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Kurdistan Region-Iraq News in brief
18.12.2006
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December 18,
2006 - Sulaimaniyah,
Erbil, Duhok, Kirkuk, Kurdistan Region (Iraq)
President Barzani welcomes the Australian
ambassador
PNA- President Barzani welcomed Mr. Mark Brown the
Australian ambassador to Iraq on Sunday.
At the meeting the political situation of Iraq and
reconciliation process were discussed. Meanwhile the
bilateral relations between Kurdistan Region and
Australia were negotiated.
Reliance Industries eyes Kurd oilfields
The country's largest company in terms of market
capitalisation is eyeing 3-4 oil fields in
Kurdistan.
Reliance Industries (RIL), the country's largest
private oil company, is seeking oil and gas fields
in Kurdistan.
The Mukesh Ambani-controlled company is considering
various options of entering the oil-rich region.
While it is in talks with the Kurdistan Regional
Government for tie-ups with the region's national
oil companies, it is also considering buying oil
fields on its own.
"Reliance is also in talks with an Indian company to
jointly explore potential oil fields in Kurdistan. A
deal could be finalised in six months," a source
close to the development said.
The country's largest company in terms of market
capitalisation is eyeing 3-4 oil fields in
Kurdistan, an autonomous, federally recognised
political entity located in northern Iraq. The oil
sector forms a major part of the region's economy.
Separately, a Reliance source said the company was
also in talks with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
for joint exploration and production in an oil block
in southern Iraq.
Sources said Reliance's move to enter the oil-rich
region in partnership with ONGC, is a move to tackle
steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal's increased presence in
India's oil and gas business.
Kurdistan President meets with head of Article
140 Committee
KRG President Massoud Barzani met last week in
Baghdad with the Iraqi Minister of Justice, Hashim
Shoubly, who is also the president of the Article
140 Committee of the Iraqi permanent constitution.
Set up by the Iraqi federal government, the
committee is concerned with the normalization of the
situations in Kirkuk and other Kurdish areas that
suffered from the Arabization campaign during the
era of the former Iraqi regime.
In the meeting, Shoubly briefed President Barzani
about the works and activities of his committee, and
shed light on the challenges and obstacles the
committee faces in implementing its activities.
President Barzani stressed the significance of
implementing Article 140 and its completion by the
designated deadline, which is the end of 2007.
Eye-laser treatment center opened in Erbil
Sima Hospital has opened an eye-laser center in
Erbil. Dr. Ali Cholk, administrative director, told
a local Kurdish paper that patients pay 15,000 ID
for checkups.
All work is performed by laser with modern
equipment. Not even Turkey has similar, modern
equipment. Two Turkish doctors and a businessman
from Hawler helped in the construction and
foundation of the hospital, where two Kurdish
doctors work.
Committee named to follow up Kurdistan projects
The speaker of the KRG Council of Ministries
announced the formation of a committee for the
preparation, evaluation, and implementation of
projects, sponsored in coordination with the
American embassy in Baghdad.
Khalid Salih, KRG speaker, has named Ashti Hawrami,
Minister of Natural Fortunes, Osman Shwani, Minister
of Planning, Wishyar Fatah, Minister of Electricity,
and Dr. Zaki Fatah, Economical Advisor, to the
committee.
Construction of sewage project begins in Sulaimaniyah
Sulaimaniyah municipality announced Thursday that
the construction of a large sewage system in the
Chwarchra district is underway, local media
reported.
"The length of the sewage line is 720 meters and
links most of the main sewage drainages of the
city," Mayor Qadir Hamajan said.
"The main aim of the project is to prevent possible
floods during heavy rains," he added. The cost of
the project is expected to near $1 million.
Signatures being collected to protest
Baker-Hamilton Report
A conference was held by Kurdish media organizations
on how to respond to the Baker-Hamilton Report.
The contents of the report, which were made public,
last week, resulted in mass disapproval by various
parties and political blocks in Kurdistan.
In the conference, several participants discussed
their views on the report. A responsible source
informed local media that on December 20, signatures
collected from the public will be forwarded to
Washington authorities by the Iraqi central
government.
"I think that the conference was a very good
opportunity for all media representatives in
Kurdistan to meet each other and discuss their
ideas. Another good thing about the conference was
that all of us were thinking in nearly the same way
about the direction of the report. In spite of that,
it is very normal for minute and partial disputes to
occur," Saro Qadir, Head of Media Central Panel of
the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said. "Following
this meeting, I believe, Kurdistani media will act
in a more optimistic and stronger way for the sake
of achieving Kurdistan's major rewards," he added.
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