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[size=35][size=35]He touched on the withdrawal of the Sadrists.. Al-Sudani reveals the secrets of the "theft of the century", smuggling, and the role of America and Iran in the government[/size]
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2023-02-09 | 01:44
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Alsumaria News - Politics
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Al-Sudani said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that he had agreed with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a roadmap for developing bilateral relations, starting with ministerial visits, then convening the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council to implement projects over a period of 3 years.
Al-Sudani affirmed that Baghdad will continue to play its role in hosting the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, announcing a meeting soon, hoping that the level of security meetings will rise to the diplomatic level.
Al-Sudani denied the existence of any Iranian or American interference in forming his 100-day government, saying: "The government was formed by a 100% Iraqi decision, and was not subject to any influence or interference in any way, direct or indirect."
And how to deal[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]With his two allies, the United States and Iran, whose relations are strained, Al-Sudani talked about Baghdad's relationship with both countries, then said: "We do not want Iraq to be an arena for settling scores, and we are not a party in an axis against the other, as much as we care to strengthen our relations according to the rules of common interests and mutual respect." And non-interference in internal affairs," raising the slogan "interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]First.”
Al-Sudani confirmed that “the role of[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A pioneer in the region with his Arab brothers, as well as with Iran," saying, "It was destined[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab, and this is the normal situation for Iraq.”
He stressed the need to activate the “strategic framework” agreement between Washington and Baghdad, which “transfers the relationship between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and the United States to the economic, cultural, social and educational fields, and it does not remain limited to the security aspect, despite its importance.
” Corruption pandemic" and the recovery of looted funds, announcing the recovery of 80 million dollars so far, and that the process is continuing.
Al-Sudani indicated that work has begun on security reform and addressing the problem of unauthorized weapons, through a committee headed by him, stressing that all political forces are within "[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]She agreed to address the problem of uncontrolled weapons and the "necessity of security reform". Weapons will only be within the framework of the security services established by law. There will be no weapons outside this institution. And what is reported about the problem of smuggling dollars
from[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To Iran and Turkey, Al-Sudani said that currency smuggling takes place in all countries of the world[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The same is the case with other countries, noting that many countries in the region are witnessing the collapse of their official currencies, and they certainly need dollars, and this matter continues.
He pointed to the involvement of Iraqi banks and banking companies in this matter and making large profits. He stressed his optimism about the possibility of dealing with the matter, and said: "In my estimation, it is the gateway to economic, financial and banking reform in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
He emphasized working to address the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil, whether with regard to oil revenues or the security situation on the borders with Iran and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], through an agreement that will be signed soon in Baghdad and with the approval of the Kurdish side. He also stressed that the "ISIS" organization no longer poses any dangers, because it no longer holds the ground, and the Iraqi forces continue to chase its remnants.
After 100 days in power, are you optimistic or fearful, and I will not ask you if you regret accepting this difficult task?
Al-Sudani: I certainly did not regret it, because I know the size of the task and the responsibility, and I accepted this assignment. God willing, I am optimistic. After 100 days, the government is clear in implementing its priorities at various levels. At the level of external relations, and at the internal level and its programs, whether in poverty alleviation, job generation, services, economic reforms, and combating corruption. In every title, we have come a long way and established basic pillars for the implementation of this priority, and this is the goal[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]We put it into the government program.
- Did this period confirm to you what you said earlier that corruption is in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]More dangerous than "Corona"?
Al-Sudani: This is why I called it the “corruption pandemic,” which is the threat[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He is facing the Iraqi state, which is more dangerous than "Corona" and "ISIS".
You revealed something related to "theft."[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]First, I want to ask: How much money, in your opinion, was wasted after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein?
- Al-Sudani: The theft of “tax secretariats” I used to follow when I was a deputy, and after I was nominated (for prime minister), which was a long nomination period in light of the political uproar. I had hoped that it would be the first file that I proceeded with, but it was opened before I started my mission.Unfortunately, most of the main defendants fled and contributed to getting the money out.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], while a careful operation was supposed to be carried out to control this group that managed to steal an amount of this size.
How much do you estimate?
Al-Sudani: The amount, according to the announcement in the initial accounts of the regulatory authorities, is 3 trillion and 700 billion dinars (about 2.5 billion dollars), but our government, for the sake of more transparency and clarity and preserving public money, went to contract with an international auditing firm, in order to stand On the real number of this theft. As for the issue of wasting money since 2003, there are no accurate official readings or statistics. Corruption is diverse and has many forms, once it occurs in the operating budget, and once again it occurs in the investment budget, and sometimes outside the budgets; In decisions, financial and administrative corruption is called. There is corruption in an administrative decision, such as giving a piece of land to an investor who is not entitled to it, or preventing competition for an investment opportunity, monopolizing it, or limiting it to a person. But as I mentioned, corruption is a challenge that faces all state plans and programs to advance development and services.
- It was said that the volume of wasted funds amounted to 600 billion dollars in less than two decades?
Al-Sudani: Why not 700? Why not 500? These are estimates and numbers, but they do not give us the realistic picture. I told you that the regulatory authorities did not stand on a real number, nor can we (to give an accurate number), in the midst of this ramification of budgets and projects at the level of investment and investment plans. But the thing[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]What distinguishes this government in the fight against corruption is its insistence on recovering corruption funds. This is a clear loophole since 2003. What is the use of a sentence of 5, 10 or 15 years (imprisonment) for someone who stole trillions? Theft of “tax secretariats”, for example, if we want to imprison those accused of it, they will be imprisoned between 15 and 25 years, but we will incur 3.7 trillion (dinars) again, because the bulk of these guarantees have owners and they demand (them) from us. That is why we set the issue of recovering funds as a primary goal for the government's work, and funds began to flow in with recovery, some of which were looted before 2003, and the last of which was $80 million recovered through the procedures of the oversight bodies.
Was this money wasted before 2003?
Sudani: Yes.
Can the government recover money from the powerful?
Al-Sudani: By implementing the law, yes you can. According to Iraqi law, the citizen[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Whoever fails or makes a wrong decision is referred, after proving his negligence, to an Inclusion Committee. No money included wasted. The employee pays the damage and does not get out of prison until it is paid. Now, we have started this process, and there are important names of politicians who have been arrested, and the money has begun to be recovered from them.
At what political level was corruption? Where did he get to?
Al-Sudani: Unfortunately, corruption is at all levels. There is corruption of junior employees, and I am not exaggerating if I say that it is the most harmful, and this does not hide the opposition class. But we certainly cannot generalize corruption to everyone. There is an army of honest people who preserved public money and stood up to the corrupt, and we must stand by them and encourage them, otherwise if we keep repeating that everyone is corrupt, then this means an acknowledgment of the dominance of the corrupt in all the reins of affairs.
- There is an army of corrupt and an army of honest people?
- Al-Sudani: The honest ones are more. Honest and patriotic people who took an honorable position to preserve public money based on their patriotism and love for their country, and God is more.
- Is it possible that a rich country suffers like[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]From frequent power outages? Is this also caused by corruption?
Al-Sudani: Corruption, mismanagement and planning. In 2003, electricity production did not exceed 3,800 megawatts. Now, we have exceeded 21,000 megawatts. There is an expansion in growth and needs. The house used to have only a fan, now the whole house has air conditioners and various appliances. We have many problems. As I mentioned; Corruption, poor management and planning. At the end of 2013, we finished with the issue of electricity, but we got involved in (fighting) ISIS, so we went back. Sometimes administrative crises, and sometimes poor planning... Also, there is a remarkable issue in this sector, which is that the collection of electricity in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The whole does not exceed 10% or less.
- What's the reason?
Al-Sudani: The reason, first, is the general culture that the state bears, and secondly, this interruption and poor service weakens the government side by demanding collections, as the “beneficiary” tells you to provide me with the service continuously until I pay the wages. According to the calculations of "Siemens", "General Electric" and Iraqi technicians, the value of waste and waste in electricity can solve the problem from its foundation. We do not have a culture of saving energy. When the electricity comes, the Iraqi citizen turns on all the air conditioners in order to cool his house.
Has the tax rate increased now?
Al-Sudani: Until yesterday, the annual collection amounted to 600 billion dinars (about 400 million dollars) only.
And how much should it be?
- Al-Sudani: Billions are assumed. We only spend on gas[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]We import it from Iran at around $7 billion a year. And we buy electricity from investors, about $2.5 billion, in addition to oil derivatives and salaries. High cost and low tax.
Will we witness a deep state of reform in Iraq?
- Al-Sudani: Today, reform has become an entitlement. When we talk about the economy, there is no way for us except economic reform and the development of sources of income. We cannot remain dependent on oil revenues to cover budget expenditures. Alternatives such as activating agriculture, industry and tourism are necessary. When we talk about administrative reform, the government job cannot remain the only source. We must reform these institutions and support the private sector in order to be supportive in generating job opportunities. When we talk about security institutions and overlap, we must go to security reform, and this is what we went to by forming a committee headed by us. So it is an individual not for consumption or an electoral slogan as much as it is an entitlement in the Iraqi situation, especially in this government.
- How many employees, that is, how much does the government pay salaries in Iraq?
Al-Sudani: about 4 million employees, but there is a process to verify the number and the number[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]I reached it[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2502332837/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B7/ar/]The Ministry of Planning[/url]It is 3.2 million, and there are still numbers to be added, in addition to the employees who have been installed, and they are in the range of 500 thousand.
- Install them?
Al-Sudani: Yes, they were working on contracts and were confirmed as permanent employees. I think the number is more than 4 million employees.
Is it true that the unemployment rate is 16% and the poverty rate is 25%?
Al-Sudani: Approximately these are the ratios. Poverty, according to statistics, is between 20% and 22%, and unemployment has increased according to indicators, especially in the past two years, due to the poor spending efficiency of the ministries to implement projects in the governorates, and the weak launch of investment projects from the private sector, because it did not receive the required support. This affected the level of unemployment, with the presence of graduates from all colleges as a result of a general tendency to education from the Iraqi family itself, in addition to the state that provided all requirements for higher education. This generated such a huge number of job seekers. In this government, we look at this challenge with several solutions, including government employment, and this we have finished with by virtue of confirmation[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]happened. The second solutions relate to the private sector[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It will be supportive of the government in generating employment opportunities. We have an important law that will be voted on in the House of Representatives, and it is the pension, social security and workers law, and this law will equalize the rights of workers in the private sector with the government sector. This is an important structural reform in this context.
- Will you make unpopular decisions in the next stage?
Al-Sudani: This government is destined to take reform decisions. Reform decisions are usually painful, but after a while, for sure, they will be beneficial for everyone.
- Aren't you afraid for your popularity?
- Al-Sudani: I fear for the benefit[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and people[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Basically. front of interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And his people do not (ask for) my popularity nor my life. an interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The Iraqi people are my compass. If I see in this decision an interest for the country, I will follow it, but it is my responsibility to mitigate the harm, because any decision has harm to a group. All I care about is mitigating the damage to the poor and low-income class.
- What is the problem of dollar smuggling that we are reading about?
Al-Sudani: After 2007, the Central Bank took a step that was correct, which is to deal with inflation and the anomalous situation of the Iraqi currency. Our relationship with the dollar began in the nineties, during the blockade period. Back then we were watching the dollar, when it went up, food prices went up. The central bank dealt with opening a window to sell the currency. The prevailing commercial mechanism, and it was supposed to get a review, is based on the merchant contacting an exchange company in order to import the materials. The exchange company is linked to private banks that are linked to the Central Bank. The greater part of this trade was not well defined. That is, not in accordance with the standards of compliance with the banking system. In it, there are inaccurate estimates of the price or quantity of the material, and the goal is for the merchant to obtain the largest possible amount of dollars in order to transfer them abroad, as the window for selling the currency in one year reached 300 million dollars per day.
- Who sells it?
- Al-Sudani: The Central Bank sells it to banks and companies. Banks transfer (dollars) abroad under import headings. It is not reasonable that there is a country that imports 300 million a day, unless it imports air and sells it to citizens. This mechanism was clear to everyone, from the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve and others. No one dared to confront this process, and we, deputies and analysts, were talking about it... until the Treasury Department came, as a matter of emphasizing the prevention of smuggling, money laundering, and other decisions of the United States towards some countries, to stress the dollar. I do not want to mention countries in the region, in the Gulf, from which dollars are forbidden from the United States. Don't give her a dollar.
Countries in the Gulf?
Sudani: Yes. The issue for them is a sovereign and economic issue.
- For whom?
- to the United States. She wants to be assured that her dollars are being sold in the right place and not going to places that she considers to be incorrect and against her interests. An agreement was signed between the two countries[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A new mechanism, to be implemented after two years, includes gradation, actions and commitments, such as training banks, training merchants, and establishing an electronic platform, in preparation for the application of standards. Before I was commissioned, I found this information, so I asked the governor of the Central Bank: There is a mechanism that will be applied to banks and selling dollars, are you ready for it? He said: Yes, we are ready. But it turned out, in reality, after I started it - we have 3 months now - that it was not implemented. At the end of 2022, the mechanism began, that is, after the end of the two years stipulated in the agreement signed between the two countries.
Nothing happened in those two years?
- Nothing happened. The required measures to prepare the markets were not taken. That is, you are the owner of a bank, an exchange company, a merchant, and you have been working for 10 years according to a specific mechanism, and if you are asked to implement a new mechanism overnight, you will certainly object. Now, during this month, we're doing two years' work. We sit with the merchant and say to him: In order for your trade to be real, and most of them are real merchants and they want their trade to continue, you go through so-and-so, open a letter of credit, take an import license and receive the dollar, and so on... We have problems and I don't claim that our situation is perfect. We have no absolute control over the outlets. We have problems with late tax regularity at customs, and routine notes in issuing import licenses...
- Is there smuggling of dollars towards Turkey and Iran?
Currency smuggling continues in all countries of the world[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The same is true of these countries. Many countries in the region are experiencing a collapse of their official currency, I do not want to go into the name, and they certainly need dollars, and this matter continues. Part of those involved with us are some banks and exchange companies at home, and they make large profits from selling dollars[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It is transferred to neighboring countries and countries in the region.
- Optimistic about the possibility of treatment?
- Yes. In my estimation, this process is the gateway to economic, financial and banking reform[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
- Is there a solution soon to the problem of the deterioration of the Iraqi dinar?
- We started a series of measures to reform the banking and financial situation in the country[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], according to international standards, and at the same time there is a tendency to find out the truth about what citizens need in terms of goods and services in accordance with regulations and laws.[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/1122135457/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3 %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/ar/]Council of Ministers[/url]for economics, and[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/1122135457/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3 %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/ar/]Council of Ministers[/url]A number of decisions were taken, and we are continuing to review with the private sector, banks and the central bank[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It is concerned with monetary policy to keep up with all the influences that accompany the process of price fluctuations. What we mainly care about, in the government, is maintaining the prices of basic materials and providing them at reasonable prices that do not burden the citizen, in addition to our continuous efforts with the private sector to overcome obstacles, according to those standards.
- *Strategic Framework*
- You received a call from US President Joe Biden, in which he affirmed his country's commitment to the strategic partnership, and an Iraqi delegation is preparing to visit Washington. What will you ask of America?
- Activating the “strategic framework” agreement, and this is what President Biden mentioned, and we support it. The "strategic framework" agreement that transfers the relationship between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And the United States to the economic, cultural, social and educational fields... This is a clear agreement that was approved by the Iraqi parliament at the time, and we are supposed to implement it, and our relationship with the United States should not be limited to the security aspect only, despite its importance. But in these areas, the United States is a strategic partner for Iraq, and we can benefit from its companies and expertise in advancing the reality of our economy and all fields.
- Does he need[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To America? Is there a conviction among the political forces that the relationship with America is necessary?
- The United States is a superpower, and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]- As I mentioned - it is linked to agreements, and one of the most important agreements is the "strategic framework" agreement. We have cooperation in the field of combating ISIS... All political forces, in their conversations, confirm, in their speeches, that they are with relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]With all countries as long as it is in accordance with his interest. We have an interest in a relationship with the United States of America, there is no objection. We have an interest with the state “X” or “Y”... As I said, the compass is an interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
- How does he reconcile?[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Between Iranian influence and the American role?
- This is one of the problems that always arises, and we deal with it in the following way: First, Iran is a neighboring country with which we have many religious, cultural and social partnerships. Iran has stood with the political process from the beginning, and has also stood with us in the war against ISIS. Within this domain, we maintain this relationship. Certainly, there are many Iraqi political forces, from the various components of the Iraqi people, who also have positive relations with the Iranian side, as is the case with many countries in the region, and this is also a positive thing, but within the framework of non-interference in internal affairs, non-interference or influence on the national sovereign decision. This is what we see in our relationships and meetings. Everyone respects this form of relationship. With the United States, the United States contributed to the process of change after 2003. The United States was part of the international coalition[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Assist[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To defeat ISIS. Today, the United States is also seen as a partner with whom we want to develop relations in other fields. Yes, there is a tense relationship between the United States and Iran, but certainly this will not be at the expense of it[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. we do not want[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To be an arena for settling scores, and we are not a party to an axis against the other, as far as we are concerned to strengthen our relations according to the rules of common interests, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.
Relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Are you afraid of repercussions?[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Because of the deterioration of Iran's relations with the West after the appearance of its weapons in Ukraine? That is, its (Iran's) relations with the Europeans recorded a significant decline?
- In general, we tend to settle down. This stability will only come by drying up the hotbeds of tension. The Russian-Ukrainian war has an impact not only on Europe, but on the entire region. Our region is a sensitive area, and it needs more understanding, dialogue, and an end to interference. We do not support any intervention in any countries in any conflict situation, because this would exacerbate this crisis. The Russian-Ukrainian crisis could end if interventions from all countries of the world cease, so that we resort to pushing the two sides to dialogue. Dialogue is the best way[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It spares these countries and the region tragedies.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Stung by the fire of wars and sieges and knows their impact. Therefore, we are talking about this logic, because without the logic of dialogue, crises cannot end, and the principle of interventions will prolong any crisis.
- Were you asked to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, whether by Russia or America?
We take our position according to our vision, conviction and principles. And as I mentioned,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]is the country[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He suffered from wars and sieges, so what we do not accept for our own internal affairs, we certainly do not accept for all countries of the world.
There is no excuse for failure
- You are the first Iraqi prime minister since 2003 to head a government in which the "Sadr movement" is absent. Is there a truce with the "Sadr movement"? what deal? Are you afraid that the economic suffering will either lead to an uprising like the one that took place (the youth uprising), or that the “Sadr movement” will take to the streets?
- The “Sadr movement” is a broad political movement with a well-known leadership and an active role in the political process, whether it is present in parliament and the government or outside the parliament and government. We respect his decision to withdraw from Parliament, and we care about his presence in the political work, and for him to exercise his role in criticism and pointing out any negative situation within the legal and constitutional framework.
As for the issue of whether we fear an uprising or such or such from the “current” or from the youth or others, any failure, God forbid, in implementing our government program and in implementing our priorities that we committed to before the people, will certainly be rejected by all components of the Iraqi people and not by this political party. or that. The current situation does not tolerate this failure, so ««[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]»,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Formed this government and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It includes 280 deputies from the various components - it includes the "coordinating framework" and ""[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2050645846/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A/ar/]Kurdistan Union[/url]And “sovereignty and determination” - he is concerned and responsible for this stage with all its positives and negatives, and he has no excuse before the rest of the parties, whether it is the “Sadr movement”, the youth, or the vast majority of the Iraqi people. You know, no more than 60% participated in the elections.
I mean, we must look at the 60% before we look at the rest of the political components. If these 60% are not satisfied with the performance, they will certainly have a position.
- 60% of those entitled to vote in the recent parliamentary elections did not participate?
- Yes, official estimates indicate a clear reluctance to participate in the elections, reaching around 60%.
Was this because the political forces disappointed the people?
- This is one of the important reasons. After the election results were announced and the political forces entered a vortex for a year, the validity of the 60% decision was confirmed. This 60% said to the 40%: Look, we told you that the operation is useless.
- Is the "coordinating framework" still satisfied with the directions of your government?
- Of course, the “coordinating framework” is the largest bloc of the Shiite component, and it is[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He adopted the prime minister's candidacy, and he has ministers from all of his parties, and he went to an agreement with the rest of the blocs and formed ««[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]». The success or failure of the government, God forbid, is borne by the “framework”, the government and “the[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]». The question of unease or unease, I think, is a metaphor. We go to the platform. There is a ministerial platform and program, in which the general guidelines for all files have been discussed and agreed upon. Whenever we implement this program or ministerial curriculum, we measure the extent of acceptance or rejection. As for outside of this, I am not concerned.
Fear of success
- How do you see the political process since 2003 until now?
- It seems that in the political process, since 2003 until now, there is a fear of success. This is not logical.
Fear of success since 2003?
- Yes, yes, part of the political implications that occurred is that some fear success. We faced many obstacles. There were projects that could contribute to alleviating the suffering of citizens and make governments succeed, but they were aborted for fear that this or that government would succeed. I hope that we have finished and transcended this obsession, because its survival will impede any government, whatever its orientations, aspirations, and program. In my estimation, all those present now are keen on the success of the government, and everyone supports, senses the danger, and clearly recognizes that this is an important opportunity and a last chance, and if it is not invested, then they have no excuse before the people.
Can a major collapse occur if the current government fails?
- God willing, it will not happen, because the strengths are in me[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]exist and control the reins of affairs.
The rights of the state
- it was said that the Iraqi state was distributed among the components and factions, with security, with the economy, and with everything, is this true? shall we see[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A country that recovers its rights from the components and factions?
First, there is a kind of lack of clarity. We are talking about a coalition government. A coalition government is usually formed from the political forces present in Parliament. Political forces have the right to exist in the government. We are a coalition government that represented the political forces present in Parliament, and I was keen to have ministers nominated by their parties according to criteria I set. Each party nominates three for me and I choose the minister.
Didn't they force you?
- Never, never, and I bear the choice of the entire cabinet.
- Every political force gave you 3 names?
- Give me filters. There is a political bloc that gave me 6 candidates. Turn down two, turn down three, turn down four, until I get to[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]I was convinced.
- What were your criteria? What is integrity?
- Integrity, efficiency, access to the Ministry's file, and some specifications. I chose this booth, and here the confusion began and the talk about the security services and institutions. I say: I want one name, I want an order issued according to which we gave a sensitive security position to a political party or a security faction or such... Just confusion.
- Didn't it happen?
It did not happen and will not happen. The security services will not be managed in the Sudanese government except through the people of the security establishment. a dot on the line. The financial institution will only be managed by professionals from this institution. And by the way, and to be honest, the political forces did not demand any party for a security location. They respected this decision and they all supported it unanimously. in ""[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]There was talk about the security establishment, and I gave my point of view, and they said: We all support this decision. come back and say,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He proposes, so let him tell me, where is the security authority that we gave to a faction, militia, party, or something like that?
The Saudi Experience
- A few days ago, you met with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. How would you describe the relationship with Saudi Arabia now?
- Praise be to God, it is a good and cumulative relationship since the previous governments, and everyone is keen to perpetuate this relationship for a logical reason, which is the weight of[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And Saudi Arabia on the Islamic, Arab, economic and geographic level and the commonalities between us that can easily be a political and economic axis centered in the region and establish a stable regional order and be a pillar of stability in the world.
Can you, with Saudi Arabia, establish a regional axis that will be the basis for stability in the region and the world?
- Yes, for a regional system that will be the basis for the stability of the region and the world: economically, politically, geographically, and by all criteria.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia are able to create this axis to be a focal point in the region and the world, and we are serious about that. I had a conversation with His Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and I found him responsive as usual and moving forward to achieve this goal with clarity and serious desire. We set an agenda between us, during my participation in the Arab-Chinese summit, for mutual visits. The visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs took place, followed by the visit of the Minister of Commerce, the Chairman of the Coordination Council.
- where?
- in Baghdad. Our ministers also visited Saudi Arabia. The meetings are now alternated until we prepare for the session of the Iraqi-Saudi Coordinating Council in Baghdad or Riyadh. There is no problem. In the Coordinating Council, we will present a schedule of tasks and projects for a period of 3 years, with timelines.
- You agreed on that with the crown prince?
- Yes, we agreed on that in Riyadh.
- Was this the first time you met Prince Mohammed bin Salman?
- No, I met him more than once as a minister.
- As prime minister?
- The first time, during the Arab-Chinese summit, and we held bilateral talks.
How do you think of what Saudi Arabia is witnessing?
An experience that deserves respect and exchange of experience. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in investing its resources properly at the economic level. When I was Minister of Industry, I saw this experience, and it is a pioneering experience. I visited Ras al-Khair, Jubail, and Riyadh, and I was briefed on the essence of the Saudi industry and found it advanced and contributing to securing a large proportion of the global market's needs. This experience is worth sharing experiences with siblings. Also on the political level, Saudi Arabia today has an important role, and the Arab-Chinese summit conference was a step in the right direction, and it is important for us as Arabs and the countries of the region, and we must contribute to reducing tensions and extinguishing crises in the region because we raise the slogan of development, and development needs stability, and the files in the region And the world, are economic files. The visions are identical.
Do you have an open line in your personal relationship?
- Yes Yes.
The Saudi-Iranian dialogue
- Do we expect a new round of Saudi-Iranian dialogue in Baghdad soon?
- hopefully. Soon, we will achieve this encounter. Since the beginning of the government's work, and at the request of the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran, we want this relationship to continue, and we see it as a necessity, because the divergent viewpoints in the region whenever they converge, they reflect stability.
- In a week or more?
- Discussions or contacts are continuing to arrange meetings, and they already exist at some levels, but we want to raise their level. Our goal is to raise the level of meetings from security officials to sponsored diplomatic relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
Will you personally participate in these meetings?
- Yes, yes, I follow it personally.
- Were Turkish-Arab dialogues held in the past in Baghdad, or only the Saudi-Iranian dialogue?
- I think security coordination. In the matter of security, we are keen to have coordination with all the countries of the region, given the experience gained by our security agencies and their ability to detect many terrorist plots, and we are interested in sharing this information with the countries of the region.
- like who?
- with all. Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf states, Iran and Turkey, even with European countries. Our security services have the ability to penetrate and dismantle terrorist groups.
Are you not worried about ISIS?
No, ISIS is just a terrified gang fleeing in its burrows. We target them daily with strikes in all locations. They cannot hold the land, but rather they are small groups of no more than 4-5 people who move in operations targeting citizens or sites, and work is continuing to track down and pursue these terrorists.
Did the devices detect an attempt to target you?
No, there is no such attempt.
Uncontrolled Weapon
- There is a problem called "uncontrolled weapons". Where has the state come to deal with this phenomenon?
- In our battle with ISIS, we were looking for anyone who could bear arms, so let him take up arms. The existence of ISIS was targeting innocent citizens, villages, cities and neighborhoods, and it created fighters with formations with different titles. After the victory, the previous governments did not make an effort in the security reform process. There are Security Council resolutions related to the need for security reform in order for security institutions to be professional and work according to contexts. We're getting started. Today, I issued a decision to form a committee, headed by me, to adopt security reform in the security institutions. One of the most important priorities of this reform is the control of weapons within the framework of the security institutions according to the law, i.e. there is no weapon outside the security institutions.
- Will there be no weapon outside the security institutions?
- This is in agreement with all the political forces in the platform and in the political agreement. Weapons within the framework of the security services established by law. There will be no weapon outside of this institution.
- Will you confiscate it?
- Through confiscation, through dialogue, to end all these problems. The important problem is that there are those who link the issue (carrying arms) to the presence of foreign parties. There are parties that believe that there is a foreign presence, and that they believe that no foreign presence should be allowed outside the law and the constitution. This is a view supported by many Iraqis. If we organize this presence within the constitutional and legal framework, there will be no excuse for these people.
- How would you describe your relationship with the Kurdistan region after what was said about the problem of remittances?
- We started with a road map to solve the problems between Baghdad and Erbil, starting with financing previous budgets. We collided with the decision of the Federal Court and headed to another procedure within the law and within the powers. We are on the cusp of presenting the budget, and we have reached an agreement with the region on the form of oil management and the financing of financial allocations in the budget law. After approving the budget, we will go to the legislation of the oil and gas law, and this is one of the most important tasks since the writing of the constitution after 2003, because oil and gas are not only waiting for the region, but all the oil-producing governorates are waiting for it, they want to know their powers and what they return to them.
- Is this a Kurdish demand?
Iraqi demand. But because of the oil problems, the issue appeared as if oil only solves the region's problems with the center. We are heading to implement this scenario, the rest of the problems are controlled within the powers and procedures. Our conviction is that our national responsibility includes all citizens in all geographical areas[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], whether the citizen is inside the region in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Anbar, or Najaf. This is the legal and moral situation. We are keen to take care of all the people in a manner that preserves the principle of justice, equality, and the social contract[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]What unites us is the constitution.
Will the Arab summit be held soon?
- Yes. But the date has not been set yet. The decision to hold the Arab summit, only remains to set the date. I think in Riyadh.
Will Syria attend this summit?
- We hope that Syria will come. The time has come for us to work seriously to return Syria to its seat and presence in the Arab League. There must be an understanding because the stability of Syria is the stability of the region. If there is a threat of terrorist activity against[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It comes from the Syrian border. Any unstable situation in Syria comes to Jordan, Lebanon and the countries of the region. It is very important that there be a dialogue with the Syrian government in the form[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It alleviates the suffering of the Syrian people[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He suffered for a long time, and he is now living in difficult living and economic conditions.
Border Security
- Iran has accused some of what it called groups in Kurdistan of playing a role in facilitating the attack on Isfahan. Are you concerned about any major Iranian action in Kurdistan?
- This is one of the problems that the government faced during this period, the attacks that took place on the Iraqi-Iranian border, and on the Iraqi-Turkish border as well. It was subject to discussion and dialogue between the two countries, and the direction was towards concluding or signing a joint report in a joint security committee in which the region and federal agencies are present with the Iranian side so that we carry out 3 tasks: The first is to control the borders
from federal official forces.
The second, the extradition of wanted persons in accordance with legal orders.
Third, not allowing any party to set up a camp or have weapons.
You, as an opposition party, exist as a refugee, under Iraqi laws.
- You mean the Kurdistan Workers' Party?
- Yes, the PKK or the opposition Democratic Party of Iran. This presence is old, but in the capacity of a refugee and not in the capacity of a camp, weapons and training, as shown by satellite channels.
Did the region agree to receive federal forces?
- Yes, we are in the process of an agreement, and a delegation from Iran will come to sign the agreement in Baghdad, and we held a meeting for this committee, in order to preserve the borders, and the legal framework is sufficient to prevent any drag into violence.
- Are there relations at a high level with Syria?
Within the official framework.
- Didn't you visit Syria?
- no.
- Doesn't anyone come from Syria to Baghdad?
Since I started until now no one has come. Only meetings with the ambassador.
How do you see the situation in Lebanon?
- Certainly the situation in Lebanon makes us anxious because of the economic repercussions as well as the political instability. This is what we went through[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. All our efforts and endeavors to urge all parties to reach an understanding, elect a president of the republic and form a government so that they face the economic entitlements that have burdened the Lebanese people in these difficult circumstances. We are open and ready for all forms of cooperation and support.
-Do you help with something?
- Yes, there was fuel insurance, and we are continuing. Our government is committed to this matter.
Saddam Hussein's chair
- You are sitting on a chair that Saddam Hussein and Abdul Salam Aref sat before you... What does an Iraqi feel when he sits in Saddam Hussein's place in the same headquarters?
- First, this is the year of life that brings "S" or "Y" to this great responsibility in a country facing these entitlements.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Sitting on the chair, he has to take lessons from those who sat, where they went, how they went, and what they left... These must be present in front of him, and the day will come when he leaves this chair, but what does he leave?
- You are 50 years old, Bekir.
- 50, 60, 70, 100 You will leave this chair, but God Almighty gave you the opportunity to serve your people, to be in this position, in these circumstances, your question and your standing before God will be long and the question differs from what the ordinary citizen faces, because I will be responsible for the decision economic security, social living. I have a great responsibility and I take great care and work daily for up to 17 hours, and I do not differentiate between days, and I do not know this day as Friday, Thursday or Saturday, by virtue of the continuous schedule, to the extent that I exhausted those around me, especially since I am very annoying at work. This is all because this is a responsibility, and I myself come from this community. I was a student at the College of Agriculture at the University of Baghdad from 1989 to 1992. I used to work at night in Hamada Market.
- Your experience in official and political work is long, what were its stations?
- I lived in the eighties, I lived in the nineties, I lived through the blockade, I lived after 2003 in political work. I stick with the people in all stages. I am the only Iraqi prime minister after 2003[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He lived with the Iraqis from the eighties until after 2003 and the political process, and the only one[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]included in sites. I come from the state system, an employee in 97, and after 2003 a district commissioner, council member, governor, minister, and several ministries.
Are you now outside the Dawa Party?
- Yes, I resigned in 2019.
- Didn't you leave bitterness with the party?
No, I was clear with them. The Dawa Party is an ancient party and has a system. Mistakes even among the media, they come and say: You are a leader in the "call". What is the word leader?
- I mean, you had no responsibility in the "call"?
- Never, I am just the son of a martyr of “the call”, so I was appointed in the elections, meaning my candidacy, and the “call party” in the elections directed its supporters to[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2793230493/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF %D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A/ar/]Mohamed Shiaa Al-Sudani[/url]By virtue of his social weight as a clan sheikh, my family is the sheikhs of a clan, the Sudan tribe. He will win, so if you have supporters, ask them to vote for him. The Dawa Party gave me an opportunity, nominated me in the State of Law, nominated me as a minister. And I, praise be to God, reflected a performance, and the “Dawa” party says that it has a competent and honest minister.
- Did you know Qassem Soleimani or did you meet him?
- at general meetings. He used to come in official delegations to the ministries, and a meeting would take place.
Did Iran support your government?
- Iran never interfered in the negotiations to form the government.
- Didn't Qaani review you?
- never.
Or the American ambassador?
Not even the American ambassador. The government was formed by a 100% Iraqi decision, and was not subject to any influence or interference in any form, direct or indirect. For 8 years I was a minister, in the second government of Mr. (Nuri) al-Maliki, and in the government of Mr. (Haider) al-Abadi. I did not receive an order neither from a political side, i.e. the party that nominated me, we want such or such from you, nor from an international political side. This agreement is in our interest or harm us.. never. Much of what is rumored is not accurate.
The Iraqi is proud of his Iraqiness, personality, position and principles, and no genuine Iraqi can give up his decision to any party.
Arab depth
- Does your talk about the Arab depth bother Iran?
- never. Never, it does not cause embarrassment, nor does the Iranian side have a problem with this matter.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A country of Arab depth and pioneering position for hundreds of years. This is our natural role, and we are proud to exercise it with ease, because this would contribute to the stability of the region, including the Arab countries and neighboring countries, whether Iran or Turkey.
- What about linking interests with the Gulf? Have you discussed this with them (the Iranians)?
Yes, at the highest levels. at the highest levels. Role[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The pioneer in the region with his brothers, with his economy, something important for Iraq in the first place and for the bilateral relations between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and Iran.
- Do you see that fate[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab?
- Yes, yes, fate[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab, and this is the normal situation in Iraq. And[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He does not assume a role that is not his. His role since creation is the pivotal role.[/size]
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2023-02-09 | 01:44
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Alsumaria News - Politics
Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani saw that Iraq and Saudi Arabia are able to establish a regional axis that would be the basis for stability in the region and the world, stressing the seriousness of the two countries in this matter.
[size]Al-Sudani said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that he had agreed with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a roadmap for developing bilateral relations, starting with ministerial visits, then convening the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council to implement projects over a period of 3 years.
Al-Sudani affirmed that Baghdad will continue to play its role in hosting the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, announcing a meeting soon, hoping that the level of security meetings will rise to the diplomatic level.
Al-Sudani denied the existence of any Iranian or American interference in forming his 100-day government, saying: "The government was formed by a 100% Iraqi decision, and was not subject to any influence or interference in any way, direct or indirect."
And how to deal[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]With his two allies, the United States and Iran, whose relations are strained, Al-Sudani talked about Baghdad's relationship with both countries, then said: "We do not want Iraq to be an arena for settling scores, and we are not a party in an axis against the other, as much as we care to strengthen our relations according to the rules of common interests and mutual respect." And non-interference in internal affairs," raising the slogan "interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]First.”
Al-Sudani confirmed that “the role of[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A pioneer in the region with his Arab brothers, as well as with Iran," saying, "It was destined[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab, and this is the normal situation for Iraq.”
He stressed the need to activate the “strategic framework” agreement between Washington and Baghdad, which “transfers the relationship between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and the United States to the economic, cultural, social and educational fields, and it does not remain limited to the security aspect, despite its importance.
” Corruption pandemic" and the recovery of looted funds, announcing the recovery of 80 million dollars so far, and that the process is continuing.
Al-Sudani indicated that work has begun on security reform and addressing the problem of unauthorized weapons, through a committee headed by him, stressing that all political forces are within "[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]She agreed to address the problem of uncontrolled weapons and the "necessity of security reform". Weapons will only be within the framework of the security services established by law. There will be no weapons outside this institution. And what is reported about the problem of smuggling dollars
from[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To Iran and Turkey, Al-Sudani said that currency smuggling takes place in all countries of the world[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The same is the case with other countries, noting that many countries in the region are witnessing the collapse of their official currencies, and they certainly need dollars, and this matter continues.
He pointed to the involvement of Iraqi banks and banking companies in this matter and making large profits. He stressed his optimism about the possibility of dealing with the matter, and said: "In my estimation, it is the gateway to economic, financial and banking reform in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
He emphasized working to address the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil, whether with regard to oil revenues or the security situation on the borders with Iran and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], through an agreement that will be signed soon in Baghdad and with the approval of the Kurdish side. He also stressed that the "ISIS" organization no longer poses any dangers, because it no longer holds the ground, and the Iraqi forces continue to chase its remnants.
After 100 days in power, are you optimistic or fearful, and I will not ask you if you regret accepting this difficult task?
Al-Sudani: I certainly did not regret it, because I know the size of the task and the responsibility, and I accepted this assignment. God willing, I am optimistic. After 100 days, the government is clear in implementing its priorities at various levels. At the level of external relations, and at the internal level and its programs, whether in poverty alleviation, job generation, services, economic reforms, and combating corruption. In every title, we have come a long way and established basic pillars for the implementation of this priority, and this is the goal[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]We put it into the government program.
- Did this period confirm to you what you said earlier that corruption is in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]More dangerous than "Corona"?
Al-Sudani: This is why I called it the “corruption pandemic,” which is the threat[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He is facing the Iraqi state, which is more dangerous than "Corona" and "ISIS".
You revealed something related to "theft."[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]First, I want to ask: How much money, in your opinion, was wasted after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein?
- Al-Sudani: The theft of “tax secretariats” I used to follow when I was a deputy, and after I was nominated (for prime minister), which was a long nomination period in light of the political uproar. I had hoped that it would be the first file that I proceeded with, but it was opened before I started my mission.Unfortunately, most of the main defendants fled and contributed to getting the money out.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], while a careful operation was supposed to be carried out to control this group that managed to steal an amount of this size.
How much do you estimate?
Al-Sudani: The amount, according to the announcement in the initial accounts of the regulatory authorities, is 3 trillion and 700 billion dinars (about 2.5 billion dollars), but our government, for the sake of more transparency and clarity and preserving public money, went to contract with an international auditing firm, in order to stand On the real number of this theft. As for the issue of wasting money since 2003, there are no accurate official readings or statistics. Corruption is diverse and has many forms, once it occurs in the operating budget, and once again it occurs in the investment budget, and sometimes outside the budgets; In decisions, financial and administrative corruption is called. There is corruption in an administrative decision, such as giving a piece of land to an investor who is not entitled to it, or preventing competition for an investment opportunity, monopolizing it, or limiting it to a person. But as I mentioned, corruption is a challenge that faces all state plans and programs to advance development and services.
- It was said that the volume of wasted funds amounted to 600 billion dollars in less than two decades?
Al-Sudani: Why not 700? Why not 500? These are estimates and numbers, but they do not give us the realistic picture. I told you that the regulatory authorities did not stand on a real number, nor can we (to give an accurate number), in the midst of this ramification of budgets and projects at the level of investment and investment plans. But the thing[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]What distinguishes this government in the fight against corruption is its insistence on recovering corruption funds. This is a clear loophole since 2003. What is the use of a sentence of 5, 10 or 15 years (imprisonment) for someone who stole trillions? Theft of “tax secretariats”, for example, if we want to imprison those accused of it, they will be imprisoned between 15 and 25 years, but we will incur 3.7 trillion (dinars) again, because the bulk of these guarantees have owners and they demand (them) from us. That is why we set the issue of recovering funds as a primary goal for the government's work, and funds began to flow in with recovery, some of which were looted before 2003, and the last of which was $80 million recovered through the procedures of the oversight bodies.
Was this money wasted before 2003?
Sudani: Yes.
Can the government recover money from the powerful?
Al-Sudani: By implementing the law, yes you can. According to Iraqi law, the citizen[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Whoever fails or makes a wrong decision is referred, after proving his negligence, to an Inclusion Committee. No money included wasted. The employee pays the damage and does not get out of prison until it is paid. Now, we have started this process, and there are important names of politicians who have been arrested, and the money has begun to be recovered from them.
At what political level was corruption? Where did he get to?
Al-Sudani: Unfortunately, corruption is at all levels. There is corruption of junior employees, and I am not exaggerating if I say that it is the most harmful, and this does not hide the opposition class. But we certainly cannot generalize corruption to everyone. There is an army of honest people who preserved public money and stood up to the corrupt, and we must stand by them and encourage them, otherwise if we keep repeating that everyone is corrupt, then this means an acknowledgment of the dominance of the corrupt in all the reins of affairs.
- There is an army of corrupt and an army of honest people?
- Al-Sudani: The honest ones are more. Honest and patriotic people who took an honorable position to preserve public money based on their patriotism and love for their country, and God is more.
- Is it possible that a rich country suffers like[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]From frequent power outages? Is this also caused by corruption?
Al-Sudani: Corruption, mismanagement and planning. In 2003, electricity production did not exceed 3,800 megawatts. Now, we have exceeded 21,000 megawatts. There is an expansion in growth and needs. The house used to have only a fan, now the whole house has air conditioners and various appliances. We have many problems. As I mentioned; Corruption, poor management and planning. At the end of 2013, we finished with the issue of electricity, but we got involved in (fighting) ISIS, so we went back. Sometimes administrative crises, and sometimes poor planning... Also, there is a remarkable issue in this sector, which is that the collection of electricity in[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The whole does not exceed 10% or less.
- What's the reason?
Al-Sudani: The reason, first, is the general culture that the state bears, and secondly, this interruption and poor service weakens the government side by demanding collections, as the “beneficiary” tells you to provide me with the service continuously until I pay the wages. According to the calculations of "Siemens", "General Electric" and Iraqi technicians, the value of waste and waste in electricity can solve the problem from its foundation. We do not have a culture of saving energy. When the electricity comes, the Iraqi citizen turns on all the air conditioners in order to cool his house.
Has the tax rate increased now?
Al-Sudani: Until yesterday, the annual collection amounted to 600 billion dinars (about 400 million dollars) only.
And how much should it be?
- Al-Sudani: Billions are assumed. We only spend on gas[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]We import it from Iran at around $7 billion a year. And we buy electricity from investors, about $2.5 billion, in addition to oil derivatives and salaries. High cost and low tax.
Will we witness a deep state of reform in Iraq?
- Al-Sudani: Today, reform has become an entitlement. When we talk about the economy, there is no way for us except economic reform and the development of sources of income. We cannot remain dependent on oil revenues to cover budget expenditures. Alternatives such as activating agriculture, industry and tourism are necessary. When we talk about administrative reform, the government job cannot remain the only source. We must reform these institutions and support the private sector in order to be supportive in generating job opportunities. When we talk about security institutions and overlap, we must go to security reform, and this is what we went to by forming a committee headed by us. So it is an individual not for consumption or an electoral slogan as much as it is an entitlement in the Iraqi situation, especially in this government.
- How many employees, that is, how much does the government pay salaries in Iraq?
Al-Sudani: about 4 million employees, but there is a process to verify the number and the number[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]I reached it[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2502332837/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B7/ar/]The Ministry of Planning[/url]It is 3.2 million, and there are still numbers to be added, in addition to the employees who have been installed, and they are in the range of 500 thousand.
- Install them?
Al-Sudani: Yes, they were working on contracts and were confirmed as permanent employees. I think the number is more than 4 million employees.
Is it true that the unemployment rate is 16% and the poverty rate is 25%?
Al-Sudani: Approximately these are the ratios. Poverty, according to statistics, is between 20% and 22%, and unemployment has increased according to indicators, especially in the past two years, due to the poor spending efficiency of the ministries to implement projects in the governorates, and the weak launch of investment projects from the private sector, because it did not receive the required support. This affected the level of unemployment, with the presence of graduates from all colleges as a result of a general tendency to education from the Iraqi family itself, in addition to the state that provided all requirements for higher education. This generated such a huge number of job seekers. In this government, we look at this challenge with several solutions, including government employment, and this we have finished with by virtue of confirmation[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]happened. The second solutions relate to the private sector[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It will be supportive of the government in generating employment opportunities. We have an important law that will be voted on in the House of Representatives, and it is the pension, social security and workers law, and this law will equalize the rights of workers in the private sector with the government sector. This is an important structural reform in this context.
- Will you make unpopular decisions in the next stage?
Al-Sudani: This government is destined to take reform decisions. Reform decisions are usually painful, but after a while, for sure, they will be beneficial for everyone.
- Aren't you afraid for your popularity?
- Al-Sudani: I fear for the benefit[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and people[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Basically. front of interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And his people do not (ask for) my popularity nor my life. an interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The Iraqi people are my compass. If I see in this decision an interest for the country, I will follow it, but it is my responsibility to mitigate the harm, because any decision has harm to a group. All I care about is mitigating the damage to the poor and low-income class.
- What is the problem of dollar smuggling that we are reading about?
Al-Sudani: After 2007, the Central Bank took a step that was correct, which is to deal with inflation and the anomalous situation of the Iraqi currency. Our relationship with the dollar began in the nineties, during the blockade period. Back then we were watching the dollar, when it went up, food prices went up. The central bank dealt with opening a window to sell the currency. The prevailing commercial mechanism, and it was supposed to get a review, is based on the merchant contacting an exchange company in order to import the materials. The exchange company is linked to private banks that are linked to the Central Bank. The greater part of this trade was not well defined. That is, not in accordance with the standards of compliance with the banking system. In it, there are inaccurate estimates of the price or quantity of the material, and the goal is for the merchant to obtain the largest possible amount of dollars in order to transfer them abroad, as the window for selling the currency in one year reached 300 million dollars per day.
- Who sells it?
- Al-Sudani: The Central Bank sells it to banks and companies. Banks transfer (dollars) abroad under import headings. It is not reasonable that there is a country that imports 300 million a day, unless it imports air and sells it to citizens. This mechanism was clear to everyone, from the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve and others. No one dared to confront this process, and we, deputies and analysts, were talking about it... until the Treasury Department came, as a matter of emphasizing the prevention of smuggling, money laundering, and other decisions of the United States towards some countries, to stress the dollar. I do not want to mention countries in the region, in the Gulf, from which dollars are forbidden from the United States. Don't give her a dollar.
Countries in the Gulf?
Sudani: Yes. The issue for them is a sovereign and economic issue.
- For whom?
- to the United States. She wants to be assured that her dollars are being sold in the right place and not going to places that she considers to be incorrect and against her interests. An agreement was signed between the two countries[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A new mechanism, to be implemented after two years, includes gradation, actions and commitments, such as training banks, training merchants, and establishing an electronic platform, in preparation for the application of standards. Before I was commissioned, I found this information, so I asked the governor of the Central Bank: There is a mechanism that will be applied to banks and selling dollars, are you ready for it? He said: Yes, we are ready. But it turned out, in reality, after I started it - we have 3 months now - that it was not implemented. At the end of 2022, the mechanism began, that is, after the end of the two years stipulated in the agreement signed between the two countries.
Nothing happened in those two years?
- Nothing happened. The required measures to prepare the markets were not taken. That is, you are the owner of a bank, an exchange company, a merchant, and you have been working for 10 years according to a specific mechanism, and if you are asked to implement a new mechanism overnight, you will certainly object. Now, during this month, we're doing two years' work. We sit with the merchant and say to him: In order for your trade to be real, and most of them are real merchants and they want their trade to continue, you go through so-and-so, open a letter of credit, take an import license and receive the dollar, and so on... We have problems and I don't claim that our situation is perfect. We have no absolute control over the outlets. We have problems with late tax regularity at customs, and routine notes in issuing import licenses...
- Is there smuggling of dollars towards Turkey and Iran?
Currency smuggling continues in all countries of the world[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The same is true of these countries. Many countries in the region are experiencing a collapse of their official currency, I do not want to go into the name, and they certainly need dollars, and this matter continues. Part of those involved with us are some banks and exchange companies at home, and they make large profits from selling dollars[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It is transferred to neighboring countries and countries in the region.
- Optimistic about the possibility of treatment?
- Yes. In my estimation, this process is the gateway to economic, financial and banking reform[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
- Is there a solution soon to the problem of the deterioration of the Iraqi dinar?
- We started a series of measures to reform the banking and financial situation in the country[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], according to international standards, and at the same time there is a tendency to find out the truth about what citizens need in terms of goods and services in accordance with regulations and laws.[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/1122135457/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3 %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/ar/]Council of Ministers[/url]for economics, and[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/1122135457/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3 %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1/ar/]Council of Ministers[/url]A number of decisions were taken, and we are continuing to review with the private sector, banks and the central bank[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It is concerned with monetary policy to keep up with all the influences that accompany the process of price fluctuations. What we mainly care about, in the government, is maintaining the prices of basic materials and providing them at reasonable prices that do not burden the citizen, in addition to our continuous efforts with the private sector to overcome obstacles, according to those standards.
- *Strategic Framework*
- You received a call from US President Joe Biden, in which he affirmed his country's commitment to the strategic partnership, and an Iraqi delegation is preparing to visit Washington. What will you ask of America?
- Activating the “strategic framework” agreement, and this is what President Biden mentioned, and we support it. The "strategic framework" agreement that transfers the relationship between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And the United States to the economic, cultural, social and educational fields... This is a clear agreement that was approved by the Iraqi parliament at the time, and we are supposed to implement it, and our relationship with the United States should not be limited to the security aspect only, despite its importance. But in these areas, the United States is a strategic partner for Iraq, and we can benefit from its companies and expertise in advancing the reality of our economy and all fields.
- Does he need[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To America? Is there a conviction among the political forces that the relationship with America is necessary?
- The United States is a superpower, and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]- As I mentioned - it is linked to agreements, and one of the most important agreements is the "strategic framework" agreement. We have cooperation in the field of combating ISIS... All political forces, in their conversations, confirm, in their speeches, that they are with relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]With all countries as long as it is in accordance with his interest. We have an interest in a relationship with the United States of America, there is no objection. We have an interest with the state “X” or “Y”... As I said, the compass is an interest[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
- How does he reconcile?[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Between Iranian influence and the American role?
- This is one of the problems that always arises, and we deal with it in the following way: First, Iran is a neighboring country with which we have many religious, cultural and social partnerships. Iran has stood with the political process from the beginning, and has also stood with us in the war against ISIS. Within this domain, we maintain this relationship. Certainly, there are many Iraqi political forces, from the various components of the Iraqi people, who also have positive relations with the Iranian side, as is the case with many countries in the region, and this is also a positive thing, but within the framework of non-interference in internal affairs, non-interference or influence on the national sovereign decision. This is what we see in our relationships and meetings. Everyone respects this form of relationship. With the United States, the United States contributed to the process of change after 2003. The United States was part of the international coalition[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Assist[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To defeat ISIS. Today, the United States is also seen as a partner with whom we want to develop relations in other fields. Yes, there is a tense relationship between the United States and Iran, but certainly this will not be at the expense of it[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. we do not want[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]To be an arena for settling scores, and we are not a party to an axis against the other, as far as we are concerned to strengthen our relations according to the rules of common interests, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs.
Relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Are you afraid of repercussions?[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Because of the deterioration of Iran's relations with the West after the appearance of its weapons in Ukraine? That is, its (Iran's) relations with the Europeans recorded a significant decline?
- In general, we tend to settle down. This stability will only come by drying up the hotbeds of tension. The Russian-Ukrainian war has an impact not only on Europe, but on the entire region. Our region is a sensitive area, and it needs more understanding, dialogue, and an end to interference. We do not support any intervention in any countries in any conflict situation, because this would exacerbate this crisis. The Russian-Ukrainian crisis could end if interventions from all countries of the world cease, so that we resort to pushing the two sides to dialogue. Dialogue is the best way[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It spares these countries and the region tragedies.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Stung by the fire of wars and sieges and knows their impact. Therefore, we are talking about this logic, because without the logic of dialogue, crises cannot end, and the principle of interventions will prolong any crisis.
- Were you asked to mediate in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, whether by Russia or America?
We take our position according to our vision, conviction and principles. And as I mentioned,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]is the country[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He suffered from wars and sieges, so what we do not accept for our own internal affairs, we certainly do not accept for all countries of the world.
There is no excuse for failure
- You are the first Iraqi prime minister since 2003 to head a government in which the "Sadr movement" is absent. Is there a truce with the "Sadr movement"? what deal? Are you afraid that the economic suffering will either lead to an uprising like the one that took place (the youth uprising), or that the “Sadr movement” will take to the streets?
- The “Sadr movement” is a broad political movement with a well-known leadership and an active role in the political process, whether it is present in parliament and the government or outside the parliament and government. We respect his decision to withdraw from Parliament, and we care about his presence in the political work, and for him to exercise his role in criticism and pointing out any negative situation within the legal and constitutional framework.
As for the issue of whether we fear an uprising or such or such from the “current” or from the youth or others, any failure, God forbid, in implementing our government program and in implementing our priorities that we committed to before the people, will certainly be rejected by all components of the Iraqi people and not by this political party. or that. The current situation does not tolerate this failure, so ««[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]»,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Formed this government and[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It includes 280 deputies from the various components - it includes the "coordinating framework" and ""[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2050645846/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF %D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A/ar/]Kurdistan Union[/url]And “sovereignty and determination” - he is concerned and responsible for this stage with all its positives and negatives, and he has no excuse before the rest of the parties, whether it is the “Sadr movement”, the youth, or the vast majority of the Iraqi people. You know, no more than 60% participated in the elections.
I mean, we must look at the 60% before we look at the rest of the political components. If these 60% are not satisfied with the performance, they will certainly have a position.
- 60% of those entitled to vote in the recent parliamentary elections did not participate?
- Yes, official estimates indicate a clear reluctance to participate in the elections, reaching around 60%.
Was this because the political forces disappointed the people?
- This is one of the important reasons. After the election results were announced and the political forces entered a vortex for a year, the validity of the 60% decision was confirmed. This 60% said to the 40%: Look, we told you that the operation is useless.
- Is the "coordinating framework" still satisfied with the directions of your government?
- Of course, the “coordinating framework” is the largest bloc of the Shiite component, and it is[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He adopted the prime minister's candidacy, and he has ministers from all of his parties, and he went to an agreement with the rest of the blocs and formed ««[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]». The success or failure of the government, God forbid, is borne by the “framework”, the government and “the[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]». The question of unease or unease, I think, is a metaphor. We go to the platform. There is a ministerial platform and program, in which the general guidelines for all files have been discussed and agreed upon. Whenever we implement this program or ministerial curriculum, we measure the extent of acceptance or rejection. As for outside of this, I am not concerned.
Fear of success
- How do you see the political process since 2003 until now?
- It seems that in the political process, since 2003 until now, there is a fear of success. This is not logical.
Fear of success since 2003?
- Yes, yes, part of the political implications that occurred is that some fear success. We faced many obstacles. There were projects that could contribute to alleviating the suffering of citizens and make governments succeed, but they were aborted for fear that this or that government would succeed. I hope that we have finished and transcended this obsession, because its survival will impede any government, whatever its orientations, aspirations, and program. In my estimation, all those present now are keen on the success of the government, and everyone supports, senses the danger, and clearly recognizes that this is an important opportunity and a last chance, and if it is not invested, then they have no excuse before the people.
Can a major collapse occur if the current government fails?
- God willing, it will not happen, because the strengths are in me[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]exist and control the reins of affairs.
The rights of the state
- it was said that the Iraqi state was distributed among the components and factions, with security, with the economy, and with everything, is this true? shall we see[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A country that recovers its rights from the components and factions?
First, there is a kind of lack of clarity. We are talking about a coalition government. A coalition government is usually formed from the political forces present in Parliament. Political forces have the right to exist in the government. We are a coalition government that represented the political forces present in Parliament, and I was keen to have ministers nominated by their parties according to criteria I set. Each party nominates three for me and I choose the minister.
Didn't they force you?
- Never, never, and I bear the choice of the entire cabinet.
- Every political force gave you 3 names?
- Give me filters. There is a political bloc that gave me 6 candidates. Turn down two, turn down three, turn down four, until I get to[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]I was convinced.
- What were your criteria? What is integrity?
- Integrity, efficiency, access to the Ministry's file, and some specifications. I chose this booth, and here the confusion began and the talk about the security services and institutions. I say: I want one name, I want an order issued according to which we gave a sensitive security position to a political party or a security faction or such... Just confusion.
- Didn't it happen?
It did not happen and will not happen. The security services will not be managed in the Sudanese government except through the people of the security establishment. a dot on the line. The financial institution will only be managed by professionals from this institution. And by the way, and to be honest, the political forces did not demand any party for a security location. They respected this decision and they all supported it unanimously. in ""[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2430485927/%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81 %D8%A5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9/ar/]State Administration Coalition[/url]There was talk about the security establishment, and I gave my point of view, and they said: We all support this decision. come back and say,[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He proposes, so let him tell me, where is the security authority that we gave to a faction, militia, party, or something like that?
The Saudi Experience
- A few days ago, you met with the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. How would you describe the relationship with Saudi Arabia now?
- Praise be to God, it is a good and cumulative relationship since the previous governments, and everyone is keen to perpetuate this relationship for a logical reason, which is the weight of[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]And Saudi Arabia on the Islamic, Arab, economic and geographic level and the commonalities between us that can easily be a political and economic axis centered in the region and establish a stable regional order and be a pillar of stability in the world.
Can you, with Saudi Arabia, establish a regional axis that will be the basis for stability in the region and the world?
- Yes, for a regional system that will be the basis for the stability of the region and the world: economically, politically, geographically, and by all criteria.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia are able to create this axis to be a focal point in the region and the world, and we are serious about that. I had a conversation with His Highness, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and I found him responsive as usual and moving forward to achieve this goal with clarity and serious desire. We set an agenda between us, during my participation in the Arab-Chinese summit, for mutual visits. The visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs took place, followed by the visit of the Minister of Commerce, the Chairman of the Coordination Council.
- where?
- in Baghdad. Our ministers also visited Saudi Arabia. The meetings are now alternated until we prepare for the session of the Iraqi-Saudi Coordinating Council in Baghdad or Riyadh. There is no problem. In the Coordinating Council, we will present a schedule of tasks and projects for a period of 3 years, with timelines.
- You agreed on that with the crown prince?
- Yes, we agreed on that in Riyadh.
- Was this the first time you met Prince Mohammed bin Salman?
- No, I met him more than once as a minister.
- As prime minister?
- The first time, during the Arab-Chinese summit, and we held bilateral talks.
How do you think of what Saudi Arabia is witnessing?
An experience that deserves respect and exchange of experience. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made significant strides in investing its resources properly at the economic level. When I was Minister of Industry, I saw this experience, and it is a pioneering experience. I visited Ras al-Khair, Jubail, and Riyadh, and I was briefed on the essence of the Saudi industry and found it advanced and contributing to securing a large proportion of the global market's needs. This experience is worth sharing experiences with siblings. Also on the political level, Saudi Arabia today has an important role, and the Arab-Chinese summit conference was a step in the right direction, and it is important for us as Arabs and the countries of the region, and we must contribute to reducing tensions and extinguishing crises in the region because we raise the slogan of development, and development needs stability, and the files in the region And the world, are economic files. The visions are identical.
Do you have an open line in your personal relationship?
- Yes Yes.
The Saudi-Iranian dialogue
- Do we expect a new round of Saudi-Iranian dialogue in Baghdad soon?
- hopefully. Soon, we will achieve this encounter. Since the beginning of the government's work, and at the request of the brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran, we want this relationship to continue, and we see it as a necessity, because the divergent viewpoints in the region whenever they converge, they reflect stability.
- In a week or more?
- Discussions or contacts are continuing to arrange meetings, and they already exist at some levels, but we want to raise their level. Our goal is to raise the level of meetings from security officials to sponsored diplomatic relations[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
Will you personally participate in these meetings?
- Yes, yes, I follow it personally.
- Were Turkish-Arab dialogues held in the past in Baghdad, or only the Saudi-Iranian dialogue?
- I think security coordination. In the matter of security, we are keen to have coordination with all the countries of the region, given the experience gained by our security agencies and their ability to detect many terrorist plots, and we are interested in sharing this information with the countries of the region.
- like who?
- with all. Egypt, Jordan, the Gulf states, Iran and Turkey, even with European countries. Our security services have the ability to penetrate and dismantle terrorist groups.
Are you not worried about ISIS?
No, ISIS is just a terrified gang fleeing in its burrows. We target them daily with strikes in all locations. They cannot hold the land, but rather they are small groups of no more than 4-5 people who move in operations targeting citizens or sites, and work is continuing to track down and pursue these terrorists.
Did the devices detect an attempt to target you?
No, there is no such attempt.
Uncontrolled Weapon
- There is a problem called "uncontrolled weapons". Where has the state come to deal with this phenomenon?
- In our battle with ISIS, we were looking for anyone who could bear arms, so let him take up arms. The existence of ISIS was targeting innocent citizens, villages, cities and neighborhoods, and it created fighters with formations with different titles. After the victory, the previous governments did not make an effort in the security reform process. There are Security Council resolutions related to the need for security reform in order for security institutions to be professional and work according to contexts. We're getting started. Today, I issued a decision to form a committee, headed by me, to adopt security reform in the security institutions. One of the most important priorities of this reform is the control of weapons within the framework of the security institutions according to the law, i.e. there is no weapon outside the security institutions.
- Will there be no weapon outside the security institutions?
- This is in agreement with all the political forces in the platform and in the political agreement. Weapons within the framework of the security services established by law. There will be no weapon outside of this institution.
- Will you confiscate it?
- Through confiscation, through dialogue, to end all these problems. The important problem is that there are those who link the issue (carrying arms) to the presence of foreign parties. There are parties that believe that there is a foreign presence, and that they believe that no foreign presence should be allowed outside the law and the constitution. This is a view supported by many Iraqis. If we organize this presence within the constitutional and legal framework, there will be no excuse for these people.
- How would you describe your relationship with the Kurdistan region after what was said about the problem of remittances?
- We started with a road map to solve the problems between Baghdad and Erbil, starting with financing previous budgets. We collided with the decision of the Federal Court and headed to another procedure within the law and within the powers. We are on the cusp of presenting the budget, and we have reached an agreement with the region on the form of oil management and the financing of financial allocations in the budget law. After approving the budget, we will go to the legislation of the oil and gas law, and this is one of the most important tasks since the writing of the constitution after 2003, because oil and gas are not only waiting for the region, but all the oil-producing governorates are waiting for it, they want to know their powers and what they return to them.
- Is this a Kurdish demand?
Iraqi demand. But because of the oil problems, the issue appeared as if oil only solves the region's problems with the center. We are heading to implement this scenario, the rest of the problems are controlled within the powers and procedures. Our conviction is that our national responsibility includes all citizens in all geographical areas[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], whether the citizen is inside the region in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Anbar, or Najaf. This is the legal and moral situation. We are keen to take care of all the people in a manner that preserves the principle of justice, equality, and the social contract[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]What unites us is the constitution.
Will the Arab summit be held soon?
- Yes. But the date has not been set yet. The decision to hold the Arab summit, only remains to set the date. I think in Riyadh.
Will Syria attend this summit?
- We hope that Syria will come. The time has come for us to work seriously to return Syria to its seat and presence in the Arab League. There must be an understanding because the stability of Syria is the stability of the region. If there is a threat of terrorist activity against[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It comes from the Syrian border. Any unstable situation in Syria comes to Jordan, Lebanon and the countries of the region. It is very important that there be a dialogue with the Syrian government in the form[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]It alleviates the suffering of the Syrian people[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He suffered for a long time, and he is now living in difficult living and economic conditions.
Border Security
- Iran has accused some of what it called groups in Kurdistan of playing a role in facilitating the attack on Isfahan. Are you concerned about any major Iranian action in Kurdistan?
- This is one of the problems that the government faced during this period, the attacks that took place on the Iraqi-Iranian border, and on the Iraqi-Turkish border as well. It was subject to discussion and dialogue between the two countries, and the direction was towards concluding or signing a joint report in a joint security committee in which the region and federal agencies are present with the Iranian side so that we carry out 3 tasks: The first is to control the borders
from federal official forces.
The second, the extradition of wanted persons in accordance with legal orders.
Third, not allowing any party to set up a camp or have weapons.
You, as an opposition party, exist as a refugee, under Iraqi laws.
- You mean the Kurdistan Workers' Party?
- Yes, the PKK or the opposition Democratic Party of Iran. This presence is old, but in the capacity of a refugee and not in the capacity of a camp, weapons and training, as shown by satellite channels.
Did the region agree to receive federal forces?
- Yes, we are in the process of an agreement, and a delegation from Iran will come to sign the agreement in Baghdad, and we held a meeting for this committee, in order to preserve the borders, and the legal framework is sufficient to prevent any drag into violence.
- Are there relations at a high level with Syria?
Within the official framework.
- Didn't you visit Syria?
- no.
- Doesn't anyone come from Syria to Baghdad?
Since I started until now no one has come. Only meetings with the ambassador.
How do you see the situation in Lebanon?
- Certainly the situation in Lebanon makes us anxious because of the economic repercussions as well as the political instability. This is what we went through[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. All our efforts and endeavors to urge all parties to reach an understanding, elect a president of the republic and form a government so that they face the economic entitlements that have burdened the Lebanese people in these difficult circumstances. We are open and ready for all forms of cooperation and support.
-Do you help with something?
- Yes, there was fuel insurance, and we are continuing. Our government is committed to this matter.
Saddam Hussein's chair
- You are sitting on a chair that Saddam Hussein and Abdul Salam Aref sat before you... What does an Iraqi feel when he sits in Saddam Hussein's place in the same headquarters?
- First, this is the year of life that brings "S" or "Y" to this great responsibility in a country facing these entitlements.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Sitting on the chair, he has to take lessons from those who sat, where they went, how they went, and what they left... These must be present in front of him, and the day will come when he leaves this chair, but what does he leave?
- You are 50 years old, Bekir.
- 50, 60, 70, 100 You will leave this chair, but God Almighty gave you the opportunity to serve your people, to be in this position, in these circumstances, your question and your standing before God will be long and the question differs from what the ordinary citizen faces, because I will be responsible for the decision economic security, social living. I have a great responsibility and I take great care and work daily for up to 17 hours, and I do not differentiate between days, and I do not know this day as Friday, Thursday or Saturday, by virtue of the continuous schedule, to the extent that I exhausted those around me, especially since I am very annoying at work. This is all because this is a responsibility, and I myself come from this community. I was a student at the College of Agriculture at the University of Baghdad from 1989 to 1992. I used to work at night in Hamada Market.
- Your experience in official and political work is long, what were its stations?
- I lived in the eighties, I lived in the nineties, I lived through the blockade, I lived after 2003 in political work. I stick with the people in all stages. I am the only Iraqi prime minister after 2003[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He lived with the Iraqis from the eighties until after 2003 and the political process, and the only one[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]included in sites. I come from the state system, an employee in 97, and after 2003 a district commissioner, council member, governor, minister, and several ministries.
Are you now outside the Dawa Party?
- Yes, I resigned in 2019.
- Didn't you leave bitterness with the party?
No, I was clear with them. The Dawa Party is an ancient party and has a system. Mistakes even among the media, they come and say: You are a leader in the "call". What is the word leader?
- I mean, you had no responsibility in the "call"?
- Never, I am just the son of a martyr of “the call”, so I was appointed in the elections, meaning my candidacy, and the “call party” in the elections directed its supporters to[url=https://www.alsumaria.tv/Entity/2793230493/%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF %D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B9 %D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A/ar/]Mohamed Shiaa Al-Sudani[/url]By virtue of his social weight as a clan sheikh, my family is the sheikhs of a clan, the Sudan tribe. He will win, so if you have supporters, ask them to vote for him. The Dawa Party gave me an opportunity, nominated me in the State of Law, nominated me as a minister. And I, praise be to God, reflected a performance, and the “Dawa” party says that it has a competent and honest minister.
- Did you know Qassem Soleimani or did you meet him?
- at general meetings. He used to come in official delegations to the ministries, and a meeting would take place.
Did Iran support your government?
- Iran never interfered in the negotiations to form the government.
- Didn't Qaani review you?
- never.
Or the American ambassador?
Not even the American ambassador. The government was formed by a 100% Iraqi decision, and was not subject to any influence or interference in any form, direct or indirect. For 8 years I was a minister, in the second government of Mr. (Nuri) al-Maliki, and in the government of Mr. (Haider) al-Abadi. I did not receive an order neither from a political side, i.e. the party that nominated me, we want such or such from you, nor from an international political side. This agreement is in our interest or harm us.. never. Much of what is rumored is not accurate.
The Iraqi is proud of his Iraqiness, personality, position and principles, and no genuine Iraqi can give up his decision to any party.
Arab depth
- Does your talk about the Arab depth bother Iran?
- never. Never, it does not cause embarrassment, nor does the Iranian side have a problem with this matter.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]A country of Arab depth and pioneering position for hundreds of years. This is our natural role, and we are proud to exercise it with ease, because this would contribute to the stability of the region, including the Arab countries and neighboring countries, whether Iran or Turkey.
- What about linking interests with the Gulf? Have you discussed this with them (the Iranians)?
Yes, at the highest levels. at the highest levels. Role[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]The pioneer in the region with his brothers, with his economy, something important for Iraq in the first place and for the bilateral relations between[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]and Iran.
- Do you see that fate[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab?
- Yes, yes, fate[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]Arab, and this is the normal situation in Iraq. And[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]He does not assume a role that is not his. His role since creation is the pivotal role.[/size]
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