|
Kurdistan Region-Iraq News in brief
29.11.2006
|
|
|
|
November 29,
2006 - Sulaimaniyah,
Erbil, Duhok, Kirkuk, Kurdistan Region (Iraq)
Erbil, Baghdad to form ministerial committee to
settle differences
Erbil, Nov 29, – Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
and Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani
reached an agreement to set up a ministerial
committee to discuss points of differences between
the two sides, a statement by Iraqi Kurdistan
region's cabinet said on Wednesday.
"The agreement was reached during a meeting held on
Tuesday in Baghdad to discuss key pending issues
between Baghdad and Erbil, like article 140 of the
Iraqi Constitution, oil projects and Kurdistan
government's share in the budget," said.
The statement added that the two sides, after
exchanging views on these files, decided to continue
the consultations and form a ministerial committee
for talks between them. The government of Kurdistan
demands Maliki’s government to apply article 140 of
the constitution, which provides for holding a
referendum to annex oil-rich Kirkuk to the Kurdish
areas, on its due date by the end of 2007.
The Kurdish government also called for increasing
the financial appropriations of Iraq's Kurdistan,
which is currently 17 percent of the Iraqi general
budget, and granting the regional government the
freedom to deal in oil investments in Kurdistan.
The statement noted that Maliki on Tuesday discussed
with visiting President of Kurdistan Massoud Barzani
recent political developments in Iraq, national
reconciliation efforts and reconstruction projects
in Kurdistan.
Maliki and Barzani also “discussed means of boosting
the economy and coordinating between the parties
concerned in the central government and the regional
government in financial and economic fields,” said
the statement
Teams formed for protection against bird flu
A number of teams have been formed to protect
against a possible outbreak of bird flu in
Kurdistan. The director of the veterinary department
in Sulaimaniyah stated that a number of teams have
been formed in the governorate to protect against a
possible outbreak of bird flu in Kurdistan in the
near future, local media reported.
"For the time being, we have specialized teams to
monitor slaughterhouses. We have arranged a medical
team for the purpose of examining suspected cases
during a possible eruption of the illness," the
director said.
Regarding any new outbreak of the disease, he said,
"This year, so far, we have had no recorded or
suspected cases; and if it happens, then we have
prepared special devices for simple primary checks
of the disease.
In any doubt, we will send the samples to Egypt for
further and definitive investigations."
On the issue of bans on dealing with live birds, the
director stated that, in any occasion, dealing with
live birds is prohibited and teams are working to
detect and quarantine such birds.
Thirty schools to be built for Kirkuk refugees
30 schools will be built for refugee students in
Kirkuk. Ahmad Askary, the head of the committee of
rebuilding in the city council of Kirkuk, announced
that 30 schools will be built for refugee students,
according to local media.
"For the purpose of sorting out the lack of school
buildings in the main areas of Kirkuk refugees and
some villages around Kirkuk, 30 buildings for
schools will be built.
This project will take place under the supervision
of the city council and executed by local and
foreign companies. The official time for completing
the project is 60 days, but they hope to finish it
in 45 days.
Kurdistani parliament seeks to tackle child
labour
The destroyed Baath Party's Presidency Council is an
unfair decision and against the rules of human
rights. Kurdistan parliament member Awat Ali
Suleimani disclosed plans by parliament to undo a
resolution enacted by the former Baath Party's
Presidency Council, which made it legal for children
under the age of 12 to work, local media reported
last week.
"Resolution 368 of the destroyed Baath Party's
Presidency Council is an unfair decision and against
the rules and regulations of human rights.
Although it is not in work in Kurdistan but we
should solve it legally," Arez Abdulla, a member of
the Kurdistan parliament, said.
Regarding the question as to whether or not there
are any plans to replace Resolution 368, Abdulla
said, "Nothing will replace that, and our work will
be based on the international principles of human
rights."
Meetings in Germany on Kurdish refugees
Zozik organization and the Kirkuk cooperation passed
one letter each to the Chancellor, the Interior
Ministers of Germany. The Interior Minister met,
Germany, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, to
decide on the fate of 300,000 Kurdish refugees in
her country, on November 16-17 in Nuremberg.
Zozik organization and the Kirkuk cooperation passed
one letter each to the Chancellor, the Interior
Ministers of Germany, the foreign coordinators, and
the Interior Minister of the Bayar region, in
support of the thousands of Kurdish refugees.
In their letters they explained the unstable
situation in Iraq and the rising threat of
terrorism.
They also explained the conditions of Kurdish
refugees, and asked Germany to give them the right
to stay and not forcefully repatriate them,
especially since Germany is a democratic country and
abide by human rights laws.
Region's Central Bank director remarks on state
of the dinar
The price of the Iraqi dinar will result in a drop
in the dollar and euro. The director of the
Kurdistan Region's Central Bank stated that there is
no plan to change the current Iraqi currency;
instead, there will be trials to increase its value.
"Because currently the value of the dinar is very
low, people are depending more on the dollar and
euro. But increasing the price of the Iraqi dinar
will result in a drop in the dollar and euro," said
the director.
When questioned on the recent decision of the
central Iraqi government to raise government
employees' salaries and whether the decision
includes the Kurdistan Region or not.
The director said, "Any decision issued by the
central Iraqi government will be executed in
Kurdistan as well, but that will not take effect
until the 2007 budget plan is implemented.
A delegation from Kurdistan Region recently visited
Baghdad to attempt to solve financial issues.
President Barzani condemns terrorism in Sadr City
Terrorist act is targeting all the Iraqi people and
the political process. President Massud Barzani of
the Kurdistan Region condemned the terrorist event
that occurred in Sadr City, saying, "We strongly
condemn the terrorist actions in the city that
resulted in a large number of sacrifices and
injuries."
The President added, "This terrorist act is
targeting all the Iraqi people and the political
process, and its purpose is to deepen the conflict
between various political fronts in Iraq.
We, in the name of the Kurdistani people, very
strongly oppose what happened and express powerfully
our sadness and grief to martyrs of Sadr City."
New rule limits prices on hospitals and private
clinics
Arabic doctors have opened clinics in Kurdistani
cities. Regarding restricting the amount private
clinics and hospitals in Kurdistan can charge
patients, especially Arabic doctors who have opened
clinics recently in Kurdistani cities.
The Minister of Health in Kurdistan Regional
Government stated that they have agreed with all of
the three medical syndicates in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah,
and Duhok, on placing new restriction price plans
for doctors' private practices.
The Minister accused medical syndicates of not doing
their jobs accurately, thereby giving the Ministry
permission to interfere with such issues.
"We have arranged meetings with representatives of
Kurdistani medical syndicates and agreed to
implement new price plans, especially for Arab
doctors who were charging 25,000 dinars per
patient," said the Minister, adding, "The new plan
will be according to the degree of profession,
ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 dinars.
We have classified different kinds of operations in
private hospitals from simple to major and
complicated ones, and in each occasion, the surgeon
has no right to charge more than 1,500,000 dinars
per operation."
The Minister stressed that anyone who breaches the
new plan will be prosecuted.
"Currently, we are studying a related case in two
hospitals in Sulaimaniyah, as there is sufficient
evidence that they have not adhered to our plan. We
may force the hospitals to be closed and punish the
doctors," said the Minister.
Most recently, a Kurdish doctor was prohibited from
practicing medicine, and another one, due to neglect
in his work, has been prevented from working as a
doctor in Kurdistan.
High court visits areas bombarded with chemical
weapons
The staff of the Iraqi high court visited districts
in the Kurdistan Region.
The staff of the Iraqi high court visited districts
in the Kurdistan Region that were bombarded with
chemical weapons.
Mr. Munkiz Taklif, attorney general of the Iraqi
high court, gave a lecture in Sulaimani Palace
clarifying their visit, stating, "All the staff,
including defense and prosecution lawyers, visited
several places in Hawler, Duhok, and Sulaimaniyah,
such as Balisan, Shekwasanan, Sewsenan and Karadak."
Added Taklif, "We visited the graves of victims
named by witnesses."
On the way back, the staff found several unexploded
ordnances, possibly chemical. It is being
investigated.
Taklif recorded statements by some witnesses. He
pointed out that the Anfal Campaign, carried out by
the previous Iraqi regime, was a crime against the
world, not just Kurds.
Kurdishglobe net | VOI | Agencies
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 