KTFA:

The United States confirms the "immunity" of the reserves of the Central Bank of Iraq: its funds cannot be seized

28th July, 2021

The Central Bank of Iraq announced, on Tuesday, that its funds are "fortified" by an American decision, "and no party can seize them."

The bank stated in a statement, that the legal authorities in the United States of America confirmed to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq that all the reserves and funds of the Central Bank of Iraq are fortified and that no party can seize them.

The Governor of the Central Bank is accompanied by the Iraqi Prime Minister in the delegation in Washington.

The bank added, "Iraq will complete during the coming period the full payment of the compensation and benefits accrued from it before 2003, as this will lead to the lifting of the international immunity of Iraq's money abroad and it will be subject to implementation by some creditors from other parties and companies." He also added that those American legal authorities confirmed that the funds and reserves of the Central Bank of Iraq are protected under the laws followed in the United States of America, and pledged to defend what is in the central banks and banks in other countries.

And the UN Security Council, by its Resolution No. 1483, imposed protection for Iraqi funds and property abroad, especially the Development Fund for Iraq opened at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and it is the account in which Iraqi oil revenues are deposited, from which the Kuwait war compensation amounting to 5% of those revenues are deducted.

This account is managed by the Central Bank of Iraq as the financial agent of the Iraqi state, and there are additional guarantees issued by the US President to protect the funds of the Central Bank of Iraq in the United States from any prosecution that arises against the interests and funds of Iraq when it was subject to the provisions of Chapter VII under the supervision of the United Nations As a result of Saddam Hussein's regime's occupation of neighboring Kuwait.

Iraq sought to cancel its debts during the period of the previous regime’s rule, amounting to more than 120 billion dollars, some of which is due to compensation due to the wars it waged against its neighbors and others to countries and merchants, while the government demands some countries and merchants to pay their dues and threaten to file lawsuits in international courts against Iraq Import Fund.  LINK

Gigi:  “The Governor of the Central Bank is accompanied by the Iraqi Prime Minister in the delegation in Washington.“  WOW

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Samson:  Immunity of Central Bank of Iraq funds abroad

27th July, 2021

The Legal authorities in the United States of America confirmed to the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq that all the reserves and funds of the Central Bank of Iraq are fortified and that no party can seize them. They also confirmed that they will defend its immunity with the rest of the countries, and these reserves cannot be compromised.

As Iraq will complete during the coming period the full payment of the compensation and benefits accrued from it before 2003, this will lead to the lifting of the international immunity for Iraq's money abroad and it will be subject to implementation by some creditors from other parties and companies.

In this context, those legal authorities confirmed that the funds and reserves of the Central Bank of Iraq are protected under the laws followed in the United States of America, and pledged to defend what is in the central banks and banks in other countries.

Central Bank of Iraq
Media Office
27 July 2021   LINK

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Samson:  Theft of salaries for the police forces in Kifri district

27th July, 2021
The Director of Forest and Environment Police in Kifri district, Brigadier General Shwan Al-Jaf, reported on Tuesday that the salaries of employees in the Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in the Kurdistan Region had been stolen.

Al-Jaf told Shafaq News Agency, "After a financial committee went to receive salaries from the Ministry of Interior, and during its return, 39 million and 700, and 10 thousand were stolen from inside the car during the committee's rest in the restaurant."

He added that an investigation will be opened to reveal the identity of the thieves and arrest them. LINK

Samson:  Exxon is preparing to leave, and Baghdad wants an American alternative

27th July, 2021

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi said that ExxonMobil is considering leaving Iraq for reasons related to its internal administrative practices and decisions, noting that his country wants another American company to replace Exxon when it leaves Iraq

Exxon, which appeared in 2019 to proceed with a $53 billion project to increase Iraqi oil production, is seeking to sell its 32.7% stake in West Qurna 1, one of Iraq's largest oil fields

Al-Kazemi told a small group of journalists in Washington after talks with President Joe Biden on Monday that ExxonMobil is considering exiting Iraq for reasons related to its internal administrative practices and decisions, not because of the situation in Iraq

Speaking through an interpreter, he added that when ExxonMobil leaves, Iraq will not accept an alternative but another American company

Al-Kazemi did not specify which US companies might be interested in the stake. Chevron also has operations in Iraq

Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar had said in May that Iraq was considering buying ExxonMobil's stake in the West Qurna 1 field through the state-owned Basra Oil Company    LINK

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Samson:  Al-Halbousi: Iraq succeeds in achieving the strategic agreement with Washington

27th July, 2021

Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi confirmed that Iraq has succeeded in achieving the strategic agreement with the United States of America.

Al-Halbousi said in a tweet to him, which was followed by the agency (Al-Oula News), today, Tuesday, that "Iraq is stepping confidently towards achieving its full capabilities, and today it is succeeding diplomatically and politically in completing the Iraqi-American strategic agreement within the requirements of the new phase and the requirements of the national interest."   LINK

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Samson:  The Iraqi delegation headed by Al-Kazemi returns to Baghdad tomorrow with a huge amount of recovered antiquities

07/27/2021 20:10:20

 The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Hassan Nazim, revealed that the Iraqi delegation headed by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will return to Baghdad tomorrow with a huge amount of recovered antiquities.

  Nazim said, in a televised statement, that 17,000 Iraqi artifacts will be recovered from America, which is a clay figure among the smuggled Iraqi antiquities after 2003 and will be returned via the Prime Minister's plane to Baghdad.

He added, "The number bears cuneiform inscriptions for commercial exchanges in the Sumerian civilization." And its return comes as a result within a long and arduous work, and after long months of negotiation, they returned it “the largest recovery operation of Iraqi antiquities and has importance to the Iraqis.

”Nazim announced “the return of the Iraqi delegation headed by Al-Kazemi to Baghdad tomorrow with these antiquities on the Prime Minister’s plane, and these will be presented The pieces are in the Iraqi Historical Museum, and in the near future we will witness antiquities recovered from other countries.”

The Minister of Culture concluded, “In the coming hours, an extensive meeting will be held with influential political figures and American businessmen in Washington to discuss investment projects and economic partnerships between the two countries.”  LINK

Samson:  Al-Fateh welcomes the agreement on the withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq

27th July, 2021

The Al-Fateh Alliance announced, on Tuesday, its welcome to the Iraqi negotiator's agreement on the withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq.

The Al-Fateh Alliance said in a statement, "We welcome the achievement of the Iraqi negotiator by agreeing to the complete exit of combat forces at the end of this year, which is a positive and advanced step towards achieving full national sovereignty."

The coalition expressed its hope for the concerned officials in the Iraqi state to "follow up the implementation of what was agreed upon in a practical way," expressing its thanks and appreciation to "the Iraqi negotiator for this national achievement."

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi met, yesterday, Monday, with US President Joe Biden, in Washington, and they discussed several areas, including emphasizing the absence of American combat forces in Iraq by December 31, 2021.   LINK

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Samson:  Iraq and America agree to withdraw combat forces by the end of 2021

26th July, 2021

Iraq and the United States agreed to withdraw all American combat forces from Iraq by the end of this year 2021.

This came in the final statement issued on Monday evening of the fourth and final strategic dialogue round between the two countries.

The Iraqi delegation, Fouad Hussein, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, and the delegation of the United States of America, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, chaired the fourth and final meeting of the Strategic Dialogue, which began on June 11, 2020, as part of the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement for the Interstate Friendship and Cooperation Relationship United States of America and the Republic of Iraq. The Iraqi delegation included representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

According to the final statement, the two parties reiterated the importance of these discussions, which focused on strengthening the long-term strategic partnership defined by the Strategic Framework Agreement, and on key issues of common interest: regional stability, public health, climate change, energy efficiency and independence, and issues related to humanitarian aid. And human rights, economic cooperation, cultural and educational exchange, and other topics. Iraq provided a detailed statement on its ongoing efforts to promote the safe and voluntary return of the displaced to their areas of residence, and the United States pledged to continue its support for these efforts.

The two delegations reaffirmed "the principles agreed upon in the Strategic Framework Agreement." The United States reaffirmed "its respect for Iraq's sovereignty and Iraqi laws, and pledged to continue providing the resources Iraq needs to preserve its territorial integrity."

The Government of Iraq reiterated its commitment to protect the members of the international coalition who provide advice and training to the Iraqi security forces, and confirmed that all the international coalition forces worked in Iraq at its invitation.

The two delegations also confirmed that the bases hosting the United States and other members of the international coalition are Iraqi bases that are managed according to the Iraqi laws in force, and not American bases or rules of the international coalition, and that the presence of international personnel in Iraq is only to support the government of Iraq in the war against the terrorist organization ISIS.

The two delegations agreed, after completing the discussions of the last technical teams, that the security relationship will move entirely to advice, training and intelligence cooperation, and there will be no presence of US combat forces in Iraq by December 31, 2021.

The United States intends to continue its support for the Iraqi security forces, including the Peshmerga forces, in order to build their ability to deal with threats, according to the final statement.

The two delegations affirmed their commitment to protecting human rights and basic freedoms, including freedom of the press, through full compliance with Iraqi legal procedures and constitutional guarantees that respect international norms and conventions on human rights. 

The two sides also affirmed that free and fair elections will support Iraq's sovereignty, democracy and development. 

The Iraqi side presented a detailed description of its plans, which aim to ensure the safety of voters, candidates, poll workers, domestic observers, civil society groups and international observers, and to enhance voter participation.

The two delegations expressed their appreciation for the support provided by the international community, as expressed in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2576 (for 2021). 

The two delegations also agreed that the presence of a monitoring team of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq and an observer mission of the European Union represents a sincere effort by the international community to support the demands of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people to hold free and fair elections next October. 

Iraq welcomed continued US support for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and recent US financial contributions to the mission as election-related assistance, including contributions to the Election Observation Team.

The two parties agreed to continue to cooperate in working with international organizations and through relevant governmental institutions in both countries, particularly in light of the preparations for the United Nations Climate Change Conference at its twenty-sixth session, which will be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom, next autumn. 

The United States expressed support for Iraq's efforts to promote economic reform and regional integration, particularly through its commitment to regional energy networks with Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The two delegations reiterated their determination to maintain and strengthen the strategic relationship between them, in all bilateral issues, in a manner that serves the national interest of each country in addition to their common interest represented in regional stability.

Iraq and the United States confirmed that they would resume their discussions through the coordination committees of the Strategic Framework Agreement.   LINK