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REGION NOTES

Iraq orders commercial airliners

The government of Iraq has placed orders for 30 Boeing 737 airliners as a step towards reviving the nation’s commercial aviation services. The deal is worth $2.2 billion at current list prices. Iraq has also retained the option to purchase 10 more of the airliners and is in negotiations with Boeing to purchase 10 B-787 Dreamliners.

Libya reacts to Italian politics

Libya has said it will no longer help stop illegal African migrants from attempting to reach Italy. The announcement is widely believed to be a reaction to the appointment of Roberto Calderoli, a far-right politician, to Berlusconi’s cabinet. Known for his provocative antics and hardline stance against immigration, Calderoli incited rioting in Libya in 2006 that left nearly a dozen dead when he proudly wore a t-shirt featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad. He infuriated Muslims again when he threatened to walk a pig in an area slated for a mosque in 2007.

Turkey revives stalled mega-project

Turkey has announced plans to complete the $32 billion Southeastern Anatolia Project, a mega-project to develop the water and energy resources of southeast Turkey. The stalled project was launched in 1977 to provide irrigation for 1.8 million hectares of farmland and 27 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. When complete, it will include 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants.

Around $20 billion has been spent over the last two decades on the project. The government said it will invest 14.5 billion new Turkish lira ($11.6 billion) to complete the project by 2012, with another 12.2 billion new lira ($9.75 billion) coming from off-budget sources.

Algeria solicits 3G network bids

Algeria has opened the bidding process to build and operate a national 3G network. Companies will have until June 30 to express interest. The Algerian government has retained a French company to provide advice on the tender process and setting up the network.

Syria raises public sector salaries

Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad issued a decree in early May to raise the salaries of public sector workers by 25 percent in response to rapidly rising prices of food and basic staples. Retired government workers were also given a 25-percent increase in their pensions. More than 2 million out of 15 million Syrians will benefit from this increase, according to the Syrian finance minister.

Explosion disrupts Iranian gas shipments

The flow of Iranian natural gas to Turkey was halted on May 26 by a pipeline explosion in eastern Turkey, believed to be the work of Kurdish separatists. Iran is Turkey’s second biggest supplier of gas after Russia, providing more than 20 percent of Turkey’s natural gas imports. Before the explosion, Iran supplied Turkey with 29 million cubic meters of gas a day. A Russian pipeline is supplying gas to Turkey while repair work is being carried out on the damaged Iranian pipeline.

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