Thursday, November 23, 2023
Iraq-Azerbaijan ties will lead to connection with Gulf, Mideast nations, Report, 23 NOV
Iraq-Azerbaijan ties will lead to connection with Gulf, Mideast nations, Report
Shafaq News / A recently published report by Azer News suggested that the Iraqi-Turkish "Development Road" and the railway connection between Iraq and Iran are of huge importance to Azerbaijan.
The report said that the official visit of Iraqi President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid to Azerbaijan foreshadows soaring economic cooperation between the two countries in the near future. The two countries have great potential to cooperate, but due to the invasion and instability following the invasion in Iraq, this potential has not been able to turn into reality.
When Azerbaijani gas projects were launched, the media outlets spoke about the possibility of Iraq joining the project to export its natural gas to Europe. Besides, Iraq could be an alternative for Azerbaijan to access the Persian Gulf as well. Prior to COVID-19, Baku was a desirable destination for Iraqi tourists. Even some companies from both countries tried to conduct trade before the emergence of ISIS.
Despite all attempts, these two fraternal countries have not been able to form desirable economic relations due to regional conflicts in the Middle East, where Iraq is located, or global instability such as COVID-19. Last year, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $29m which is too little in comparison with the potential of both countries. Azerbaijan exported products worth $28m and imported products from Iraq worth $0.5m. So, it is hoped that this official visit will mark a new page in the relationship between the two fraternal countries. For the further strengthening of bilateral relations, both countries signed MOUs and agreements in different fields to boost political, economic, trade, and tourism cooperation.
The Azerbaijani Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Sahil Babayev, and the Iraqi Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ahmed Al-Asadi, signed a MOU on cooperation between the two ministries.
The Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, Fuad Naghiyev, and the Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Iraq, Zafer Mahdi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of tourism between the two countries.
The Azerbaijan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, and the Iraqi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bahr Al-Uloom, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations between the two sides.
The Azerbaijan Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, and the President of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), Imad Al-Asadi, signed an air services agreement between the two governments. So the signing of these meaningful MOUs would be the first step towards greater socio-economic cooperation and trans-regional connectivity, creating beneficial dividends for both countries.
In a comment to Azernews on the issue, Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan noted that it seems that due to rapidly changing socio-economic partnerships, conflicting geopolitical realities, and contradictory geostrategic preferences, Azerbaijan, under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, has initiated regional and trans-regional grand economic diplomacy to further diversify the potential of the macro-economy, energy and food security, and volumes of bilateral exports with Iraq, which has now become an ideal hub of trans-regional connectivity.
“In this connection, Iraq’s trans-regional development project and Iran-Iraq railway connectivity would be mutually beneficial, even for Azerbaijan, which has the status of a Middle Corridor. The bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq are gaining momentum, which vividly reflects befitting propositions for both countries."
Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan reminded that in the near past, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and his Iraqi counterpart Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met and discussed relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in all fields. He added that during the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev termed Rashid's visit an opportunity to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and an affirmation of the two countries' desire to advance their political and economic relations to new levels.
“The Iraqi President, who desired to expand the prospects of cooperation in the economic, investment, tourism, and energy fields, rightly emphasised the need to encourage businessmen to make investments. Thus, tourism, economics, culture, education, real estate, energy, food, and people-to-people contact would be mutually beneficial for both countries. To attract more and more FDIs, Iraq’s government is ready to protect and provide security and stability, the provision of services to the people, the protection of infrastructure, and raise the economic and investment levels to improve the living standards of citizens,” he said.
Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan added that the meeting of the Joint Commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iraq has now further strengthened bilateral relations in diverse sectors of the economy, investment, infrastructure, energy and food, science and technology, and smart living. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that a meeting of the Joint Commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation will be held in Iraq in the near future, which will play an important role in the further expansion of trade-economic ties.
“On the other hand, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on the sidelines of his participation in the ministerial meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Baku from July 5–6, 2023. Both sides stressed the importance of enhancing trade exchange and cooperation in various fields, including the railway, aviation, and tourism. President Aliyev instructed the Ministry of Transport to resume operating air flights between Iraq and Azerbaijan for tourist purposes, stressing the desire of the Azerbaijani government to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Hopefully, increasing bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq would be a balancing act to promote peace, prosperity, stability, and economic sustainability in the region. It would also further strengthen the alternative route strategy of Azerbaijan to connect with greater Gulf and Middle East countries in the days to come,” Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan concluded.
For more than 30 years, Azerbaijan has had no land connection with Nakhchivan, the biggest exclave of Azerbaijan in its south-west. The territory blockaded by Armenia has been supplied with energy through Iran for a long time, and at the same time, travel was possible only by air.
In Soviet times, two railway connections used to link Nakhchivan ASSR (Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) with the main territory of Azerbaijan SSR. The shorter line that passed via the Zangazur region was built earlier, in 1941, whereas the Yerevan-Ijevan-Qazax line further to the north was constructed in the 1980s as an alternative route, connecting Yerevan to Baku and Russia. However, both lines have been abandoned since 1992 due to the First Garabagh War.
According to American pundit and political analyst Peter Tase, having Nakhchivan without any land connection and Armenia's holding the Azerbaijani territory under blockage is inadmissible.
"It is impossible for any nation to wait infinitely in order to have a land connection and transportation corridor with its prosperous enclave. The Republic of Azerbaijan has pursued a deeply purposeful diplomacy, and the White House and European Union have repeatedly ignored Baku’s very legitimate request to achieve this corridor that will tremendously benefit the economic integration of Eurasian nations," Tase said.
He also strongly condemned the US state administration's cold-blooded approach to Azerbaijan's recent regional problems as well as its support for Armenian separatism.
"Washington has missed the opportunity to play an impartial role in securing a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia; above all, the current administration is harming with its incomprehensible rhetoric against the current state of security that has been achieved with many sacrifices by the People of Azerbaijan and its thriving government in Baku," the pundit added.
The American political analyst touched upon the softening of diplomatic relations between Baku and Tehran in recent days and noted that such a development of the process is considered more favourable for the region. He also considered it inadequate that the United States was against this issue.
"Normalisation of relations between Baku and Teheran should have been welcomed by the US State Department, knowing that the very same office allocated, enabled billions of US dollars to benefit the Iranian government. Going against the Baku-Teheran normalisation is inappropriate and very unsuitable for Washington," he stressed.
In addition, Peter Tase criticised US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien's action that was aimed at harming Azerbaijan and Turkiye's relations with Europe. It is sad in the truest sense of the word that the US diplomat did it under the dictates of the Armenian lobby, ignoring the fact that Azerbaijan and Turkiye are the most important and inseparable allies for Europe. Besides, Azerbaijan has been a strategic ally of the United States in the South Caucasus since its independence.
"Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs O’Brien is doing everything possible to damage the culture of pragmatic bilateral alliances between Washington and viable European partners, among them Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Mr. O’Brien and members of US Congress, blindly defending Armenian aggressive revanchism, do not understand that we are living in Cold War II, at a time when rule of law is descending, technological complexities are prevailing globally, and PR China is emerging with its currency as a reserve currency status; these are only a few of the strategic matters that Washington cannot contain and address without building momentum together with allies such as Azerbaijan, Türkiye and the Organisation of Turkic States," the pundit concluded.
"RV UPDATE" BY WALKINGSTICK, 23 NOV
Walkingstick (KTFA)
[Aki Iraqi Bank Friend Update]
Number 1 [Aki’s Boss] has informed Aki the CBI is going to have…’All hands on meeting’ to share the results of a recent CBI meeting. These meetings are continual and only with the banks, no politicians.
These meetings were with all the upper management of every bank in Iraq…IOO they’re talking about the new exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar and the new small category notes…We told you there would be one last rate change on the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar. Aki suggested to us it would be 1,200 to 1…
WALKINGSTICK: …Look more for 1000 to 1 because when they get there then they can lift the three zeros.
Remember, we started with a MR that led to an RV that leads now today to an RD that will lead to an international float. Now...When it gets to the point of the float, a supply and demand of the Iraqi dinar...will determine which exchange rate of the RV that they cap it at.
[Iraqi bank friend Aki update] How will Aki profit by having these banks ? >By exchanging the Iraqi dinar for dollars. This is a profit for the bank. For Aki...
[Iraqi bank friend Aki update]
How will Aki profit by having these banks? By exchanging the Iraqi dinar for dollars. This is a profit for the bank. For Aki...
The economic reform is blossoming...because the monetary reform was a success...It is due to the security and stability that Sudani and Alaq have created for the reforms.
Iraqi-Turkish discussions to boost cooperation in oil, energy sectors, 23 NOV
Iraqi-Turkish discussions to boost cooperation in oil, energy sectors
Baghdad (iraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced on Wednesday the start of Iraqi-Turkish discussions in the oil and energy sectors.
A statement released by the Oil Ministry revealed that the Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, received the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, where they talked about bilateral relations in the oil and energy sectors and ways to enhance areas of cooperation, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Bayraktar also held a separate meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, where they emphasized the need to solve the outstanding issues related to oil exports between Baghdad and Ankara, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
The two sides reviewed the economic and investment opportunities the Development Road project will create and its positive impact on the economy of Iraq and the countries of the region.
In early October, Bayraktar confirmed that the crude oil pipeline from Iraq to Turkey, which has been inoperative for about six months, is ready to operate and that Ankara is preparing to start receiving shipments.
Turkey stopped oil flows through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline last March after a ruling issued by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ordered Ankara to pay compensation of $1.5 billion to Baghdad for unauthorized oil exports between 2014 and 2018.
The Kurdistan region of Iraq exported approximately 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day before the pipeline was closed.
Ankara later began maintenance work on the line, through which about 0.5 percent of global oil supplies pass.
https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/iraqi-turkish-discussions-to-boost-cooperation-in-oil-energy-sectors/
"EVENING UPDATE WITH MARKZ" (ENGLISH & SPANISH), 23 NOV
Wednesday November 22, 2023
Mark Zee: Says
Wednesday evening
Member: Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone…….
Member: Maybe the Black Swan event is actually The Burnt Turkey in the Oven...lol
Member: Mr. Pool says the whole world changes after midnight tonight...
MZ: There are so many balls being juggled right now... Tonight, tomorrow, Friday or Saturday... soon, the whole world will change. That is absolutely certain.
MZ: More and more financial players at all levels... some of my colleagues in commodities, bonds... they all have expectations for the coming days. Everything we've been looking for is coming together. We still don't know the exact moment.
MZ: I've heard some very encouraging things about the next 4 days... but I'll try to examine them first... I'll tell you tomorrow. However, the banks are excited and bank staff believe we are very close. Simply put, aim for the next 4-5 days for our announcements.
Member: Wouldn't it be easier for them to release the RV around Christmas for the Rodriguez and St. Germaine Trusts to open?
MZ: It would be easier... but they can publish it at any time... they would just need more signatories... Although I don't think they are expecting that.
MZ: “JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and BOA have negative rating outlooks as Moody's says the US government has a weaker ability to support big banks.” This is absolutely huge. This means that the government and the FDIC do not have the funds to bail everyone out. We were always told they were too big to fail... This may no longer be accurate.
Member: Skye Prince had a good, heartfelt video earlier. She pretty much said what we all feel and is calling out the white hats and telling them that they are committing crimes against humanity...
Member: Yes, it was very heartfelt and said everything that we are all feeling...
Member: Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, ZFAMILY.
Member: I'm taking a big helping of RV for Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Member: If Iraq thinks we'll mind going on Thanksgiving, that'll just be the cherry on top.
Member: Happy and blessed Thanksgiving! Praying that everything we have been waiting for comes true in the coming days
!____________________________
TRANSLATION IN SPANISH:
Miércoles 22 Noviembre 2023
Parliamentary Economy Explains The Mechanism For Regulating Trade And Import Operations In Iraq And The Possibility Of Achieving Them, 23 NOV
Parliamentary Economy Explains The Mechanism For Regulating Trade And Import Operations In Iraq And The Possibility Of Achieving Them
Economy |Baghdad today – Baghdad Today, Thursday (November 23, 2023), the Parliamentary Economy and Trade Committee clarified the possibility of Iraq succeeding in organizing trade and import operations for some materials and goods through the external financial transfers platform.
Committee member Ali Al-Maksusi told Baghdad Al-Youm, “There is a difficulty in the issue of Iraq’s success in controlling and organizing trade and import operations for some materials such as gold, cars, and mobile phones through the external financial transfer platform, especially with the presence of smuggling operations, tax evasion, and others.”
He added, "Iraq has not yet succeeded in controlling the payment of foreign imports in dollars through the platform. There are still illegal transfers taking place outside the platform," indicating that "this is the reason for an increase in the dollar exchange rate in the parallel market."
Al-Maksousi pointed out that "the matter requires a long time and many technical and legal procedures."
A government source reported on Monday (November 20, 2023) that directives had been issued to adopt trade in gold, cars, mobile phones, and cigarettes within the dollar selling platform soon.
The source explained to “Baghdad Today” that, “Based on the Prime Minister’s directives regarding regulating trade and import operations for some materials and goods, most of which are financed from the parallel market and the negative effects it has on the stability of exchange rates, the Ministerial Council for the Economy will consider proposing important decisions to facilitate and simplify entry procedures.” Importers of goods “gold, cars, mobile phones and cigarettes” to the external money transfer platform.
He added, "These decisions and instructions will be the catalyst for importers of these goods to abandon the process of purchasing and transferring dollars through the parallel market for the dollar and direct them towards the platform for the foreign currency selling window in the Central Bank of Iraq at the official price."
The source confirmed, "This will reflect positively and significantly on reducing the dollar prices in the parallel market, as trade in the above materials contributes the largest proportion of the demand for the dollar in that market."
The Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Al-Alaq, spoke earlier about the reasons for establishing the electronic platform for selling foreign currency, saying: One of the goals of the Central Bank of Iraq that it seeks to achieve is to integrate the banking sector into the global financial markets, because of its importance in developing its work,
and accordingly, it has The bank created an electronic platform to automate subscription mechanisms in the foreign currency selling window to achieve a number of goals, most notably simplifying subscription procedures for financing foreign trade and transparency in procedures,
in addition to providing more opportunities to expand banking activities with foreign correspondent banks and raising the level of compliance with the requirements of the transfer process, as well as attracting a larger segment. of commercial operations available in the market and improving the efficiency of operations related to implementing the sale of foreign currency. LINK
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Frank26 [Bank story] This time we didn't go down, we just called [the bank]... We said we want to see if we can exchange some cu...
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Bank appointment for Currency EXCHANGE Instructions/Checklist Bank Name_________________________________________ Bank 800#____________...
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Walkingstick All these meetings that the CBI had with all these agencies that were helping them with their monetary reform are done. Al...