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Iraq Weekly Status Report

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Iraq Weekly Status Report UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 D E P Iraq Weekly A R T Status Report M E N T O F April 30, 2008 S T Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs A US Department of State T E 1 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS 3 D E POLITICAL P • Governance & Legislation 4 A • Provincial 8 R SECURITY T • Situation Update 10 M • Security Transition 11 E N ECONOMIC T • Economic & Government Capacity Update 13 • Oil 14 O • Essential Services 16 F • Economic Indicators 21 DIPLOMATIC S • Economic Engagement 24 T A • Political Engagement 25 T • Coalition 26 E Notes, Source Citations and Contact Information 27 2 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS D • Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki spelled out four conditions for ending his government’s E attack on the Mahdi Army. (POLITICAL, page 4) P • The trial of former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz began April 29 and was A postponed an hour into the proceedings. The trial is set to resume May 20. R (POLITICAL, page 5) T M • A dust storm in Baghdad led to increased attacks from Shia militias against US E forces, especially in the Sadr City neighborhood. (SECURITY, page 10) N T • The power supply in Baghdad may worsen as demand increases due to the coming summer heat. (ECONOMIC, page 16) O • Prime Minister Gordon Brown held a reception to encourage UK companies and F industry to invest in Iraq. (DIPLOMATIC, page 24) S T A T E 3 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL - Governance & Legislation Iraqi Factions Discuss Reconciliation: D • Thirty-six representatives from Iraq’s main ethnic groups met in Helsinki, Finland E April 26 and 27 in order to participate in discussions regarding their reconciliation P processes. Attendees included a senior member of the Kurdistan Patriotic Union A (Kurd), a parliamentary leader of the Dawa Party (Shia), and a member of Iraqi R Islamic Party (Sunni). Representatives from the South African and Northern Irish T peace processes also assisted with the seminar. The meetings concluded with the M adoption of the Helsinki Agreement, which established recommendations for power- E sharing and commitments to peace. The delegation plans to meet again in N Baghdad within three months to follow up on the progress made. T Iraqi PM Spells out Conditions to Halt Assault on Militias: O • In an interview with Al-Arabiya television, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki stipulated four conditions to stop his government's attack on the Mahdi Army. Maliki’s F conditions include: surrendering all heavy and medium weapons, not interfering in the work of governmental departments, not interfering in the tasks of the police and S army, and surrendering wanted criminals. T A T E 4 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL - Governance & Legislation Tariq Aziz Trial Postponed: D • The trial of former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz began April 29, five years after E the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. Aziz has not been seen since the 2006 trial of P Saddam Hussein, in which he defended the former dictator. Aziz is charged with A ordering the execution of 42 Baghdad merchants, who allegedly manipulated food R prices after the UN imposed economic sanctions. Aziz and six other former regime T leaders comprise the fourth group to go before the Iraqi special tribunal on charges M of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The group includes Ali E Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali,” Saddam's cousin, who received a N death sentence for using poison gas in 1988 against Kurds. An hour after the T session began, the court announced postponement of the trial until May 20. UNHCR Funds Low in 2008: O • The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced April F 29 that less than half of its $261 million appeal for Iraq has been met by donors. UNHCR stated that it does not plan to scale down its humanitarian assistance S programs yet, but indicated that funds would be needed in the latter half of this year T to meet the needs of the most vulnerable refugees. The US, with a contribution of A $95.4 million to the appeal, is the largest donor to date. T E 5 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL – Government of Iraq Coalition Affiliation (at time of (F) = Female appointment) *Formerly Tawafuq President D Prime Minister United Iraq Alliance **Formerly Sadrist/UIA Jalal Talabani E Kurdistani Alliance ***Formerly Iraqiya Nuri al-Maliki Deputy President P Iraqi Accord Front Tariq al-Hashimi Deputy Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Deputy President A Iraqi National List * Vacant Barham Salih ‘Adil ‘Abd al-Mahdi R Other / Independent T Minister of Displacement Minister of Minister of Minister of Minister of Culture Minister of Defense & Migration Electricity M Agriculture Communications Abdul Qadir Muhammed Abd al-Samad Rahman Karim Wahid E Ali al-Bahadeli *** Vacant * Vacant Jasim al-Mufraji Sultan Minister of Minister of Minister of Higher N Minister of Finance Minister* of Foreign Minister of Health Education Environment Affairs Education TKhudayyir al-Khuza’i Narmin ‘Uthman (F) Bayan Jabr Hoshyar Zebari Saleh al-Hasnawi * Vacant Minister of Human Minister of Industry Minister of Minister of Housing & Minister of Labor & Minister of Justice O Rights & Minerals Interior Construction Social Affairs *** (Safa al Safi Mahmud Muhammad Wijdan Mikha’il (F) Fawzi al-Hariri Jawad al-Bulani Bayan Daza’I (F) F acting) Jawad al-Radi Minister of Minister of Science & Minister of Municipalities Minister of Minister of Oil Minister of Trade S Planning Technology & Public Works Transportation Husayn al- Abd al-Falah al- Ali Baban Ra’id Fahmi Jahid Riyad Ghurayyib ** Vacant T Shahristani Sudani A Minister of Water Minister of Youth & Minister of State for Minister of State for Minister of State for National T Resources Sports Civil Society National Dialogue Affairs Security Affairs * (Wijdan Mikha’il ‘Abd al-Latif Rashid Jasim Muhammad Ja’far Akram al-Hakim Shirwan al-Waili E Acting) (F) Minister of State for Minister of State for Minister of State for Minister of State for Minister of State for CoR Foreign Affairs Governorates Affairs Tourism and Antiquities Women’s Affairs Affairs ** Vacant * Vacant Sa’d Hashim 6 ** (Narmeen Othman Acting) Safa UNCLASSIFIEDal-Safi UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL – Key Legislation and Refugee Update Legislative Process D Council of Council of Representatives (CoR) Shura E Ministers Debate after 2nd Reading, Vote Presidency Published in Council rd P (CoM) after 3 Reading, and Committee Council Official Gazette Reports Throughout A R Provincial Elections The CoR is currently reviewing the law, which will set the T legal basis and structure of provincial elections. M Hydrocarbons Package The level of control allocated to the central government in the July 2007 draft E version of the Framework Law (currently in CoR Committee) is the key point of disagreement; there may be more progress on the Revenue Management N Law, currently with the Shura Council, in the coming months. T Amnesty Law PASSED: CoR approved the law on February 13; the law was signed by the Presidency Council February 26 and was implemented March 2. O Pensions Amendment PASSED: Published in the Official Gazette December 2007. F De-Ba’athification PASSED: Approved by default by the Presidency Council February 2008. Reform Published in the Official Gazette in mid-February. Provincial Powers PASSED: CoR approved the law on February 13; the law was vetoed by the S Presidency Council February 26. The veto was rescinded on March 19. T A T Refugee Update E Refugees in the region: 2-2.4 million Internally displaced persons in Iraq: 2.2-2.4 million Total number of Iraqi refugees admitted to the U.S. during to date in FY07-FY08: 4,885 7 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL - Provincial Baghdad IDPs Returning to their Homes: D • Multi-National Division – Center (MND-C) records estimate that 10,450 of an E estimated 18,700 Internally Displaced Persons who left southern Baghdad have P returned to their homes. Coalition Forces in the area have seen a steady stream of A returning Iraqis and have conducted operations to ensure the area is safe for their R return. Iraqis who once fled their south Baghdad homes in fear are now returning T due to improvements in security, community reconstruction and flourishing local M economies. MND-C, along with the Iraqi government and UN, are providing aid to E help newly-returned citizens reintegrate into the community. N 122 Detainees Released in Kirkuk: T • On April 21, 122 detainees were released in Kirkuk province in northeastern Iraq, O the largest single detainee release to date in the region. The detainees were released as part of national reconciliation efforts. More than 400 family members F and local and provincial leaders attended the release ceremony, held at the Kirkuk Police Academy. Judges who reviewed the cases and decided upon the release of S the detainees also attended. The released detainees were urged to seek self- T improvement and contribute to their society. A T E 8 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED April 30, 2008 POLITICAL - Provincial Senior Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture Official Addresses Needs of Wasit Farmers: D • Coalition Forces met with Wasit directorate general of agriculture members and 20 E local farmers to address issues and initiate communication between the local, P provincial and national governments. Farmers from Wasit expressed the need for A access to water, seeds, fertilizer, tractors, equipment, and training, as well as R support from the government. Wasit was once a major agricultural area in Iraq. T Subhi al-Jumeili, a senior deputy of the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, explained that M government assistance to farmers is changing.
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