare sector. Professor Salman Rawaf of WHO Centre Imperial College London called for a thorough review of Ministry of Health & Governorates structures and functions, pointing out that key players in politics must be moved and the Ministry of Health instead be staffed “with doctors and healthcare specialists at State Secretary level.” Rawaf harshly criticized that the lack of medical expertise and leadership skills in the ministry led to a waste of resources, seeing that “the Ministry of Health every year sends back 60% of its budget to the Ministry of Finance, as they do not know where to invest.”

Conference participants were further reprehensive of poor quality in (continuing) medical education, hospital standards and the lack of regulations and proper legal frameworks. Delegates from Healthcare Accreditation Council Jordan and Logistics for Consultation and Development Egypt offered valuable case studies on how to set, implement and sanction international quality standards in health centers and hospitals. Regulations and accreditation for medical staff in Iraq, according to some of the experts, are so poor that anyone can open a medical practice, regardless of whether they ever went to medical school.

In a panel discussion on health system finance, Dr. Finn Goldner, Ex-Director of Health Finance System for Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Jamal Asfour, CEO of Asia Insurance, covered the pros and cons of introducing mandatory health insurance in Iraq, with a population increasingly claiming their right to health from the state. When debating developments in medical equipment and technology, Royal Philips introduced some of the most efficient devices in modern oncology.

Dr. Saif AlJaibeji, Chairman of the Conference and CEO of the Cambridge Academy for Higher Education, expressed his satisfaction with the event, “We are more than happy with the high-level discussions we have had here in Erbil. I very much look forward to a continuous constructive dialogue with the conference participants over the next 12 months until we reconvene in Erbil to assess the progress being achieved by the Iraqi government and private sector with regards to healthcare provision for Iraqi citizens.”

Alongside local partners IFP Iraq, organizers of the annual Iraq Medicare Exhibition, the Cambridge Academy for Higher Education functioned as academic partner to the conference organizers Sesam Business Consultants and zenith Magazine.

For Boris Ritter, General Manager of Sesam Business Consultants, this year’s conference was just the first step, “This year we laid the foundation for what is to become the largest annual health conference in Iraq. Now we will process the findings of the discussions in a comprehensive report to make them available to the wider academic and business community.” The date for the next edition of the Iraq Healthcare Conference has been set already: May 27-28, 2014. For more information, please visit the conference website.

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Maliki: I will tell Barzani there is no such thing as self-determination and federal Iraq is one

6-8-13 Range Press / Baghdad:   Showed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s willingness to meet with regional president Massoud Barzani during his visit to Arbil, “if the availability of the meeting” and confirmed that what he will say to Barzani is that Iraq is “a democratic, federal,” and stressed that according to this definition, it is “there is no such thing as a report determination, “stressing that it should be any talks between the parties in order to resolve differences within the ceiling of the Constitution and unified Iraq.

Maliki said in an interview with Al-Iraqiya semi-official broadcast Saturday afternoon and seen by (range Press) “I have no personal issue with the head of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, the availability of the meeting,” and added, “but does not mean that at the meeting to leave commitments and constants.”

He Maliki that “the conference host President Evacuee Islamic Supreme Ammar al-Hakim in the first of June was to meet a symbolic reconciliation,” noting “We drank tea and تصافحنا from beyond that and Parliament Speaker Osama Najafi and I told him I did not kill your father did not kill you and my father but our disagreement on how to manage the state and the application of the Constitution and commitment. ”

Maliki stressed that “the differences with the leaders is not a personal Lacan with the speaker of parliament or the head of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani,” noting “We talked on the agreements and consensus and where irregularities but now in order to open the files should keep the ceiling, a constitution and then go down to the details.”

He said al-Maliki “I met Othaor and we went to Erbil is not a private visit I do, or at the invitation is to hold a meeting of the Council of Ministers as Akdnha in Mosul and Basra and the other on the grounds that Erbil is also part of Iraq,” stressing saying, “I do not close the door to meet a I would not say to Mr. Massoud Barzani, but a republican, democratic Iraq governed by federal Constitution Come نتوافق the building on it. ”

Maliki stressed that “the definition of the state of Iraq in the Constitution is the Republic of federal democracy and that Iraq is a country of one,” he continued, “This means there is no such thing as self-determination because we decided determination when we put the constitution and put that Iraq is one country, democratic, federal,” stressing that “this is any ceiling talks and the Constitution governs it and we will say Come to apply the Constitution to all aspects of life where we are. ”

Maliki interview comes one day before his scheduled visit, on Sunday, (9 June 2013), to the city of Arbil to hold a Cabinet meeting in the capital of the Kurdistan region.

The head of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, counting on May 31, 2013, that the Kurdish issue has become “living its golden age” because opponents in the position of “weak” also confirmed, on 11 May 2013, that the new Iraq, which “contributed to the province to build” can not govern, “but the real national partnership and consensus between all its components.”

The head of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, in (12 April 2013), his assurances that the Kurds “are not ready to live under oppression and tyranny” in the case of failure to resolve the political problems in Iraq, and stressed that the social situation in the Kurdistan region, “walking at a steady pace forward.”

The Barzani returned to renew confirm his fears, on April 14, 2013, from the return of dictatorship in Iraq While he stressed that he would not accept “absolutely no attempt to remove the political process derailed democratic or abandonment of consensus and partnership real, also renewed Tlouhah other options in If ever the situation as it is now.

The head of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani announced, (March 14, 2013), that the cause of the crisis through which Iraq is currently “not to abide by the constitution,” which defined the duties and rights of all the parties, and between that the solution lies “in the implementation of the Convention on Arbil” because it is a road map to save Iraq, and stressed that the Kurds will not accept subordination and their key role in the new Iraq commensurate with the size of the sacrifices they have made for this role and asked, “Are we partners If yes Fenrid already and if not Vleslk each way appropriate,” and stressed that “there is no person capable of the treachery of the Iraqi people after all these victims that we have provided, “and underlined that” everyone should expect to work on the report of our own destiny. ”

The Kurdish forces met in the (April 1, 2013) and confirmed that it would resort to “appropriate options” in case of failure to take the National Alliance practical steps and procedures for the application of the partnership and consensus in the central government, and confirmed those forces as keen on the Protection of the Constitution and the values ​​of partnership and balance and national consensus, stressing a genuine partnership and consensus and balance as the basis for any solution Matrouh and without meeting these conditions become open to all options.

He called on the President of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, in the 18 of February, 2013, to correct the course of the process of governance in the country, demanding that Kurdish political parties to “unite discourse” They call themselves which was launched in January 24, 2013, which stressed the correct path process Iraq’s political, stressing that the current situation is unsustainable.

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

CBI has been working on getting their banking to a place where it can support a future Iraq

Saturday, 08 June, 2013 | Shredd

6-8-2013 Newshound Guru Shredd we can see that the CBI has been working on getting their banking to a place where it can support a future Iraq. Another article shows us that enhanced banking systems are a continued need. We continually are seeing regulatory and supervisory involvement of the CBI, in coordination with the government and local banks, in addressing the pricing versus the exchange rate of the dinar and dollar. The same goes for the monitoring and evaluation.

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Maliki’s visit to Erbil affirms that the Kurds, Region are inseparable part of Iraq

Baghdad (NINA) – Lawmaker from the State of Law Alliance, Fatima al-Zirqani, said that, “The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to Erbil affirms that the Kurds and Kurdistan Region are inseparable part of Iraq.”

In a statement to the press on Friday, June 7, Zirqani said that Miliki’s visit to Erbil is going to refute all recent allegations that problems between the Federal Government and the Government of Kurdistan Region are unsolvable, and there is disaffection between the two governments.

She added that the visit will break the ice between the two, and is going to activate concluded agreements between the two governments, as well as to discuss results of joint committees.

The Cabinet is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Sunday in Erbil.

The Prime Minister’s Media Advisor, Ali al-Musawi, said that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is going to chair a joint meeting of the Federal and the Region governments to discuss issues of common interest.

Mosawi added that during the visit, Maliki is to meet with the Region’s President, Masssoud Barazani, and other political leaders. / End.

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

MP attributes deterioration of banking sector in Iraq to political disputes

6-7-13 Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) MP, Younam Yohana, of the Parlaimentary Economic Committee attributed the deterioration of the banking sector in Iraq to the political disputes and the observatory sides such as the parliament.

Speaking to Iraqi News (IraqiNews.com), he said “The corruption in Iraq has a big role in the deterioration of the banking sector in Iraq where it must be eliminated, but the political disputes and the lack of experience also has a role in this deterioration.”

“There should be some means and techniques to avoid wasting the public fund,” he added, noting that “The accusations against some officials are behind the deterioration of the banking sector.”

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Suicide Bombing Kills Iranian Pilgrims In Iraq

Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has killed at least nine Iranian pilgrims and injured at least 25 others north of Baghdad.

Police said the attacker rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a convoy of buses carrying Iranian Shi’ite pilgrims.

The pilgrims were on their way to the holy city of Najaf. The attack occurred near Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers from the Iraqi capital.

Najaf, which lies some 170 kilometers south of Baghdad, is the location of a shrine to a revered figure in Shi’ite Islam.

Hundreds have been killed in recent months in Iraq in a series of attacks between Sunnis and Shi’a, raising fears of a large-scale sectarian conflict in the country.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

Barzani, Hakim discuss developments of political situations in Iraq

Ammar+al+Hakim+Body+Senior+Shiite+Leader+Arrives+Zd9cUpbVbrDx

Thursday, 06 June, 2013 | IraqiNews.com

6-6-13 Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Presidency of Kurdistan Regional Government reported in statement received by IraqiNews.com ”The President of KR, Masoud Barzani, met the Head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, Ammar al-Hakim at Salah-il-Din Resort and they discussed the current political updates as well as the security situation.””The two sides agreed upon the importance of re-adopting the basics principals of new Iraq and considering the citizens demands to establish security and to avoid violence,” the statement added.According to observers, the Head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, Ammar al-Hakim seeks to unite political entities to solve all pending issues among them. \END\

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Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq tip-toed right over Chpt 7 and they’re in Chpt 6

Frank26 IQD Conference Call after Investment Night….Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Notes: BulldogFord65

BulldogFord65: Hello Frank: Thank you to you and Delta for an exemplary CC!!! The family — and the rest of the web for that matter — are indebted to you both for this incredible call! We’re Keeping the Faith — Always!! Thank you, brothers!

Delta joined Frank for this call…

Preview of tonight’s call from Frank:

• Delta has been on assignment for a while

• Notice that Frank talked about “packages” and 3 days later the articles came out about “packages”

• Frank just told us about the “National Meeting” on Monday, and today we saw the articles about “National Meeting”

• Why did they wait so long for this meeting? It’s incredible to have 5 of the leaders together, and then today, another meeting with Barzani and Maliki – incredible! WHY NOW????

• Iraq tip-toed right over Chpt 7 and they’re in Chpt 6; it’s all over Iraqiya TV; focus on Chpt 6

• Where’s the PM of Kuwait? There are threats against him so the chpt 7 signing was delayed for security reasons

• There is a date that’s official for the payment of government employees: June 19; about 78% of the workforce of Iraq are paid by the government (GOI employees, pensioners, soldiers, police, etc); the majority of people are about to get paid – why? Is there a basket of currencies revaluing?

• Delta has news on the CBI/IMF exchange rate posting

************

Delta took the floor at this point:

• Looks like the long journey of the IQD is coming to an end

• Delta has been on assignment for about 10 days getting more and more info

• Delta summarized the political situation in Iraq because it’s important: Hakim is the National Coalition leader (religious coalition) and he’s very well respected, liked and popular; there was a lot of tension between Barzani, Maliki, Najafi, the Sunnis and Shias; there was a brilliant plan for the last 3 weeks to televise the people praying in a mosque of each different sect every Friday, and it was televised live (religion is very important and influences the people), after the prayers, Maliki talked, and it was very successful

• Hakim came for the National Meeting with the bloc leaders and there was also a big push from the USA

• USA will never allow Iraq to fall into civil war, will not let the plan fail, too much $ $ invested in it

• National Meeting photo with all the political bloc the leaders all holding hands broke the ice, and the now the Council of Ministers will meet this coming Sunday, this is HUGE! These leaders are like mixing water and oil, and to have them together showing unity is HUGE; this is very important for the RV and Iraq in the long run

• Seeing these images gave Delta “goose bumps” seeing these photos is really impacting the citizens

• There is no other country in the world which is receiving the international support that Iraq is receiving; it’s unprecedented, especially a nation that is still under UN sanctions?!?!

• The lower denoms are going to come out soon, the denoms will have the Kurdish language included on it which is also huge; to do this, need to show the world they are united

• Malaki under pressure to go, but he is smart – will only get rid of him by his demise, illness or the next elections are in Feb 2014; M thinks he has another chance

• Mobile phone companies in Iraq – about 2 or 3 big companies, AsiaCell is big; for AsiaCell to get licensed, they had to offer 25% of their stock for public trade (legal requirement); their IPO raised about $ 1.3 billion; another company, Zen, who has revenue of approx. $ 4.5 billion with net income around $ 900 million, it’s approx. 22% owned by Kuwait; the 25% mandated IPO was 55 million shares at 1 IQD per share, so 55 million IQD, or at today’s rate, is less than US$ 55,000; why would a $ 4.5billion company bother to come into Iraq to make less than $ 55,000???? Of course not, unless they know something about the rate of the IQD increasing – at 1:1, it would be US$ 55million

• Same as with AsiaCell, their IPO shares were penny stocks, $ 0.02 per share, they will be trading on ISX on Tuesday at 1 IQD per share; this tells us about the rate! This should get us excited!

• Announcement of Chpt 7 to Chpt 6 on Iraqiya TV; we’ve been waiting to see the PM of Kuwait come to sign off Chpt 7; a lot of people do not want to see Iraq to succeed due to jealousy and they threatened the PM of Kuwait with shooting down his plane if he went to Iraq, etc, so they had to come up with another plan – signed letters of agreement and went around chpt 7 and used chpt 6; even though still officially under chpt 7, most economic sanctions lifted and many other freedoms restored

• On June 27 the UN Security Council will meet on formally releasing Iraq from chpt 7; this is really good! Move to chpt 6 is all over Iraqiya TV; official announcement must come from UN

• Next month, Great Britain takes the UN Security Council chair, so they will make the formal announcement

• The only thing that remains is the rate for the IQD

• CBI did not hold any auctions Monday and Tuesday; there was a holiday, Mon – Wed; it is possible that when CBI opens back up on Thursday (8 AM) they could pull the trigger on the rate; it could happen at any day – it’s a “nanosecond by nanosecond basis”!!!

• There was a lot of confusion on the forum about the 1000:1 ; this was actually Dr Shabibi’s plan in the beginning, but then it was changed due to the delays; Delta got confirmation that they will NOT come out at 1000:1, the 3 zeros will just be lifted and the 3 zero notes taken from the street as they are cashed in

• The CBI will never and cannot control the market price of the IQD!! The only way the CBI can influence the market is by increasing the rate

• Sources say in their opinion the rate is to come out in “early June” which is Jun 1 – 14; 15th is mid-June, however, no one knows the date or rate, so if we don’t see it by the end of June, don’t be upset – we’ve waited 10 years, a couple of weeks doesn’t matter

• Look around and see what’s happening, it’s not coincidence; the rate must come out soon; remember, Iraq doesn’t have any money! No one has been paid (reference to the 78% of the population whose income is from the GOI) AND, Iraq owes $ 11billion to Kuwait; Iraq’s budget is approx. $ 100billion per month with approx. $ 70billion per month in just salaries, AND 5% goes to Kuwait – they don’t have enough money to pay everybody; there are private contractors that haven’t been paid in about a year and citizens that haven’t been paid in about 6 months

• Frank asked Delta if he agrees that we will never see S go back to the CBI? Delta agreed, we will not see him go back. Frank’s opinion is that he will go to the World Bank/IMF; for now he is being protected by the USA and being kept in Jordan; Do Not Look for S to come back unless M is removed – likely M will not go before the RV, after the RV, it will be easier to get rid of M

• Frank asked Delta about the National Meeting; Delta said the international support is for Iraq to succeed and be a model in the ME; it really brought excitement to see the leaders holding hands, especially M and Najafi; the importance is the laws that need to be passed – to see the unity signals that we should see the laws get passed quickly (HCL, Erbil, etc); Delta believes that M must stay until the RV after that ??? but he has 6 or 7 months until the next election, maybe he can change and the people will like him and elect him again – Frank thinks M will not change

• Frank’s observation that the family needs to be patient and not keep demanding when will the RV happen, why it hasn’t happened yet, and instead use the time to praise God and get prepared! Relax! This is so close!!! Are you really ready?? Don’t worry about chpt 7 – Franks opinion that the files have been transferred into Chpt 6

• June is an amazing month – promise date to pay the citizens on the 19th, and UN Security Council vote on lifting Chpt 7 on the 27th ; of course this makes the entire month of June the time frame for study

• About 78% of the work force is paid by the GOI from the janitor to the Finance Minister; approx. 80% of the monthly budget goes to pay salaries; the 2013 budget has not been opened yet because they “don’t have the key” yet

• There are the private contractors needing back pay for the last year, the citizens who have 6 months back pay coming, and the oil revenue sharing needs to be paid – to comply with Article 8, they cannot use US$ ; this means 20-30 trillion IQD is required; the only way to meet the requirements is to raise the rate!!

• Based on the examples of the 2 mobile phone companies and the money owed to contractors and citizens, it gives an idea of the rate – in Delta’s opinion, the lowest it can be is 1:1 IQD to USD; this makes it very easy for the citizens; the CBI has no choice, the rate has to be raised

• Frank said we’re looking for numbers to be posted on the IMF sheet, but they are not being shown – why? Is it because of the IQD reform or possibly impending change in UN Security Council seat? Delta’s opinion is that IQD rate is controlled by the IMF, and all the other currencies in the basket must change at the same time and all of Article 4 must be satisfied; Delta’s opinion is that M doesn’t have control, he doesn’t have the power to control the IQD, even S doesn’t have control — only the IMF is in control

• Delta said the UST lifted the sanctions recently (1-2 weeks ago) on Iraqi banks; if the UST did not lift restrictions, how could the CBI raise the rate? All evidence points to this coming to an end soon

• Frank said we don’t hear anything and then all these photos and articles came out about the National Meeting – everything hinges on needing a higher rate! Every good result from these meetings all depend on having a higher rate!

• Frank had Delta tell the family the shocking event from today is the announcement on Iraqiya TV that Iraq just began their Fiscal Year (FY) today!! The FY starts when the budget is opened! S said that the LD’s will come out when the budget is open – technically the budget starts when people get paid, but the announcement on Iraqiya TV today that the FY has started – they cannot do this without a rate!!

• Delta questioned what may be happening when M goes to Kurdistan to meet with Barzani on Sunday?? Very exciting!!

************

Bluestar came on the call at this point

• Discussion of the basket of 25 currencies, opinion that the IQD RV will be significant; and opinion that the Indonesian Rupiah may go 2 weeks after the IQD; Frank feels it’s a good back up for a back up

• Bluestar asked of all the recent events, what in Delta’s opinion is the most important? Delta replied his opinion is Kuwait signing Letter of Agreement to get Iraq out of chpt 7, and Iraq is unofficially out of chpt 7; Kuwait is happy and due to the investiture of Kuwait in Iraq, they want Iraq to succeed and make money! This also takes down Iran’s currency, and puts Iraq on top

• Bluestar commented on posting from forum member that says everything on Iraqiya TV is a lie; Delta replied yes and no – Iraqiya TV gets their news from GOI, and if the GOI gives disinformation, then it’s reported, but Iraqiya TV not intentionally reporting bad information; we are seeing now that everything on Iraqiya TV is actually playing out now, we’re seeing the truth of what’s being reported in what is happening; the rate is going up, it must, and they are saying that on Iraqiya TV

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Iraq Demands Kurdish Forces Leave Disputed Areas

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraq’s interior ministry on Wednesday issued a strongly-worded call for forces loyal to the northern Kurdish region to withdraw from several disputed areas, threatening a fragile peace after a spate of violence in April.

The unrest, spread over several days in multiple towns between forces loyal to the central government and protesters, had prompted the army to withdraw from several key towns with the security void filled by Kurdish peshmerga forces that the Iraqi army subsequently accused of looking to take control of key oil fields.

“The interior ministry calls for the brothers in charge of the security file in the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government) to withdraw peshmerga forces from Suleiman Bek and Tuz Khurmatu districts, and Kirkuk province, because this area is under the authority of the central government,” a statement posted to the ministry’s website said.

The disputed territories are “part of the (central government’s) range of security responsibilities, according to the Iraqi constitution”, it added.

Oil-rich Kirkuk province and its eponymous capital, as well as surrounding areas including Suleiman Bek and Tuz Khurmatu, are a key part of territory that Kurdistan wants to incorporate over strong objections from the federal government in Baghdad, a dispute diplomats and officials say is a major threat to long-term stability.

The Kurdish deployments in April, which came as five days of unrest in Iraq killed more than 215 people, increased already high tensions in Iraq, adding a long-running Arab-Kurd dispute over territory to a stand-off between Sunni Arab protesters and the country’s Shia-led government.

The latest statement, meanwhile, threatens to enflame an already tense situation in Iraq, after violence in May was the worst since 2008 according to the UN and official figures, as the country grapples with a protracted political deadlock and months-long protests by the Sunni Arab minority.

And while the violence has continued into June in much of the country, a fragile truce has thus far held in the northern disputed territories between central government forces and the peshmerga.

Assyrian International News Agency

Iraq: When Nostalgia Becomes Fatal

In the last two years al Qaeda been very open about its desire to regain control of parts of Iraq that it lost in 2007-8. Terrorism deaths have increased since the last American troops left at the end of 2011, and until recently the Shia controlled government, and the Shia majority, have not retaliated against the Sunni Arab minority. But now the armed (and technically illegal) Shia militias have resumed their use of death squads to drive Sunni Arabs out of their remaining neighborhoods or even out of Iraq. In the last two months there have been over 2,000 terrorism related deaths, and a growing number of the victims are Sunnis.

May was the worst month for terrorist violence in Iraq since December 2011. Most of the casualties were civilians, usually Shia killed by Sunni Arab terrorists. About 20 percent were members of the security forces (including those from the autonomous Kurdish provinces). The Sunni Arab radicals have been trying to force the Shia government to collapse. That has not been working but the Sunni Arab radicals keep trying.

Many Iraqi Sunni Arabs are driven to this violence for economic and cultural reasons. After the fall of their leader Saddam Hussein in 2003 the Sunni Arabs lost their economic and political power. For centuries, even though part of the Ottoman Turk Empire, the Sunni Arab minority ruled Baghdad and the Shia tribes to the south (and the city of Basra.) In the north Mosul province was largely Kurd and part of Turkey proper, not a conquered province.

After World War I, the victorious British, wary of the new Turkish Republic eventually trying to rebuild its empire, detached Mosul province (and all its oil wells) from Turkey and combined it with the former imperial provinces of Baghdad and Basra (and more oil fields) to form the new country of Iraq. Despite their minority status, the Sunni Arabs (about 20 percent of the population) took charge of the new constitutional monarchy (ruled by a Sunni Arab noble family chased out of the new kingdom of “Saudi” Arabia recently created by the Saud family). The Shia majority (and minorities, mainly Kurdish Sunnis and several Christian sects and others) objected but the Sunni Arab dominated security forces kept a lid on things, with increasing brutality. That was not sufficient to keep opposition in check so in the 1950s the Sunni Arab generals slaughtered the royal family and the country became a military dictatorship that was eventually taken over by the Baath Party (a socialist, and very Sunni, group) led by Saddam Hussein. This guy was vicious, paranoid and occasionally quite mad. But he bought the loyalty and enthusiasm of his Sunni Arab followers with most of the oil income and nearly all the political, military and economic power. Iraqi Sunni Arabs miss that and many are willing to kill or be killed to get it back. Because of the increased violence last month, Shia radical groups, who have been largely dormant since 2008 became active again in the last two months, attacking Sunni Arab mosques and Sunni Arab civilians in general. Many of these Shia radicals want to drive all Sunni Arabs out of Iraq, killing those that resist. A growing number of Iraqi Shia agrees with this solution. Most politicians do not, as trying to chase over four million Sunni Arabs into neighboring countries would bring a strong local and international reaction.

The Shia are not willing to give up power and are angry at the Sunni for their greed and growing terror attacks on Shia (especially civilians). Unused to running things, the Shia have had a hard time since 2003 building an efficient government. The corruption that has long (as in thousands of years) cursed the region does not help, but the main problem is that Sunni Arabs dominated the government and economy for centuries and were the most educated group in the area. While vicious, greedy tyrants, the Sunnis had the skills to make the government work. The Shia are still playing catch-up.

The Shia government is dealing with two main centers of Sunni resistance. In Anbar province (the largely Sunni and mostly desert west) a growing number of Sunni tribes are in open rebellion. There’s a similar situation in the Kurdish north, especially in the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, which are on the border between Arab Iraq and the autonomous Kurdish northern Iraq. Mosul and Kirkuk have oil and thirty years ago were mainly Kurdish. But then Saddam began forcing Kurds further north and giving their homes, land and jobs to poor Sunni Arab families from the south. After 2003 the Kurds came south to reclaim the property Saddam had taken from them. The Sunni Arabs resisted, and continue to resist. The claims of all the Kurdish refugees have never been completely settled and the Kurdish government of the autonomous (since the 1990s when British and American warplanes and commandos aided Kurdish rebels in expelling Saddam’s troops and keeping them out) north threaten to take back Mosul and Kirkuk (and the surrounding oil fields) by force. This would trigger a civil war with the Arabs which would probably end in a bloody stalemate. So the Kurds support the low-level violence against the Sunni Arab terrorist groups and the two cities remain the scene of constant ethnic (the Kurds are not Arabs) warfare.

While there is a standoff with the well-armed and organized Kurdish army in the north, the Sunni Arabs in the West are irregulars and more vulnerable to the growing strength and abilities of the Shia dominated army and police force. The radicals in the Sunni Arab community welcome more violence because they believe that if enough Sunni Arabs are killed by the Shia the Sunni governments in neighboring countries (especially Saudi Arabia and, once the Sunni rebels win, Syria) will intervene and restore the Iraqi Sunni Arabs to power. Most Iraqi Sunni Arabs understand that this would never work, but speaking up against the radicals (including al Qaeda, which has always been a Sunni supremacist outfit) can get you killed. Despite that threat many Iraqi Sunni Arabs do fight the radicals, but that’s a war they seem to be losing as the Shia are coming to believe that all Sunni Arabs are their enemy and all should be treated roughly.

One thing most Sunni Arabs can agree on is the need to be united in dealing with the Shia dominated government. The growing violence has made the idea of an autonomous Sunni Arab government in Anbar (the province that comprises most of western Iraq) more popular among Iraqi Sunni Arabs. The government will not allow that as long as Sunni Arab terrorists find sanctuary and support in Anbar. As far as the Shia are concerned they have been very generous with the Sunni Arabs, with the understanding that the Sunni Arab community would respond and help in suppressing Sunni Arab terror groups. The Shia consider the Sunni Arab community to have failed in this regard and must either make a better effort to calm down their own radicals or face the consequences.

Then there are the conspiracy theories that are so popular in Arab culture. Some Shia politicians are openly accusing Turkey of backing Sunni protestors and terrorists as part of a conspiracy to regain their lost (because of the British action after World War I) Mosul province (the northern third of Iraq). The Turks deny this and there’s no “regain Mosul” movement in Turkey. The Turks are negotiating deals with the Kurdish government of northern Iraq in order to keep things quiet up there and to help suppress the Kurdish separatist radicals in Turkey (the PKK).

The growing violence inside Iraq has distracted Iraqis from the civil war raging in neighboring Syria. There the death toll is higher, but Iraq is catching up. Three months ago there were over eight times as many people killed each month in Syria, now it’s more like two- to-one. The areas just across the border from Iraq are largely controlled by Sunni Arab rebels or separatist Kurds. The Iraqi Shia fear that a Sunni Arab government in Sunni will provide sanctuary for Iraqi Sunni terrorists. Then again, the current Shia minority Assad government in Syria also provided sanctuary for Sunni Arab terrorists for decades, especially during the Sunni Arab terror campaign in 2004-8 (that, at its height, was killing over 3,000 people a month).

There is only one part of Iraq where there is a Sunni Arab majority and that is in thinly populated western Iraq (Anbar province). But even here the Shia death squads can get in and use suicide bombers. The Anbar tribes have branches in Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia and have called on those foreigners for help in the past and received it. The more radical Iraqi Sunni Arabs have long sought to generate enough violence by killing Shia and provoking Shia death squads to strike back in order to force neighboring Sunni states to invade Iraq. That failed in 2007, when the U.S. persuaded most Sunni Arabs to back the Shia dominated government and that government was able to shut down the Shia militias and their death squads.

The Sunni terrorists are pushing this plan again because last time there were over 100,000 U.S. troops in the country and Sunni Arab neighbors were not going to overcome that to take down the Shia death squads and the Shia Iraqi government. This time the American troops are gone (although there are several thousand former U.S. military personnel working as trainers or security operatives). The Sunni Arab plan is still flawed, mainly because of the growing hostility between Shia Iran and the oil-rich Sunni Arab states across the Gulf. These nations are mostly majority Sunni. The United States is the most powerful ally these Sunni states have and they are not interested in driving the Americans out. Not with Iran on the brink of obtaining nuclear weapons.

The Iraqi Sunni Arab terrorists see themselves as champions of righteous Sunni Islam against Shia heretics. Iran, as self-appointed head of the Shia (and the largest Shia majority nation) sees itself as the leader of a movement to reestablish the Shia form of Islam as the dominant one. This would mean converting (with force if necessary) over half a billion Sunni Moslems. Currently, about ten percent of Moslems are Shia and over 80 percent are Sunni.

This animosity between Sunni and Shia has festered for centuries but now al Qaeda and Iran are pressing for a violent resolution. Most Sunnis and Shia are not interested in yet another war over the matter (there have been several in the past). There is also the ethnic issue. The Iranians (along with the Kurds) are Indo-European people who have long despised and mistreated the Arabs. Now the Arabs have oil wealth and powerful allies and less fear of being rolled over by the Iranians. It’s a dangerous situation and Iraq is still ground zero.

Iraq’s Sunni neighbors (including Turkey) have condemned the recent surge in Sunni terror attacks against Shia. The Turks have centuries of experience dealing with this, as well as an often hostile Shia Iran on the eastern border of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. While the empire is long gone (dissolved in 1918, after World War I), memories of the constant strife between Sunni and Shia are still there. The Sunni Arab neighbors of Iraq, particularly Saudi Arabia, want to maintain Arab unity against Iran. But on the ground ancient Sunni hatred for Shia still survives and often thrives because of radical clerics.

Iran continues to contribute cash and technical specialists to Shia Islamic radical groups in Iraq. This turns religious schools into training centers for Islamic terrorists. The Iraqi government is reluctant to crack down on this because some of the schools are approved by prominent Shia clerics.

Since 2011 Iraq has continued to be the scene of 10-20 percent of the world’s terrorist attacks. Most of the rest occurred in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Most of the victims, and nearly all the perpetrators, were Moslem. Iraqis want this to stop, but as long as militant Iran and nostalgic Iraqi Sunni Arab fanatics are around, the violence will continue.

Strategy Page

Assyrian International News Agency

Britain reveals transfer some files Kuwait and Iraq from Chapter VII to Chapter VI

Britain revealed that the Security Council will transfer some files relating to Kuwait and Iraq from Chapter VII to Chapter VI of the UN Charter when looking the issue in July.

The news agency KUNA Kuwait today announced the UK Ambassador to the United Nations Lyall Grant, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council during the month that he was “taking into account the progress made by Iraq in the implementation of its commitments to the United Nations towards Kuwait, the council will transfer some of the issues related to the Chapter VII to Chapter VI of the UN Charter when it meets to discuss the issue next month. “

It is noteworthy that Iraq is subject since 1990 to Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, which imposed after the invasion of the former regime of Kuwait in August of the same year, and this item allows the use of force against Iraq as a threat to international security, in addition to large amounts of frozen his assets Finance international banks to pay compensation to those affected by the invasion.

Grant added that “the Council would hold consultations in the 27 of this month on issues related to Iraq and Kuwait.”

He noted that “there have been some positive developments with the possibility of transferring some files from Chapter VII to Chapter VI when it is in July next study delegated high-level international coordinator for the prisoners and the return of Kuwaiti property, who left office late last December.”

He said Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the remainder of the debt of Kuwait to Iraq is the only {11} billion dollars, and if we have to pay this amount Vsikhrj Iraq entirely of Chapter VII, noting that Iraq came actually from Chapter VII in his dealings Foreign Affairs.

Zebari said at a news conference in Baghdad attended by the correspondent Agency {Euphrates News} in the 30 of last May we “We have reached excellent results in the field to remove Iraq from Chapter VII,” noting that “the sanctions imposed on Iraq in the seventh item numbering {60 } resolutions on disarmament issues and the oil-for-food, medicine and other decisions that control all of Iraq’s activities and as a result of unremitting efforts and cooperation with friends in the countries of the world got rid of the majority of these decisions.

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Syria, Like Iraq and Lebanon, is on Path Toward Sectarian Split

DARKUSH, Syria — The men from the last Alawite family in the northern Syrian town of Darkush have been kidnapped twice. The Saleh men were fortunate both times: They were released by rebels who’d suspected them of being agents for the government of President Bashar Assad.

Their good fortune wasn’t shared by the rest of the Alawites who used to live here. They’ve all left, a pattern that’s been repeated across Syria and mirrors the demographic changes that war brought to its neighbors, Iraq and Lebanon, in past years.

That tension between various religious sects has become a driver of Syria’s civil war, a development that was at the center of a U.N. report released Tuesday that decried the sharp, savage turn in the country’s violence. “The parties to the conflict are using dangerous rhetoric that inflames sectarian tensions and risks inciting mass, indiscriminate violence, particularly against vulnerable communities,” warned the report, compiled by an international panel of inquiry on Syria for the U.N.’s Human Rights Council.

But those sectarian tensions have been building for months, and it’s difficult to imagine they’ll go away, no matter who ultimately triumphs in the civil war. Developments such as the fall of Qusayr to government forces after months in rebel hands — the rebels withdrew from the strategic city Wednesday — may only fuel the flames.

“Who can control thousands of fighters who think about revenge day and night?” Abd al Hamid Zakaria, a spokesman for the Supreme Military Council, an umbrella rebel group that’s backed by the U.S. government, wondered a few days ago as the government siege of Qusayr was just beginning. “If Qusayr falls, we will wipe Alawite villages from the map.”

It remains to be seen whether the rebels will make good on the threat.

Syria’s boundaries encompass a number of religious groups and ethnicities. A main grievance of the country’s rebels, who are virtually all Sunni Muslim, is that they’ve long been oppressed by Alawites, a sect that’s an offshoot of Shiite Islam and to which the Assad family, which has ruled the country for more than four decades, belongs.

As the rebels have advanced, Shiites and Alawites have often fled majority Sunni areas such as Darkush. Likewise, Sunnis have left many majority Shiite and Alawite areas, particularly those around the Orontes River, which represents a front line in the conflict, which stretches from Syria’s northern border with Turkey to its border with northern Lebanon, about 100 miles to the south.

The moment for the Alawites in Darkush — some residents said there were about 10,000 of them living in the area — came in October, when a string of villages near the Turkish border fell to the rebels. Rebels in nearby Zarzour burned a Shiite mosque. As the rebels advanced west, some Christian villages emptied as well. Not long after, the men of the Saleh family were detained by rebels from the Nusra Front, a group with ties to al Qaida that promotes the establishment of an Islamic state in Syria. Known in Arabic as Jabhat al Nusra, it considers Alawites and Shiites to be heretics.

The family was released after more moderate rebels from Darkush intervened. Then last month, as Darkush was being shelled by pro-government forces, the family again fell under suspicion.

“There was a new leader for Jabhat al Nusra in this area and he asked why the shelling had gotten heavier, and someone told him there is a Nusayri family in this village,” said a Nusra member in Darkush, using a derogatory term for Alawites.

Members of the Saleh family declined to speak to a reporter about what had befallen them. Their ordeal was piece together from interviews with members of Nusra and other rebel groups, whose stories corroborated one another.

Again, more moderate rebels prevailed. The men were released after rebel groups allied with the local military council, which acts as an umbrella for rebel forces who advocate a civil state in Syria, threatened to attack Nusra fighters if the men weren’t let go.

Since the beginning of the rebellion more than two years ago, the government has sought to portray the rebels as sectarian fighters, Sunni chauvinists bent on driving minorities out of Syria. In turn, the rebels accuse the government of pre-emptively arming Shiite and Alawite villages across the country, creating tension and setting a self-fulfilling prophecy in motion.

For some, the undoing of Syria fulfills predictions that began when the U.S. military deposed Saddam Hussein in 2003, empowering the country’s Shiite majority and creating what the king of Jordan described as a “Shiite crescent” stretching from Iran to Lebanon.

As Syria’s civil war enters its third year, the army’s depleted ranks of largely Sunni conscripts increasingly have been supplanted by militiamen drawn primarily from Alawite villages, further stoking sectarian tension.

While some Syrians and analysts speak about a partitioning of the country along sectarian lines, the reality is already more like Iraq — which remains a single geopolitical entity although members of its different sects no longer live together — or Lebanon — where people mix regularly but largely live in separate enclaves, even if they might abut one another.

Kurds, who make up about 10 percent of Syria’s population and a majority of the people in the northeastern province of Hasaka, also are fleeing to majority Kurdish areas, and a Kurdish enclave with ties to northern Iraq’s semi-independent Kurdish region is emerging. Several small cities in northeastern Syria are under the control of a Syrian Kurdish militia that’s allied with the Kurdistan Workers Party, a Turkish group that backs Kurdish rights and autonomy across the region.

The heady days of March 2011, when demonstrators called for democratic reforms and more inclusive government, are long gone. Perhaps even more than Iraq, the Syrian state has been exposed as a construct held together by security services and fear. Before Iraq’s civil war divided communities there, intermarriage was common. It’s difficult to find Syrians who marry outside their sects, however, despite the government’s nationalist rhetoric.

The divisions are also evident in a minor explosion of news media in Syria, where it’s possible for the first time to publicly broadcast and print viewpoints that contradict the government’s. But many now complain that the outlets that have opened are just as limiting, refusing to criticize the rebels.

“Psychologically speaking, the separation exists,” said Firas Diba, a Syrian journalist now in exile in Turkey who’s spent months trying to find a backer for a TV station he says will present multiple viewpoints. “Practically speaking, we are taking the first step toward division.”

By David Enders
McClatchy Newspapers

Assyrian International News Agency

Why Iraq Is On the Precipice of Civil War

These days, no one in Iraq is safe.

Last Wednesday, a bridal party was the target. On Thursday, separate attacks brought destruction upon civilians and police officers alike.

According to the UN, in May Iraq suffered its highest rate of violent deaths in five years.

This is a country standing on the edge of an existential precipice.

Amid such horrific and sustained violence, it’s understandably tempting to obsess over the human side of these atrocities. After all, this is a brutality of almost incomprehensible scale (especially after years of war).

That being said, we can identify some of the factors that are feeding Iraq’s present security nightmare.

The immediate threat is a renewed Sunni-Salafi insurgency.

In 2007-08, afflicted by a “surge” of additional American forces, a relentless Special Forces campaign and suffering the fury of alienated Iraqis, Al Qa’ida in Iraq ( AQI) was gutted. Its mid-high ranks were decimated and its operational mobility severely restricted. The consequences were profoundly positive — violence plummeted. Sadly, the peace hasn’t lasted. Now, facing an Iraqi government that lacks the intelligence targeting capabilities of the U.S. government, AQI’s effective successor, the Islamic State of Iraq ( ISI), is wreaking havoc. Waging a campaign of murder against Iraqi Shia, these terrorists want to exacerbate an ongoing government crackdown against Iraqi Sunnis. Their sustaining objective is unambiguous — fostering a cauldron of chaos in which Iraqis detach into base sectarian alliances. In short, they desire a civil war.

So what’s behind the ISI’s empowerment?

Put simply, the ISI’s reconstitution is a symptom of Iraq’s deeper political dysfunction. In the 2010 parliamentary elections, (the Sunni supported) Iraqi National Movement of Iyad Allawi won a plurality of seats. But Iraq’s current Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, didn’t accept the outcome. Following in a troubling tradition of authoritarianism, he was unwilling to give up power. Instead, Maliki promised to form a unity government with Allawi. The idea was that this co-operation would cool tensions and build trust. It hasn’t happened. In fact, the opposite has occurred; we’ve seen renewed arguments over oil sharing, serious disagreements over regional sovereignty, and allegations of high level political harassment. For Maliki it seems, after years of oppression under Saddam Hussein, the incentive for reconciliation isn’t an abiding concern.

Then, in April, the crisis literally exploded. First, the Iraqi Government launched a bloody attack against a Sunni protest camp. Next, in a move that reeked of sectarian persecution, Maliki suspended the licenses of a number of media outlets, including Al Jazeera. On May 17, more than 75 Sunnis were killed in various terrorist massacres. Collectively, these actions have fed into a growing groundswell of sectarian anger. Trust is perishing and in the fear, extremists have found new roots of sympathy. With unrelenting ISI attacks, growing government crackdowns and resurgent Shia hardliners, the storm clouds of civil war are gathering.

Unfortunately as if the above weren’t bad enough, Iraq’s crisis is further complicated by the broader sectarian tensions that are rippling through the Middle East. In Syria, the Lebanese Hezbollah is now waging an open and unrestrained war against the Sunni-dominated rebellion. In Lebanon, suspected Sunni extremists are responding in kind. In a similar vein, the ISI recently claimed responsibility for the killing of over 40 Syrian soldiers who had taken shelter in Iraq.

This mayhem carries a perverse catalyst — as violent identity struggles increasingly dominate Iraqi society, opportunities for co-operative engagement are displaced.

But without reconciliation, Iraq’s current pain offers a precursor of much worse to come.

By Tom Rogan
http://www.theatlantic.com

Assyrian International News Agency

Australian Parliament Addresses Human Rights of Assyrians in Iraq

Canberra — On Monday, May 3, 2013, The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP, Federal Liberal Party member for Berowra, moved a motion on the Human Rights concerns of the Assyrians that was debated in the Federation Chamber of the Parliament around 11:30am. The motion was successfully seconded and endorsed by ten speakers of the House from both sides of politics including: Mr Chris Hayes MP, member for Fowler NSW; The Hon John Cobb MP, member for Calare, Orange NSW; Ms Kelly O’Dwyer MP, member for Higgins, Victoria; Mr Alex Hawke MP, member for Mitchell NSW; The Hon Michael Danby MP, member for Melbourne Ports; Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP, member for Calwell Victoria and Mr Laurie Ferguson MP, member for Werriwa NSW. The whole debate lasted about one hour.

The petition was read as following:

2 Mr. Ruddock: To move

That this House:

  1. recognises that:

    1. Christian Assyrians, a minority religious and racial group in Iraq, are subject to ongoing violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds;
    2. on 31 October 2010, 58 Christian Assyrians were killed in an attack on a church in Baghdad, in an act of violent extremism targeting this minority group;
    3. Christian Assyrians are actively discriminated against by having their land illegally occupied and transferred to squatters;
    4. 600,000 Christian Assyrians have now fled Iraq, including many thousands to Australia; and
    5. Assyrians remaining in Iraq are denied many basic human rights and subject to ongoing harassment, intimidation and discrimination;
  2. condemns violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds wherever it may be found, including in Iraq; and
  3. calls upon the Australian Government to raise the significant human rights concerns of Christian Assyrians with the Iraqi Government. (Notice given 27 November 2012.)

Here is the transcript of the debate:

“Mr. RUDDOCK (Berowra) (11:31): This is not the first occasion on which I have spoken in this chamber on the plight of Christians in the Middle East. I said on the last occasion, in May 2011, that for my own purposes I have often travelled widely in the Middle East. One of the discussions I had was with the Middle East Council of Churches, because already there were numerous Christians who had fled, many from Iraq, and had settled in Syria and Jordan seeking sanctuary. Many of course were seeking to move further afield. In my discussions with the Middle East Council of Churches it made very strongly the points that Christians have been resident in the Middle East for some 2,000 years and that it did not want, essentially, to preside over Christians being driven out of the Middle East.

This motion is designed to focus on those issues. It is not the only motion that will come before the parliament–the government seems to have found reason to talk about these issues again–but I think it is very important to understand that Christian Assyrians, who are a religious and racial minority group in Iraq, have been subjected to ongoing violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination. They have been discriminated against in many ways, including by the illegal occupation and transfer of their land. There are reports that some 600,000 Christian Assyrians have now fled Iraq, and many of those have settled in Australia. The Assyrians remaining are subjected to harassment, intimidation and discrimination. This motion condemns that violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination and calls upon the government to raise these issues with the Iraqi government.

I do not know that these matters are pursued by government but I do know that governments have a responsibility to protect their people. When I hear suggestions that we should simply refer to reports that raise these matters I think it ignores the responsibility that government itself has to protect its own citizens and to ensure that they are not discriminated against.

I think the plight of the Assyrians, particularly in Iraq–but it is not only in Iraq; it is now occurring in Syria with the violence that is occurring there and it is also happening in other areas where there are Kurdish populations. The Assyrians face very considerable discrimination. It is not just the illegal occupation of their land and the transferring of it to squatters–which is the subject of quite comprehensive reporting, and I do not think can be put aside lightly–it also includes many attacks on Christians that have occurred and continue to occur in Iraq now. Iraq has its difficulties, but I think there is a responsibility to ensure that the people are able to get full information about what their government is doing and how they are seeking to deal with this issues.

The point I was making was that the Assyrians are unique. They have been predominantly Christian in the regions in which they live. They face discrimination which first started under the regime of Saddam Hussein and the details that I mentioned that I would give include in January of 2008, Epiphany Day, five Assyrian churches, one Armenian Church and monasteries in Mosul and Baghdad were attacked with car bombs in a coordinated fashion. On 31 October 2010 at the Sayidat-al-Najat cathedral in Baghdad 58 people were left dead. There were eight attacks on churches in 2011 with more than 35 civilians and security forces wounded. These attacks were used as a tool to suppress the Christian religion in my view.

Kidnapping for ransom has been a significant problem with six abductions reported in 2011, largely around Kirkuk. Some were freed when ransoms were paid but other stories were not so positive. Ashur Issa Jacob was kidnapped by al-Qaida operatives–$ 61,500 was made in ransom but his body was found later mutilated in Kirkuk, including near decapitation, his eyes were gouged out and there were dog bites on his body.

These are the sorts of experiences that many have seen, and the threats and harassment which are part of daily life are very significant. It is my view that the Australian government needs to be actively pursuing these matters with the Iraqi government. We do not blame them for what is happening but we expect that they would be using all of their efforts to ensure the protection of their people. That is the responsibility of all governments and it is not a matter of treating these matters lightly when so many people have fled. The massive movement of the Assyrian population has meant that it is now about half what it was, and many of those people who continue to live there have been internally displaced.

When they are internally displaced they face very significant problems. There are hostilities. They find it difficult to find work and employment. They find it difficult to get services. They find it difficult to be able to practise their religion. These are matters that are well known when they do occur but in Iraq, in particular, they are significant and continue to be significant.

The purpose of the motion I have moved is to bring these matters to notice to ensure that Australians are aware of the plight of Assyrians and to know what is being experienced by the families of many of their neighbours who live here in Australia. I make the point again that we need to be generous, as we have been over decades, in assisting those people who are refugees and who are forced to flee and we ought to be providing for placements in our own programs to assist.

The Special Humanitarian Program has always been one that has been available for that purpose. Previously, when I was minister, I was pleased that we were able to accommodate many Assyrian Christians in those programs. I regret that today the possibility of being able to assist is so much more limited because of the failure to be able to adequately manage our borders. That has meant that the program places are assigned to others who come and pay people smugglers and those who have real needs end up being very significantly disadvantaged.

I make the point, as I did earlier, that there are some who would suggest that the Australian government has done all that it should and that we should support their efforts. Let me make it clear: I think there is a lot more advocacy to be done. Governments do have a responsibility to protect their own people and I think the Assyrian Christians are entitled to that protection, whether they are in Iraq, whether they are in Syria or whether they are in Turkey. “

A delegation led by Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the AUA, was at the House during the debate. The delegation included Mr. David David, President of the Assyrian Australian National Federation, members of the local AUA branch and representatives from the Assyrian media, NinevehRadio.com. The delegation then met with prominent members of the Parliament to show their appreciation and to thank all the speakers for extending their support to the Assyrian cause, including most notably The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP and Mr. Craig Kelly MP.

Although this has been a much-welcomed beginning, the debate is far from over and the Assyrian community in Australia is encouraged to Lobby their local Member of Parliament to ensure their support for this worthy cause. The AUA is cautiously optimistic and hopeful that both Liberal and Labor Members will unite in a bipartisan move to protect the defenceless Christian Assyrians in Iraq.

Assyrian Universal Alliance

Assyrian International News Agency

Australian Parliament Addresses Human Rights of Assyrians in Iraq

Canberra — On Monday, May 3, 2013, The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP, Federal Liberal Party member for Berowra, moved a motion on the Human Rights concerns of the Assyrians that was debated in the Federation Chamber of the Parliament around 11:30am. The motion was successfully seconded and endorsed by ten speakers of the House from both sides of politics including: Mr Chris Hayes MP, member for Fowler NSW; The Hon John Cobb MP, member for Calare, Orange NSW; Ms Kelly O’Dwyer MP, member for Higgins, Victoria; Mr Alex Hawke MP, member for Mitchell NSW; The Hon Michael Danby MP, member for Melbourne Ports; Ms Maria Vamvakinou MP, member for Calwell Victoria and Mr Laurie Ferguson MP, member for Werriwa NSW. The whole debate lasted about one hour.

The petition was read as following:

2 Mr. Ruddock: To move

That this House:

  1. recognises that:

    1. Christian Assyrians, a minority religious and racial group in Iraq, are subject to ongoing violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds;
    2. on 31 October 2010, 58 Christian Assyrians were killed in an attack on a church in Baghdad, in an act of violent extremism targeting this minority group;
    3. Christian Assyrians are actively discriminated against by having their land illegally occupied and transferred to squatters;
    4. 600,000 Christian Assyrians have now fled Iraq, including many thousands to Australia; and
    5. Assyrians remaining in Iraq are denied many basic human rights and subject to ongoing harassment, intimidation and discrimination;
  2. condemns violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds wherever it may be found, including in Iraq; and
  3. calls upon the Australian Government to raise the significant human rights concerns of Christian Assyrians with the Iraqi Government. (Notice given 27 November 2012.)

Here is the transcript of the debate:

“Mr. RUDDOCK (Berowra) (11:31): This is not the first occasion on which I have spoken in this chamber on the plight of Christians in the Middle East. I said on the last occasion, in May 2011, that for my own purposes I have often travelled widely in the Middle East. One of the discussions I had was with the Middle East Council of Churches, because already there were numerous Christians who had fled, many from Iraq, and had settled in Syria and Jordan seeking sanctuary. Many of course were seeking to move further afield. In my discussions with the Middle East Council of Churches it made very strongly the points that Christians have been resident in the Middle East for some 2,000 years and that it did not want, essentially, to preside over Christians being driven out of the Middle East.

This motion is designed to focus on those issues. It is not the only motion that will come before the parliament–the government seems to have found reason to talk about these issues again–but I think it is very important to understand that Christian Assyrians, who are a religious and racial minority group in Iraq, have been subjected to ongoing violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination. They have been discriminated against in many ways, including by the illegal occupation and transfer of their land. There are reports that some 600,000 Christian Assyrians have now fled Iraq, and many of those have settled in Australia. The Assyrians remaining are subjected to harassment, intimidation and discrimination. This motion condemns that violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination and calls upon the government to raise these issues with the Iraqi government.

I do not know that these matters are pursued by government but I do know that governments have a responsibility to protect their people. When I hear suggestions that we should simply refer to reports that raise these matters I think it ignores the responsibility that government itself has to protect its own citizens and to ensure that they are not discriminated against.

I think the plight of the Assyrians, particularly in Iraq–but it is not only in Iraq; it is now occurring in Syria with the violence that is occurring there and it is also happening in other areas where there are Kurdish populations. The Assyrians face very considerable discrimination. It is not just the illegal occupation of their land and the transferring of it to squatters–which is the subject of quite comprehensive reporting, and I do not think can be put aside lightly–it also includes many attacks on Christians that have occurred and continue to occur in Iraq now. Iraq has its difficulties, but I think there is a responsibility to ensure that the people are able to get full information about what their government is doing and how they are seeking to deal with this issues.

The point I was making was that the Assyrians are unique. They have been predominantly Christian in the regions in which they live. They face discrimination which first started under the regime of Saddam Hussein and the details that I mentioned that I would give include in January of 2008, Epiphany Day, five Assyrian churches, one Armenian Church and monasteries in Mosul and Baghdad were attacked with car bombs in a coordinated fashion. On 31 October 2010 at the Sayidat-al-Najat cathedral in Baghdad 58 people were left dead. There were eight attacks on churches in 2011 with more than 35 civilians and security forces wounded. These attacks were used as a tool to suppress the Christian religion in my view.

Kidnapping for ransom has been a significant problem with six abductions reported in 2011, largely around Kirkuk. Some were freed when ransoms were paid but other stories were not so positive. Ashur Issa Jacob was kidnapped by al-Qaida operatives–$ 61,500 was made in ransom but his body was found later mutilated in Kirkuk, including near decapitation, his eyes were gouged out and there were dog bites on his body.

These are the sorts of experiences that many have seen, and the threats and harassment which are part of daily life are very significant. It is my view that the Australian government needs to be actively pursuing these matters with the Iraqi government. We do not blame them for what is happening but we expect that they would be using all of their efforts to ensure the protection of their people. That is the responsibility of all governments and it is not a matter of treating these matters lightly when so many people have fled. The massive movement of the Assyrian population has meant that it is now about half what it was, and many of those people who continue to live there have been internally displaced.

When they are internally displaced they face very significant problems. There are hostilities. They find it difficult to find work and employment. They find it difficult to get services. They find it difficult to be able to practise their religion. These are matters that are well known when they do occur but in Iraq, in particular, they are significant and continue to be significant.

The purpose of the motion I have moved is to bring these matters to notice to ensure that Australians are aware of the plight of Assyrians and to know what is being experienced by the families of many of their neighbours who live here in Australia. I make the point again that we need to be generous, as we have been over decades, in assisting those people who are refugees and who are forced to flee and we ought to be providing for placements in our own programs to assist.

The Special Humanitarian Program has always been one that has been available for that purpose. Previously, when I was minister, I was pleased that we were able to accommodate many Assyrian Christians in those programs. I regret that today the possibility of being able to assist is so much more limited because of the failure to be able to adequately manage our borders. That has meant that the program places are assigned to others who come and pay people smugglers and those who have real needs end up being very significantly disadvantaged.

I make the point, as I did earlier, that there are some who would suggest that the Australian government has done all that it should and that we should support their efforts. Let me make it clear: I think there is a lot more advocacy to be done. Governments do have a responsibility to protect their own people and I think the Assyrian Christians are entitled to that protection, whether they are in Iraq, whether they are in Syria or whether they are in Turkey. “

A delegation led by Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the AUA, was at the House during the debate. The delegation included Mr. David David, President of the Assyrian Australian National Federation, members of the local AUA branch and representatives from the Assyrian media, NinevehRadio.com. The delegation then met with prominent members of the Parliament to show their appreciation and to thank all the speakers for extending their support to the Assyrian cause, including most notably The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP and Mr. Craig Kelly MP.

Although this has been a much-welcomed beginning, the debate is far from over and the Assyrian community in Australia is encouraged to Lobby their local Member of Parliament to ensure their support for this worthy cause. The AUA is cautiously optimistic and hopeful that both Liberal and Labor Members will unite in a bipartisan move to protect the defenceless Christian Assyrians in Iraq.

Assyrian Universal Alliance

Assyrian International News Agency

I am getting the feeling that a lot of last minute “push” is happening in Iraq

[Adam Montana] morning everyone!

[Adam Montana] morning DV! I hope you are all well and enjoying the weather… as we get closer to summer, it becomes harder and harder to stay at work doesn’t it? :lol:

[Adam Montana] I spent way too much time looking at silly youtube videos this morning so I’m going to try to keep this short :lol:

[Adam Montana] First, Ramadan – it’s coming soon! I am getting the feeling that a lot of last minute “push” is happening in Iraq, because they definitely want to be able to enjoy their holiday

[Adam Montana] Now, the current rate – over the last 15 days or so we heard a lot about a fluctuation in the exchange rate. For the first time in years, it seemed like they had to scramble to control the value. In my opinion, that’s an awesome thing! I have two reasons to feel that way

[Adam Montana] ONE it forces them to prove that they are in control… and the next thing to do is either raise the value or lose it. If they raise it, GREAT! If they lose control, well then we finally get some closure and we can get off this darn ride!

[Adam Montana] and TWO… whoops. One and Two were both in my last post :lol:

[Adam Montana] Next we have Chapter 7 and HCL… things are DEFINITELY heating up with HCL. We are seeing a lot of articles come out about the HCL, and all of it is positive and encouraging. In my opinion, we should be looking for a big move on the HCL… when we see that, we are THERE!

[Adam Montana] That’s my opinion on the current state of the Dinar. Watch for HCL movement… as you’ll see at the end of this chat, our good friend ALBUNDY has listed a plethora of articles that should be encouraging on that front

[Adam Montana] ok, to the questions! Thank you TEAM for bringing these to the chat every week, and I know the members appreciate it to :twothumbs:

[Saint] waitingondinar Hi Adam, It seems the Iraqis were moving ahead full throttle a few weeks ago and now it appears to be slowing again. The articles pointing to the dinar value being raised the first of June 2013 seemed valid. What are your thoughts on this and do you still think we will see good news this month? Has anything else been done to move the HCL and Chapter 7 further along to closure? thanks

[Adam Montana] Hi waiting, thanks for the question. I think the references to the “first” of June were more vague, but the references to “June” were more concrete. Lots of “June” left to go, and Ramadan doesn’t start untiil July… so let’s hang tight and see what happens.

[Adam Montana] Lots of good news on Chapter 7 and HCL :twothumbs:

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] FirstTop Thanks for all you do Adam. Question: What would our/your game plan be for the lower denoms we own now. Will they be replaced by new ones? Or will they have a longer time period to be turned in for a currency exchange?

[Adam Montana] Hi FirstTop, that’s a good question. The answer is pretty straight forward – ALL denominations will be treated equally. If they swap the currency for new denominations and recall any of them, it will apply to ALL of them… just like when they recalled the old Saddam notes.

[Adam Montana] So the simple answer is – don’t worry about what denomination you are holding. If they instate a mandatory “turn in” of the current Iraqi Dinar, it will be across the board and they will replace it with newer notes.

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] Candy01 Adam, What do you think of the (Security Council) report? Thanks Much

[Adam Montana] Hi Candy – I’m not sure which part you mean. Sorry!

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] DinarThug ‘Mr Adam Montana’, What Do U Think Of The National Meeting That Was Held Over The Weekend ‘Mr Adam Montana’ ? Will U Be Sending Out An Email This Week To All Of The Members Alerting Them To This Possible Important Milestone Prior To Ur Weekly Chat On Wednesday Hosted By ‘Mr Adam Montana’ ? Please Say Hello To ‘Mrs Adam Montana’ – Or Should We Refer To Her As ‘Madam Montana’ ? I Was Going To Try And Beat The Record Of 9 Times, Set Last Week By My Friend Al Bundy For Using The Name Of ‘Mr Adam Montana’ In A Weekly Chat Question But I’ve Run Out Of Steam ! Curse U Big Al !

[Adam Montana] :lmao:

[Adam Montana] I seriously had to hold onto my chair when I read that, thanks for the laugh!!!!

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] sandfly ha adam, thanks for site here and the people.

[Adam Montana] you’re welcome sandfly! Oh, and Thug – I’ll let Mrs Montana know that she is now Madam Montana :lol:

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] Linda Adam, Looks we are on limited time before ramadan begins (as nothing happens during this time)…is there anything positive that you are seeing/hearing happening that looks like June ‘might’ be a good month?…Thank you…appreciate your response…

[Adam Montana] Hi Linda! We are seeing a lot of push on HCL and also Chapter 7, and June is young yet… fingers crossed that this is a great month for Dinarians!

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] TomRiddle The National meeting, your thoughts? Chapter 7, set for June 27th 2013, your thoughts? USNC Meeting June 27: Will Move some issue regarding Iraq from CH VII to Chapter VI

[Adam Montana] Great question. I know that’s farther away than most of us want to hear, but let me put this in layman’s terms

[Adam Montana] Chapter 7 is very restrictive and I do not think Iraq would ever RV while under that restriction. Chapter 6 on the other hand… that is MUCH different and I can definitely see an RV under Chapter 6 and released from Chapter 7. So with that said… I’m more than happy to wait to June 27! :twothumbs:

[Adam Montana] next please!
[Saint] ALBUNDY Hi Mr. adam montana. I have a lot of articles that I would likt you to elaborate for us mr. Adam montana. First, Based on the article about Iraqi Dinar exchange rate, Is Iraq going to RV during the Month of June 2013 Mr. Adam montana? Second, ” Algeria cancelled 500 million dollars in outstanding debts to Iraq and Yemen ” , What do you think Mr. Adam montana? Third, ” Iraq expects to get out of the provisions of CHAPTER VII in 2015!!” , What do you think Mr. Adam Montana? Thank you very much for taking your time to elaborate for us and answer my questions, too Mr. Adam montana. — Central Bank economic begin next month, the application of procedures to reduce the volatility of the exchange rate.

[Saint] — NEXT MONTH ( JUNE 2013 ). SECRET procedures for recovery of the dinar against the dollar —- Financial expert: new Central Bank action would support the dinar exchange rate ( TRUE PRICE? ) conversion control financial condition in banks — Central Bank: we will sue a member of the Chamber of Deputies for insulting us — Governor of the Central Bank’s ‘new evidence’: Required keep الطارئين and parasites from the banking side — Confidentiality measures to revive the dinar against the dollar —– Financial expert: Central bank demands to reconsider its monetary policy to support the exchange rate of the dinar —- Sadoun: central bank kept the rate of the dinar against the dollar

[Adam Montana] All right! And THOSE were the headlines I was referring to. As you can see, there is a lot of talk about a few things:

[Saint] —- Sadoun: central bank kept the rate of the dinar against the dollar —- Sadoun: the deterioration of the value of the Iraqi dinar caused by the smuggling of foreign currency abroad —— Vice: متنفذون in the government and the Central Bank are working on instability of the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar —- Financial expert: the Central Bank is required to REVIEW monetary policy to support the dinar exchange rate — Financial expert: Central bank demands to RECONSIDER its monetary policy to support the exchange rate of the dinar —- Algeria cancelled 500 million dollars in outstanding debts to Iraq and Yemen —- Deputy: powerful people in Government and the Central Bank are working to destabilize Iraqi dinar exchange rate — The Government of Algeria announced writing off its debts on Iraq. —- After a quarter of a century on the occupation of Kuwait by Iraq: Iraq expects to get out of the provisions of CHAPTER VII in 2015!!
[Adam Montana] – the hcl
[Adam Montana] – The rate of exchange and the NEED to improve it

[Saint] —— Baghdad and Kuwait Ttaiwian of the prisoners and missing persons file and signs of hope remove Iraq from Chapter VIIi: paid $ 41 billion out of 52 billion in compensation for Algswaljmah —- Zebari: Iraq will emerge from the provisions of Chapter VII final after paying $ 11 billion to Kuwait. And Syria has an opportunity of dialogue —- Deputy: powerful people in Government and the Central Bank are working to destabilize Iraqi dinar exchange rate

[Adam Montana] – Chapter 7 and the potential to be released soon_ly

[Adam Montana] Those three things are all very positive… so I’m looking forward to some progress in the near future

[Adam Montana] ok everyone! FYI if you’re wondering what that nut kcw is rambling abO-T-Y, look for the youtube video on last nights talentless show :lol:

[Adam Montana] that’s it for today, thanks all!

[Adam Montana] thank you all for letting me do the chats

Read more: http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/150537-adams-wed-chat-6-05-2013/#ixzz2VMOH4PJY

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Talabani’s party feared the loss of his presidency to Iraq

6-5-13 Baghdad / Orr News:   A source close to the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani that there are significant concerns with the National Union of the loss of the presidency of Iraq, despite being one of the National Union share. Said the source, who requested anonymity, “It’s when he ran Talabani for the presidency there were objections Sunni him, even if Iyad Allawi and his list had left the chamber did not vote for him, and it was this position is supported by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, but Nuri al-Maliki and his Shiite parties stood against this position and insisted on the election of Talabani for the presidency, even if the Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani has called Mam Jalal as a tent for all Iraqis, and today In the vacuum left by President Talabani because of the circumstances of his illness make others Atkalbon the job, and will probably not get the Union the national office in the next session. ”

The constitution of the region raised and Massoud Barzani’s insistence put to a referendum, but the National Union associated with Barzani’s party to the Convention obliges the parties sharing power, so goes the presidency of the region to democratic versus the presidency of the Republic of Iraq for the National Union.

The facts that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by President Jalal Talabani, has regained much of his popularity in the area of ​​jurisdiction of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by regional president Massoud Barzani, especially in the city of Arbil, which saw celebrations mass range after the issuance of the statements of the leaders of this party into the next election scheduled In September an independent list, and his support of the Kurdish opposition front to return the draft constitution to parliament and modify it before putting it to a referendum.

The relations between the two parties have been affected in the recent period because of the position the decisive declared National Union on the issue of the constitution and the desire Barzani put to a referendum, allowing re-election for a third term, where the leadership announced the National Union refusing to put the constitution to a referendum before you modify it and return it to the Parliament, and this Barzani’s party is rejected absolutely.

LINK

Dinar Daddy’s Tidbits

Australian Parliament Calls For Assyrian Autonomous Province in Iraq

Sydney — Monday, 3 June, 2013, marked a historic day for the Assyrians in Australia. In less than ten hours after a motion was raised by The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP, Member for Berowra, in the Federation Chamber concerning the Human Rights violations committed against Assyrians in Iraq, another historical debate took place in the Federal Parliament for a motion raised by The Hon. Chris Bowen MP, Member for McMahon, focusing on the Assyrian demand for the establishment of an autonomous province in the heart of the Assyrian ancestral lands in the Nineveh Plains in northern Iraq.

We are pleased to announce that both motions were successfully seconded and endorsed by the speakers of the house. The entire debate lasted about 30 minutes.

Mr. Bowen’s motion was as follows:

That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Assyrian population of Iraq continues to suffer persecution 10 years after the fall of Saddam Hussein; and
(b) since 2003, 600,000 Christian Assyrians have left Iraq, including many thousands to Australia; and
(2) being aware of the Assyrian aspirations for the establishment of an autonomous province, calls on the Government of Iraq to take all appropriate steps to protect the rights of minorities, including the Assyrian Christian people, and to support the continuation of their linguistic, cultural and religious traditions.

A delegation led by Mr. Hermiz Shahen, Deputy Secretary General of the Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA), was at the House during both debates. The delegation included Mr. David David, President of the Assyrian Australian National Federation, members of the AUA and representatives from the Assyrian media, NinevehRadio.com.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Bowen mentioned the first motion that was raised and passed by the House in 2005, highlighting the plight of the Assyrian people of Iraq. It calls on the Federal Government to make direct representation to the newly elected Iraqi Government to ensure their ethnic minorities are constitutionally guaranteed the right to freely exercise their customs, religion, language and traditions, given protection by law enforcement and international security forces and given equal representation and participation in all levels of government.

“It pains me to say that all these years later the situation for the Assyrian people has worsened. Working for many years with the Australian government and successive Foreign Ministers on this issue, I reached the view that the only sustainable solution is the autonomous region for the Assyrians and Chaldeans within Iraq. In the northwest of Iraq lies the Nineveh Plains, a 4000 square kilometre area which is the traditional heartland for the Assyrian people. There have been calls for the establishment of an autonomous region in the Nineveh plains for the Assyrian people, and I support this call. This will help in establishing there on place and defence forces such as the other groups have been able to do,” Mr. Bowen said.

During his speech Mr. Bowen acknowledged the presence of the Assyrian Universal Alliance and for being the driving force in bringing this issue to the Parliament.

Mr. Craig Kelly MP, member for Hughes, made a remarkable speech in support of this motion. He started his speech by giving recognition to the AUA and other delegation in the gallery. “Today, in Iraq there is an ethnic cleansing. Assyrians are being killed in a deliberate and strategic way. It is aimed to derive this ethnic minority from Iraq. Among the chaos and the lack of security, the new Iraqi authorities are unable to protect their Christian minorities, so the only way forward is what is known as the Nineveh Plain solution, the establishment of an autonomous province in the Nineveh plain region, at the centre of the Assyrian ancestral heartland to provide a safe haven for Assyrians and all other historical Christian people. This solution is also in consistence with the United Nations’ declaration for the rights of the indigenous people.”

“Speaker, we now have a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, one that came at great expense of the Australian tax payers, and we only hold that for two short years. This shouldn’t be a trophy that sits on a metal plate gathering dust. We must use our voice to promote freedom, democracy, Human Rights and religious liberty and to raise significantly these Human Rights concerns of the Christian Assyrians with the Iraqi government. There is no other alternative,” Mr. Kelly said. Other speakers in support of the above motion were: Mr. Chris Hayes MP, member for Fowler; Mr. Scott Morrison MP, Member for Cook; Mr Rob Mitchell MP, Member for McEwen, Victoria and Mr. Luke Simpkins MP, Member for Cowan, Western Australia.

The Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA) thanks The Hon. Chris Bowen MP, for accepting to raise the AUA motion to support the demand for an autonomous province for the Assyrians and all Historical Christians in the Nineveh Plains. The AUA also thanks all members of the Parliament, both Labor and Liberal, for supporting this motion. Furthermore, we thank Mr. Nouri al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Iraq, and Mr. Jalal Talabani, President of Iraq, for supporting the establishment of the Assyrian province.

Although this has been a much-welcomed beginning, the debate is far from over and the Assyrian community in Australia is encouraged to lobby their local Member of Parliament to ensure support for this worthy and necessary cause. The AUA is cautiously optimistic and hopeful that both Liberal and Labor Members will unite to unequivocally protect the indigenous Assyrian Christians of Iraq.

You may view a transcript of the debate by following the internet links listed below.

The Hon. Chris Bowen’s presentation.

All other speakers.

Assyrian Universal Alliance

Assyrian International News Agency