Manager of the National Secretariat of the Property Claims Department in Basra: The Finance Ministry is Responsible for Compensations

The statement of Mr. Khodeir Abbas Al Ahmed explains the nature of the work of the department and is urging citizens to hurry in completing their incomplete applications.

The office manager said, "Since starting its works on 07/05/2004, our office has finished one thousand claims that were sent to the legal committee to inspect them." He added, "Among the duties of our office are: authenticating all claims that are submitted to it through laser discs. Then they are sent to the competent legal committee to decide on it. Al Ahmed has urged citizens to follow up with the applications in the office, as more than 2000 applications need some documents to meet the conditions of committing them to the legal committee. He confirmed, "We are serious regarding the return of the rights of those, whose lands and real estate were seized during the previous regime, pursuant to the law.

Finance Ministry and Compensations

The office manager pointed out that the legal project has given the last purchaser, the right for compensation. The value of the real estate is estimated pursuant to the law issued in Iraqi Minutes, issue No.3985 for 2004. In case of contradiction and objection, there is a council specialized in appeals of the property department decisions. We have the right of interpreting the law and that our decisions would be obligatory for legal committees. Al Ahmed considered the finance ministry of the former regime as responsible for dealing in the confiscated estate, which were sold and their value were placed into the state treasury. Therefore, the finance ministry is the one that would pay for the compensation. The office manager called citizens to hurry in submitting their applications. He pointed out that the deadline for receiving new claims would be 30/06/2005 and that such claims are exempted from fees, taxes and inspection expenses, as the office would pay for them. (Source) Al Mada

Iraq to buy hard wheat

European trade talk was of open-origin wheat including from the US, Australia, Canada and Europe for August shipment.

"We have heard the talk but we have received nothing concrete," one European exporter said. "People are talking about a tender for 150,000 tonnes but no one really knows what is happening."

Another European exporter said: "It is impossible to say whether they have extended the bidding on their old tender or issued a new one, we have no email or verbal confirmation."

"With Iraq closed on Friday for the Islamic weekend, no official confirmation would be possible until Saturday unless some emails turn up."

Iraq has issued a series of wheat tenders this year which faded into unresolved status after weeks of bidding.

"Their purchasing and tendering procedure is so chaotic that no one really knows what they have bought so far this year," a European trader said. "The news reports are totally conflicting."

In the last reports on June 8, Middle Eastern traders said Iraq had issued a tender to buy 200,000 tonnes of flour after cancelling its previously-active tender to buy 150,000 tonnes of hard wheat.

A newly appointed trade minister was said to be behind the cancellation of the 150,000 tonnes wheat tender, but they said another wheat tender with new conditions was expected to be issued in June.

But on June 9, the US Agriculture Department said Iraq had purchased 55,000 tonnes of US wheat in the week ending June 2.

Iraq is also involved in a dispute with Australian grain exporter AWB about alleged contamination of a large purchase of Australian wheat.

Traders also say they suspect Iraq is coming under pressure from the US to buy more American wheat. (Source) Trade Arabia

Iraq plans on reducing state subsidies

In an interview, Iraq's central bank's chief economist said that Iraq is committed to phasing out subsidies built-up over decades as the oil-based economy became more centralized.

Discontent over high unemployment and low standards of living and tensions between the majority Shiite and minority Sunni sects have already raised concerns that daily attacks may turn into civil war. Iraq has agreed to restructure the subsidies system, not scrap it altogether, in meetings with donors and creditors, the economist said.

He was speaking after a conference organized by the United States and the European Union to discuss ways to stabilize Iraq and activate billions of dollars of international aid promised two years ago. More than 95 percent of the $15 billion non-American aide pledged, mainly from Japan and Europe, had not been committed because the level of violence had prevented work being done. Disagreements between donors and slow economic reforms in Iraq making project management difficult had also stemmed the aide flow.

Iraq expanded handouts and subsidies to help people cope with crushing sanctions imposed by the United Nations from 1990-2003, which contributed to the economic collapse of the country with the world's second largest world reserves. This came on top of $120 billion of debt mostly accumulated in the 1980s to finance an eight-year war with Iran. (Source)Menafn

Iraqi Women Enter Contracting Works of $270 Million Value

Yesterday, in a statement on the Internet, Ilella Senil, contracting manager in the Gulf Region Team, said that the objective of the participation of this number of women is giving an opportunity to get to know the contracting works in the division and the joint command in Iraq, providing with opportunities for women to participate in secondary contracting works and supplying them with advice on behalf of the major contractors. She pointed out that 91 electricity and 5 drinkable water projects have been offered at $270 million to be executed by local contractors.

It is worth mentioning that the conference of “Iraqi Business women” has been recently held in the conferences palace hall and was attended by a group of Iraqi businesswomen. It stressed viewing the plans and projects to activate the role of Iraqi women and investing their capitals in various commercial, agricultural and production projects. (SOurce)

Al Khalil: Al Zaman

Oil, gas corporations bid for $40b 'Rebuild Iraq' projects

OGS 2005, the premier Arab Oil and Gas Show which is to be held from November 7 to 9, 2005, at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, is expected to be an important link between cutting-edge technology providers and investors in Iraq's resurgent Oil & Gas sector.

In the 12th edition of its showing, OGS will provide companies with a platform to network and discuss business prospects, innovation and issues related to exploration, extraction, processing, storage, transportation and security in the oil and gas industry. "With investment in Oil & Gas infrastructure growing exponentially all across the GCC region, investors are increasingly on the look-out for technologies and services that provide the optimum combination of high return on investment and competitive edge in a dynamic global market-place.

OGS, as a forum, has created a niche where industry leaders can be assured of hands-on inspection of newly launched technologies and services," said Anselm Godinho the Managing Director of International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E). The show bears tremendous importance to the region as the Gulf's economy is largely driven by reserves of oil and natural gas. Saudi Arabia, according to independent research, has one-fourth of the world's proven oil reserves. (SOurce) Kheleej Times

Iraqi Airways first flight to UK

Salah Al Shaikhly, the new Iraqi ambassador in London, said Jaafari arrived in London, where he lived as an exile during Saddam's rule, for a private visit during which he will meet members of the Iraqi community.

Government spokesman Laith Kubba said from Baghdad that Jaafari had flown from Kuwait, the airline's "longest flight since 1990 owing to the limited capabilities of Iraqi aircraft". Jaafari flew on a Boeing 727, one of two planes owned by the Iraqi flag carrier, with the other being a slightly more recent Boeing 737.

Iraqi Airways operates daily flights from Baghdad to Amman, and flies three times a week to the Iraqi cities of Arbil and Basra, and to Damascus. International flights resumed last September.

The UN sanctions were lifted after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam in April 2003.

Jaafari will leave London on the same plane to travel to Brussels for an international conference on rebuilding Iraq sponsored by the European Union and US that will be held Wednesday, the ambassador said.

He will then travel to Washington before returning to London, where he will have talks with British officials, the ambassador added.

Al Aayan contributes in establishing the first Islamic bank in Iraq

The fact that this growing market mobilizes for economical leaps connected with political and security stability, and it is a market which is insufficiently banking served, Aayan in cooperation with an elite group of Iraqi investors have established the first Islamic bank there, and it is expected that the bank will start its works in Baghdad and in secure areas in the north to serve foreign companies and Kurds, indicating that Iraqi north areas are definitely not been served just like other Iraqi areas, he added

He declared that Aayan’s percentage is 35% while the total percentage of the Kuwaiti side is 49% of the capital that comes down to 50 milliards Iraq Dinars, which is equivalent to 35 millions USD, Al Aayan alone has also got the administration right for five years according to an agreement that has been signed with the founders.

He confirmed that Aayan company for rent and investment has deposited its share of the capital, and subscription procedures are on going, as currently there is a general subscription process for Iraqi people in about 20% of the bank capital, according to the Iraqi central bank demand.

He also indicated that Iraq has turned from being a threaten source and fears wellhead in the past under the former regime to be a source for investment opportunities in all market sectors, and it is expected that gulf and Kuwaiti companies will get more interests and opportunities related to reconstruction process.

(Source) Al Qabas

Arrival of New cargos of Rice and Wheat to Various Harbors - Achieving Health Centers in Al Musel at the Cost of 2 Billion Dinars

Yesterday, a ministry official told Al Zaman that another ship loaded with 30 thousand tons of rice is expected to arrive later this month, flowed by a third ship loaded with 30 thousand tons of the same substance.

He pointed out that the operations of transporting rice, of 91 thousand tons, are currently continuous from the Jordanian harbor of Al Aqaba to Iraq under new contracts to import 220 thousand tons. Another ship is hoped to arrive at the same harbor during this month, also loaded with 30 thousand tons of rice.

At present, there are successive operations of transporting 214 thousand tons of wheat from the Syrian Tartus Harbor to the warehouses and silos of the trade ministry, 39 silos, distributed all over Iraq. Meanwhile, two ships are expected to arrive at the said harbor during this month, loaded with two cargos of wheat of 100 thousand tons.

The trade ministry has signed contracts with companies to import 550 thousand tons of wheat to cover the needs of the ration cards. The consumption of Iraq of this substance is approximately 220 thousand tons a month.

Meanwhile, the health ministry has executed a number of health institutions in Nainawa province. It is requesting the trade ministry to prepare its warehouse to accommodate the imported medicines.

In a statement, which Al Zaman received a copy of, Ammar Al Safar, deputy health minister for reconstruction and donors’ affairs, said, “Model health centers have been established in Nainawa province in Al Wehda, Al Nor, Al Karama, Al Be’aj, Al Hamdania and Hammam Al Alil regions, in addition to creating a consultation clinic for emergencies in Tala’far and establishing 8 residence buildings in the province, for employees and health cadres. He pointed out that the total costs of the projects have reached 2 billion and 30 million dinars.

Within the same context, a health ministry source said that the ministry has addressed the trade ministry for the purpose of preparing warehouses for the purpose of storing great amounts of medicines and medical supplies, which are to be exported, especially after the warehouses of the ministry became full of medicines, in addition to signing importation contracts with companies to overcome the shortage of medicines. He confirmed that the medicines were sent to hospitals and governmental health centers after they underwent laboratory examinations to verify their validity for human use. (Source) Khayon Ahmed Saleh – Adnan Abdul Hassan Al Zaman

Pumping amounts of gasoline to tackle the crisis in mid of Iraq

This is to hold back gasoline crisis the country witnesses more than a week ago and it is been increasing day after day, a ministry authoritative official said.

(the ministry has allocated amounts of fuels for middle Euphrates govern orates, 50 tanks per day to be send to (Hilla, Karbalaa, Nadjaf, Muthana and Dywanyia), in addition to the allocated amounts for these govern orates in nearby warehouses. (Source) Al Khalij

Amendment of Property Transfer Law Soon

The jurisprudence representative has been assigned for the duties of administering jurisprudence and to be responsible for supervising the judiciary system in Iraq, which has gained its financial, accounting and administrative independence, pursuant to law No. 12 on June 8 2004 and has its independent budget. On the other hand, the government consultation council, after starting the committee of settling property disputes; it was decided to amend the general commission law for property transfer.(Source) Mohamed Dawood Isa Al Dostoor