Posted on 01/11/2004 8:19:53 AM PST by Pikamax
US keeps Germany, France out of Iraq work -official Reuters, 01.11.04, 10:27 AM ET
AMMAN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Companies from countries that opposed the Iraq war remain barred from bidding for $5 billion in U.S.-funded reconstruction contracts, a U.S. official said on Sunday, despite hints the United States could soften its stance.
"With the current RFPs (Requests for Proposals) there has been no change to the original position," Retired Adm. David Nash, who is in charge of the Pentagon-run Program Management Office, said on the sidelines of an Iraqi reconstruction conference in Jordan.
He declined to say whether the list of 63 eligible countries, which excludes firms from countries such as Germany, France, Russia and Canada that did not support the U.S. invasion, would be revised ahead of further lucrative deals funded by a total $18.6 billion of U.S. money allotted for reconstruction.
The United States opened up bidding earlier this week for the first string of new contracts, worth $5 billion, after more than a month's delay. The U.S. said then that the eligibility list was under review.
One French firm, T-Systems International, exhibited its irrigation equipment at the conference that began on Sunday but generally German, French and Canadian companies were absent, while there was a strong showing by firms from nations whose governments had backed the U.S. war.
But Nash came under heavy criticism from Iraqi firms who said they were being overlooked and complained that they lacked the financing and know-how to compete effectively.
"We hear that there is money, so many billions of dollars to be spent but we see none of it," said one Iraqi engineering consultant. "We tried to apply for several projects but we didn't even get any reply at all. That is why we came here."
Nash said he was endeavouring to include Iraqis in the process but also told angry Iraqi delegates they had to provide "quality work" and "no corruption".
"We've worked hard to work with the (Iraqi) ministries at every level...We know this will be a continuing process. We had a meeting in Baghdad with about 600 contractors in December," he said.
Nash said his office would likely remain in place long after the United States hands over power to Iraqis at the end of June.
"I think it will probably be in place for the three or four years. As long as it's U.S. taxpayers' money being spent in accordance with U.S. law then it has to be within the U.S. chain of command."
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11 |
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Reuters certainly knows how to show their bias when they want to don't they?
When the term "contracts" could have and should have been used since it it what is being discussed they elect to use the phrase "lucrative deals". If you have ever been in business bidding against other people who want the business as bad as you do you will certainly understand that it is unlikely to be "lucrative". You will bid to win and MAKE AN HONEST PROFIT. The Union of Soviet Socialist Reuters should be ashamed of themselves but I suspect pride is what they actually feel when they write this kind of garbage.
But if we're putting up the money, we'll control how its spent.
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