Saturday, September 28, 2024
KDP calls for implementation of Article 140 ahead of Kirkuk census, 28 SEPT
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Hassan Majid, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc in the Kirkuk Provincial Council, called for the full implementation of Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution,
"Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution was designed to resolve issues in disputed areas through a phased process—compensation, normalization, and a census. Hundreds of displaced people have yet to receive compensation, which means parts of the process remain incomplete in Kirkuk and other areas affected by demographic changes under the Ba'ath regime," Majid told Shafaq News Agency.
He stressed the importance of addressing the historical displacement of Kurds from Kirkuk, noting, "Over 4,500 Kurdish villages in and around Kirkuk were destroyed, and many residents were forced to leave. These people must be allowed to return and be included in the census, as they are the original inhabitants of the region."
Majid stressed that the census is crucial for Iraq, providing comprehensive data on the population, including youth, women, and children, as well as vital indicators like poverty rates and infrastructure needs. "This data is critical for planning services, and projects, and understanding the demographics of each region," he added.
Regarding the KDP’s participation in the Provincial Council sessions, Majid said, "Our attendance at Kirkuk council sessions depends on a decision from the Federal Supreme Court. Some argue that the local government formation was legal, while others claim it was not. The court’s decision will be final in settling this matter."
Earlier this week, KDP official Mohammed Kamal urged the government to delay the census in Kirkuk until Article 140 is fully implemented. "While preparations for the census are necessary, the situation in Kirkuk is unique. Many displaced residents are still in the Kurdistan Region, and thousands of Kurdish villages were destroyed by the Ba'ath regime in 1988," Kamal said during a press conference.
Iraq's last full census was in 1987, with a follow-up in 1997 that excluded the Kurdistan Region. For years, the country has relied on unofficial estimates from research institutions. In 2022, the Ministry of Planning estimated Iraq's population at over 42 million.
The census has been delayed due to concerns over its politicization, with ethnic groups in disputed areas like Kirkuk—including Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen—voicing opposition, fearing the results could affect their political aspirations in a city that sits atop major oil fields.
LATEST FROM GOLDILOCKS, 28 SEPT
GOLDILOCKS
Iraq just visited the United States on August 26 to 29, 2024. It was a high level negotiating team that met with JP Morgan, the US Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank, visa, mastercard, moneygram, Citibank, as well as International auditing firms such as KPMG, E&Y, K2i and Oliver Wyman.
One of the values of a meaning such as this includes trade facilitation. International auditing standards help to facilitate trade and support economic growth. Every international negotiator knows how to factor currency rates into agreements with their foreign business partners.
Part of the discussion dealt with moving from an electronic platform to a virtual bank whereby a Direct Banking relationship can occur. Direct banks, also known as branch-less or virtual banks, offer their services online, through mobile apps, email, and other electronic means.
Another portion of the conversation moved towards International engagement through International correspondent banking such as the Swift system provides. A network of international correspondent banks is a complex system of financial institutions that work together to facilitate global transactions.
Yes, this requires a stable exchange rate that can be used between countries in trade and foreign currency exchange. These determinations are a part of supply and demand ratios factored in through trade.
The people invited to this meeting was no accident. It was a negotiating team ready for action. It was a meeting to discuss "the requirements necessary to open their accounts with international correspondent banks." This transition is expected to occur by the end of this year.
This moves Iraq from a supervisory role with the United States to a more independent nation with their own rules and regulations to guide their financial agreements around the world. Yes, this is the information have been looking for for long time.
Watch the water.
© Goldilocks
https://cbi.iq/news/view/2660
Leader Barzani and Al-Samarrai: Iraqi Parliament Speaker position on the table, 28 SEPT
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and the head of the Azm Alliance, Muthanna al-Samarrai, discussed the efforts to elect a new Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament and the latest developments in the region.
Discussions took place during Barzani's reception of Al-Samarrai and his accompanying delegation at the Saladin resort in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.
During the meeting, they exchanged views and opinions regarding the political situation and developments in Iraq, and discussed recent efforts to elect a new Speaker.
The Speaker position has been vacant since November 14, 2023, when the Federal Supreme Court ended Mohammed al-Halbousi’s tenure due to "fraud" allegations brought by MP Laith al-Dulaimi.
The ongoing deadlock in electing a new Speaker stems from disagreements among Sunni blocs over the position.
Despite several parliamentary sessions, the crisis remains unresolved. The "Taqaddum" bloc, led by former Speaker al-Halbousi, insists on retaining the position as its right, while the "Sovereignty" bloc, led by Khamis al-Khanjar, and other Sunni groups argues that the role should be allocated to the Sunni community as a whole rather than a specific party or bloc.
The Coordination Framework had set a deadline for the Sunni blocs to elect a new speaker, but this effort did not resolve the disputes.
Recently, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, during his first visit to Baghdad in six years on July 3, stepped in to mediate among Sunni factions, meeting with key political leaders and officials. His efforts focused on facilitating an agreement on a candidate for the speaker role, including bringing together al-Halbousi and al-Khanjar to help resolve the ongoing crisis.
"OCTOBER IS THE CLIMAX OF EVERYTHING, BE PREPARED!!" BY JON DOWLING, 28 SEPT
JON DOWLING
Happy God Friday everyone! Not much else to say today. PM Sudani said it all yesterday exactly what we needed to hear! Now he goes back to Iraq and then we await the Iran/Israel counter strikes and off we go.
October is the climax of everything. Be prepared!
@JonDowling
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