A statement from the US embassy on the implementation of the strategic dialogue agreements between Baghdad and Washington

02/17/2021

 

Baghdad / Al-Mawred News

The US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Toller, stressed, on Wednesday, the focus on implementing the agreements reached during the strategic dialogue between Iraq and the United States last August.  

 “Ambassador Tueller met with the American-Iraqi Business Council of the American Chamber of Commerce to discuss the progress of US cooperation with Iraq in order to develop a prosperous economy,” an embassy statement said.  

According to the statement, Toller said, “We continue to work to help Iraq become a stable, secure and prosperous country, and we would like to see Iraq take full advantage of its enormous energy resources; it has to become more energy independent, and we would like to see an increase in trade and investment contributing to the Stimulating the private sector, creating job opportunities, and providing the basis for a better future for all Iraqis.  

He continued, “In this context, we remain focused on implementing the agreements reached during the strategic dialogue last August, and we look forward to deepening our economic cooperation.”  

https://almawrid.news/contents/view/details?id=27080

Initiatives agree to Kurdistan’s share of the Iraqi budget

Thursday – 7 Rajab 1442 AH – February 18, 2021 AD Issue No. [15423]

A side of one of the previous meetings between the delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government in Baghdad (Rudaw)

Erbil: «Asharq Al-Awsat»

After marathon negotiations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government in Baghdad regarding the region’s share of the federal budget for 2021. An informed source said yesterday (Wednesday) that there is near agreement between the regional government delegation and the Finance Committee, on a formula close to the text of the draft federal budget law for the year 2021. 2021 with some minor changes.

The source added that some political blocs are trying to obstruct the agreement, with the aim of using the file as an electoral political card to win the street in central and southern Iraq.

Samir Hawrami, spokesman for the deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan region and head of the negotiating delegation, Qubad Talabani, confirmed to “Al-Sharq al-Awsat” that “there are signs of approaching a consensual formula close to the text of the draft budget law that was agreed upon between the regional government and the federal government,” indicating that Talabani “Continuing in the consultative meetings and meetings with the political blocs and personalities to reach a compromise formula that satisfies all parties, in accordance with the constitutional requirements.”

In turn, a source familiar with the details of the negotiations’ progress told Asharq Al-Awsat that there is an understanding “of the region’s commitment to deliver 250,000 barrels of oil per day at the price of the SOMO company, provided that the regional government will market it, in addition to 50 percent of the imports of the border crossings. », Indicating that« there are political parties working to delay and procrastinate in reaching an agreement, with the aim of sending the draft law to the House of Representatives without prior agreement, and this is discussed in the Parliament session and turning the issue into a political bid and an electoral winning card.

The source, who refused to be named, stated that «some political blocs, Shi’ites in particular, have succeeded in making the region’s hostilities a profitable electoral card in the Iraqi street, which is evident through selectivity and spreading misconceptions about the region’s share in the budget and its unfairness in The media”.

In turn, Masoud Haider, an advisor to the President of the Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “there is already a consensus formula between the regional government and the federal government, which stipulates the region’s commitment to deliver 250,000 barrels of oil per day, in addition to 50 percent of the ports’ imports. Borders, and this formula of agreement is supposed to be final, as the federal government has included it in the draft budget law that falls within its responsibilities and constitutional jurisdiction, ”indicating that“ some parties have governed this issue and included it within the framework of political negotiation, and the regional government in turn has shown flexibility in this matter, I contacted most of the political blocs in the hope of reaching an agreement that would satisfy the two parties, and be an opportunity to bridge the gap in viewpoints to resolve the remaining outstanding issues between the region and Baghdad, including the enactment of the oil and gas law to avoid a recurrence of such a problem in the future.

Regarding the possibility of passing the budget law, Haidar said: “There are political blocs that understand the need to reach consensual formulas regarding this issue, and we hope that the Shiite brothers will understand the seriousness of the stage that Iraq is going through in general, and that the law will be passed in a manner that preserves the people of the Kurdistan region of their constitutional rights.” .

Regarding the guarantees of Baghdad’s commitment to the agreement’s wording after its passage, Haider said: “We hope that all individuals will abide by the provisions of the agreement in accordance with the provisions of the law, and that what happened in 2014, when the Baghdad government refused to pay citizens’ dues, according to the budget law, due to political differences.”

It is noteworthy that the Parliamentary Finance Committee prefers to submit the budget bill to a vote in Parliament, next week. The committee reduced the size of the budget from 164 trillion dinars to about 127.5 trillion dinars, and raised the estimated price for a barrel of oil from 42 to 45 dollars a barrel.

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A deputy suggests {for Euphrates News} a new date for voting on the budget … and reveals what happened with Al-Amiri about the region’s share

Time: 02/17/2021 18:08:47 Read: 3,328 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The deputy of the Kurdistan Islamic Group, Salim Hamza, suggested next week the date for voting on the federal budget for the fiscal year 2021.

Hamza said {for the Euphrates News} that “the dialogues are open and continuous between the center and the region regarding the budget, and the Kurdish delegation is optimistic so far and most of the political blocs have declared their refusal to pass the budget except after the Kurdish share is fixed.”

He added that “the political blocs previously did not agree with each other about the region’s budget requirements, but they gave the green light to the head of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Hadi Al-Amiri, to agree with the Kurdish delegation on the oil file.” 

Hamza added, “The Kurdish negotiating delegation headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, discussed Monday with Amiri his share in the budget, but there is nothing new and we have not yet found any practical steps to find a solution,” likely “to vote on the budget next week.”

Qubad Talabani, Vice President of the Kurdistan Region and his accompanying delegation met with the head of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Hadi Al-Amiri, on Monday evening in the federal capital, Baghdad.

The meeting comes within the meetings held by the regional government delegation as part of its visit to Baghdad to complete the dialogues regarding the region’s share in the draft federal budget law for 2021. 

During the meeting, Amiri and Talabani discussed the latest political developments in Iraq, as the two sides stressed the need to find radical solutions to the outstanding issues between the government The Kurdistan region and the federal government, and the draft federal budget law, and their opinions agreed that it should be resolved on the basis of the constitution and the law, in a way that preserves the rights of everyone.

Wafa Al-Fatlawi         

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Brent oil, to $ 64

Time: 02/17/2021 14:33:17 Read: 2,418 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} Crude oil prices continued to rise today, Wednesday.

The global Brent crude index reached $ 64.24 a barrel at 2:33 pm Baghdad time {GMT + 3}.

While the price of a barrel of oil from Basra Light crude exceeded $ 64.

As for the Basra heavy price, it was at 61.4 dollars for the first time in more than 13 months.

Ammar Al-Masoudi

 https://alforatnews.com/news/%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B7-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%86%D8%AA-%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%89-64-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%8B

Work: They issued more than 17,000 MasterCard cards to beneficiaries in Baghdad and the provinces

Time: 02/17/2021 18:59:06 Read: 572 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced the issuance of 17,659 (MasterCard) cards for the beneficiaries of the full-time employee salary in Baghdad and the provinces except for the Kurdistan region for the period from December 20, 2020 until today, Wednesday.

The head of the People with Disabilities and Special Needs Authority, Issam Abd Al-Latif Al-Tamimi, said in a statement that Al Furat News received a copy of, that “the authority’s departments in Baghdad and the governorates are still continuing daily during official working hours to issue cards to those covered by the full-time employee’s salary in cooperation with the concerned banking authorities. “. 

 The head of the authority praised “the efforts of the employees in the departments to speed up the completion of the transactions covered by the privileges of Law No. 38 of 2013 with accuracy, high professionalism, and relieving the citizen’s burden.”

Wafa Al-Fatlawi

https://alforatnews.com/news/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%A3%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%83%D8%AB%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86-17-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%C2%A0%D8%A8%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A9%C2%A0%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%C2%A0%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%BA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B8%D8%A7%D8%AA

Talabani discusses with the US ambassador about the region’s share of the budget and the bombing of Erbil

Kurdistan Region

Qubad Talabani

2021-02-17 10:15

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Shafaq News / The Deputy Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, discussed during his meeting with the US ambassador to Baghdad, Matthew Toller, today, Wednesday, the latest developments in the Iraqi arena and the Kurdistan region and the progress of the region’s delegation’s negotiations with Baghdad regarding the budget and the missile attack that targeted Erbil yesterday.

A statement by Talabani’s media office received by Shafaq News stated that during his visit to Baghdad, Talabani met today, Wednesday, in Baghdad with the US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tueller.

The statement indicated that Talabani talked about the dialogues conducted by the delegation of the region in Baghdad on the draft federal budget law for the current year 2021 and the meetings and meetings with the parties concerned.

According to the missile attack that targeted the city of Erbil, it was another part of the talks between the two sides, pointing out that they stressed the need to protect the security of Iraq and Kurdistan.

The statement indicated that talking about the political situation and the latest developments in the Kurdistan Region was another focus of the meeting.

https://shafaq.com/ar/%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D9%80%D9%80%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%B4-%D9%86-%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%81-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84

Significant increase in the central bank’s sales of hard currency

Editing date: 2/17/2021 13:53 • 48 times read

[Baghdad-Where]

The Central Bank of Iraq’s hard currency sales, on Wednesday, increased significantly, to exceed $ 54 million.

The central bank auction for the sale and purchase of foreign currencies, according to the daily bulletin issued by the bank, increased sales by 8.19%, to reach 54 million 668 thousand and 275 dollars, which the bank covered at a base exchange rate of 1460 dinars per dollar.

The purchases amounting to 54 million, 468 thousand and 275 dollars went to strengthen the assets abroad, in the form of transfers and appropriations, while the rest of 200 thousand dollars went in cash.

Twelve banks responded to requests to enhance assets abroad, while two banks met the requests in cash, and two companies participated to mediate in the bank’s auction.

It is noteworthy that the central bank’s sales of hard currency, for Tuesday, had reached 50 million and 345 thousand dollars

http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=106713

Member in Parliamentary Finance: Next Thursday or Saturday to vote on the budget

Time: 02/17/2021 14:22:58 Read: 1,937 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Parliamentary Finance Committee expected the date for voting on the draft federal budget law for 2021.

Committee member Shirwan Mirza said in a press statement that “an official date has not yet been set for the vote on the budget bill,” pointing out that “there is talk about voting on it on Thursday or next Saturday, but there is no official decision by the council presidency so far about this.” Regard. ”

He stressed that “the delegation of the Kurdistan region that is visiting Baghdad is waiting for the Shiite blocs to present an alternative text for the government text regarding the region’s share in the budget.

And he indicated that “the delegation of the region and the Kurdish blocs is waiting for the Shiite parliamentary blocs to present a text for dialogue on the region’s share,” noting that “no text has been submitted yet, stressing the Kurdish blocs’ support for the government text of the draft budget.”

Ammar Al-Masoudi

 https://alforatnews.com/news/%D8%B9%D8%B6%D9%88-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B3-%D8%A3%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A9

The Minister of Finance announces the launch of the new experiment in the comprehensive banking system

Banks

Economy News _ Baghdad

On Wednesday, Minister of Finance Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi inaugurated the Al-Alawi branch in the Rafidain Bank, according to the comprehensive banking system.  

The Ministry’s media office said in a statement received by Al-Iqtisad News that, “Under the auspices of the Minister of Finance, Al-Rafidain Bank opened the Al-Alawiya branch in Al-Firdous Square in accordance with the comprehensive banking system.”  

Allawi said, during the opening, according to the statement, that “the new branch is part of the development plan pursued by the Ministry of Finance by adopting modernity and development in the application of the banking system,” adding that “this branch represents the real breakthrough towards popularizing the new experience in all Iraqi banks.”  

The statement stressed that “the departments of the Ministry of Finance are working hard and continuously to improve the quality of services provided to citizens.”  

The opening was attended by the General Director of Al-Rafidain Bank, the branch manager and the bank’s staff.  

https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=24110

Without presenting an “alternative text,” there are ongoing disagreements regarding Kurdistan’s budget share

Politics

Kurdistan Region

The financial budget

2021-02-17 06:14

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Shafaq News / A member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Jamal Cougar, said on Wednesday, that there are continuing disputes and political discussions to resolve the Kurdistan Region’s share in the fiscal budget law for the current year, indicating that the Shiite political blocs did not provide any alternative text regarding the region’s share.

Cougar told Shafaq News, “The political differences and discussions between the Kurdish delegation and the Shiite blocs still exist, and it is up to them to set a date for the vote on the General Budget Law for 2021.”

He added that “the Kurdish delegation is still in Baghdad talking with the Shiite political blocs with the aim of reaching an agreement and resolving the region’s share of the budget,” referring to “transferring the talks to next week to reach a final agreement.”

Cougar continued, “The Parliamentary Finance Committee has completed all paragraphs of the budget law, except for the paragraph concerning the agreement of the governments of Baghdad and Erbil regarding the region’s share and has not yet been included in the budget law.”

Last December, Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement on the financial budget, stipulating that the region hand over 250 thousand barrels of oil per day, and half of the revenues from border crossings and others to the federal government, in exchange for a share in the budget of 12.6 percent.

The agreement was included in the draft budget, but Shiite factions in Parliament reject the agreement, which impedes its passage in Parliament. 

Cougar said, “The ball is in the stadium of the Shiite political blocs, and it is divided and does not accept the government text, and it did not come with an alternative text,” stressing that “things are still pending for more than 45 days.”

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