Iraq’s Parliament votes on Financial Demands Agreement with U.S.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Parliament had voted on Saturday on the Agreement of Financial Demands between Iraq and the United States, according to which Iraq would pay U.S.$400 millions, being compensations for American citizens, who said they were harmed during Iraq’s former Baath Regime. The Agreement was voted upon in a Parliament’s session on Saturday, attended by 167 Members of Parliament, also attended by Iraq’s Foreign Minister, Hoshiar Zibary, Finance Minister, Rafe’a al-Issawi and Central Bank’s Governor, Sinan al-Shibiby. A Parliament statement quoted Foreign Minister Zibary as having reiterated “the necessity of the Agreement, that serves the interest of Iraq and treats problems left by the former regime, confirming that possibility of neglecting it, under justification that it took place during the former regime, is not possible, because the international law does not allow that.” Zibary stressed the existence of a large number of claims against the activities of the former regime, which the present government had agreed to reach a compromise with the U.S. Administration to pay U.S.$400 millions to please those demands, in order to free Iraq from any other claims by American citizens. The Iraqi Foreign Minister had said that the current  government would reserve its right to demand compensations by the United States, that were not cited in the said Agreement, and to form a joint U.S.-Iraqi committee to follow them up. Iraq’s Finance Minister Issawi, on his part, had said that the issue of the Iraqi debts dates back to 2005, reaching U.S.$140 billions, adding that the abolishment of Iraq’s debts over the past few years, had cancelled a large portion of those debts. The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, meanwhile said that Iraq’s payment of its dues would be reflected positively on the trade and investment in the country, reiterating “the right of Iraqis for compensations by the United States, thing that necessitates a similar Agreement.” SKH (FT)/SR 687