American Contractor

Just this week the Iraq Council of Representatives (CoR) held a meeting on the issue of lifting the immunity of some deputies that have outstanding warrants for there arrest. They have decided to organize a 14 member committee consisting of the individual blocs that make up the CoR to study the issue.

Things are continuing with the signed petitions as just recently the Sadrist Bloc has submitted a request and signed by 25 Parliament members to summon the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry to be asked questions by the Parliament on how he is doing with the affairs of the Ministry. I have not heard anything else on this ministry just that the CoR would like to get more information on how the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has been doing all this time.

OIL

There is still no date when the Ministry of Oil Hussein al-Shahristani, will be reporting front and center at the Iraqi Council of Representatives. I am sure he is getting his notes together from his support staff and others that are in support of the Oil Ministry.

At the same time the CoR is getting there questions in order to ask the al-Shahristani when they get the chance. Such as the corruption files linked to the Oil Ministry that the CoR Oil and Gas committee have in there possession. The Oil and Gas committee want to ask al-Shahristani, about the lack of maintenance of the Iraqi Oil pipelines, which they say could cause the explosion of the pipelines at any moment.

Another issue is on why al-Shahristani, has failed to bring a single oil refinery to Iraq to reduce the shortage of oil derivatives. And the CoR wants to know why al-Shahristani, did not do anything when the Persians (Iranians) started to take over oil wells in the border areas. There are other questions that will be asked just have not been published as of yet.

Let's hope they get to the 70 of the most important oil wells in Iraq that have been depleted due to bad extraction methods. I could make a list of how bad the Oil wells are but some other time. I will say the reports are that if nothing is done to get the production levels up very soon than the production level will start to drop from the current levels.

KRG Pumping Oil Sunday 31 May.
After getting the blessing from the Iraq Central government due to the 2009 budget deficit they really had no choice. This is just a trial run to see what is the capabilities of the KRG to pump oil from the Al-Turiq and Taqtaq oil wells. The KRG estimates they can get about 10,000 barrels a day and later get it up to 50,000 bbd. Let's hope there is no holes in the pipelines and no terror attacks to make them look bad.

IRAQ CHAPTER SEVEN
The new expiration date is 31 December 2009 however the Iraqi government has been negotiating with the UN representatives who just recently visited Baghdad. There is another meeting next month June. There are legitimate obstacles of preventing Iraq from getting out under the Chapter seven. The debt that is owed to other countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia who are owed 30 bn usd each and Egypt 800 million dollars and other countries that want there money. I don't believe the meeting next month you will see the Chapter seven lifted or you may but I think the next 30 days is not enough time to solve each countries issues of the money owed. Kuwait wants there property back that was taken in the Gulf war and or compensation. I don't believe you can solve this in 30 days especially when Iraq doesn't have any money to pay it's debts. Remember they went to the London Conference to acquire investments which are badly needed just don't think they are able to come to an agreement with Kuwait anytime soon. Kuwait is the country that wants Iraq to remain under Chapter Seven. We will have to watch this and see how this develops.

I predict that they will extend this all the way up too 31 Dec 2009 and if no agreement has been made then you will see another extension date into 2010.

The Iraqi National Elections was scheduled for 31 January 2010 and now the date has been changed to 16 January 2010. The date was conflicting with the date of a religious holiday.

The Belgians have just written off 80% of the debt owed by Iraq and probably will see a Belgian Embassy opening in Iraq soon.

The Oil and Gas Committee Recorder Jabir Khalififah Jabir, recently said that if the Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani submits his resignation just like the Trade Minister did last week it will not protect him from legal prosecution. Jabir says he has several items evidence of corruption in the Ministry of Oil.

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