IRAQ KURDISTAN REGION MEDIA SUMMARY --

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000859 SIPDIS SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV ECON PINS IZ US SUBJECT: IRAQ KURDISTAN REGION MEDIA SUMMARY -- MARCH 4, 2007 ¶1. (U) This is a Regional Reconstruction Team (RRT) cable. 300mW Electricity Generation Station to be Build for Sulaimaniyah -------------- ¶2. (U) Major Newspapers reported that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the KRG and a German company called BandB Operations to build a 300mW electricity generating station for the city of Sulaimaniyah. The memorandum was signed yesterday by both Reconstruction Minister and the German company's representative. The project will abide by the Kurdistan Investment Law and has an estimated cost of $90 million and an anticipated duration of 20 months. In return, the KRG will allocate a piece of land for the project and provide part of the stations' fuel. 75 Percent of Environment Protection Law Completed -------------- ¶3. (U) Major newspapers reported that the Kurdistan Environmental Protection Law project is now 75 percent complete. "The environment protection law project is one of the projects our ministry has been working on with the intention of submitting it to the Kurdistan National Assembly. This law is to set a limit to all factories and cars that do not meet the criteria of keeping a clean environment," said Minister of Environment Dara Muhammed. Protest Prior to Kurdish Uprising Celebration in Raniya -------------- ¶4. (U) Major Kurdish-language news websites reported on a protest in Raniyah, about 70 miles from Erbil, prior to the celebration of the 16th anniversary of the Kurdish uprising in 1991. The protest responded to a show on Kurdsat TV denying that the 1991 uprising started in Raniya. University of Sulaimaniyah Students Announce "Orange Revolution" Against Corruption -------------- ¶5. (U) Newspapers reported on the so-called "Orange Revolution" campaign against corruption conducted by University of Sulaimaniyah students today. Two-thousand students gathered on campus with orange signs on their chests. The organizers of this event said that through this event they wanted to stand against corruption and send a message to the KRG. A similar event was to be held at the Technical Institute of Sulaimaniyah, but was not allowed by the Dean of the Institute. Petition to Stop the Circumcision of Women in Kurdistan -------------- ¶6. (U) Newspapers wrote about the ongoing process of collecting signatures to stop the circumcision of women in Kurdistan. The signature collecting process started a week ago and has been going on in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, Halabja, and Garmian. This process has been arranged by WADI organization. In a statement WADI said that about 60 percent of women in the Kurdistan Region have been circumcised. The petition and a report by WADI will be delivered to both the KRG and the KNA. ¶7. (U) This media summary is completed by Public Diplomacy Assistant Hama Othman.