Discord stalls Iraq constitution as deadline looms

BAGHDAD – Iraqi lawmakers were struggling to avert a political crisis yesterday as they raced to meet a midnight deadline for submitting the draft of a new constitution to parliament under intense US pressure.

Political leaders and the 71-member constitution-drafting committee began another round of talks on the charter, still without agreement on at least two issues – federal autonomy and the role of Islam in the state. Hussain al-Shahristani, the deputy speaker of parliament, said that at some point later yesterday negotiations would have to stop and a decision be taken on whether to present the draft to parliament or whether to consider more dramatic options.A special evening session of parliament had been scheduled for 6pm (1400 GMT) to consider the document, although a parliamentary aide said the meeting could be put back.Last year’s interim, US-sponsored charter, known as the Transitional Administrative Law or TAL, laid down August 15 as the deadline for completing a draft of the new constitution, which must be voted on in an October referendum.According to the TAL, if no draft of the constitution is completed by August 15, the National Assembly should be dissolved and elections for a new assembly held before December 15, 2005.But such a dramatic turn of events appears unlikely.If a constitution is agreed, and approved in the October referendum, then voting will also be held by mid-December.”The first option is that everyone agrees on a draft of the constitution and it is presented to the National Assembly for approval on time,” Shahristani told Reuters.Another possibility, he said, was for the National Assembly to vote and, if three quarters of the house agree, to amend the TAL to allow more time to draft the new constitution.”That is a very likely possibility,” he said, adding that if that route were taken an extension of between two weeks and one month would likely be sought.- Nampa-ReutersHussain al-Shahristani, the deputy speaker of parliament, said that at some point later yesterday negotiations would have to stop and a decision be taken on whether to present the draft to parliament or whether to consider more dramatic options.A special evening session of parliament had been scheduled for 6pm (1400 GMT) to consider the document, although a parliamentary aide said the meeting could be put back.Last year’s interim, US-sponsored charter, known as the Transitional Administrative Law or TAL, laid down August 15 as the deadline for completing a draft of the new constitution, which must be voted on in an October referendum.According to the TAL, if no draft of the constitution is completed by August 15, the National Assembly should be dissolved and elections for a new assembly held before December 15, 2005.But such a dramatic turn of events appears unlikely.If a constitution is agreed, and approved in the October referendum, then voting will also be held by mid-December.”The first option is that everyone agrees on a draft of the constitution and it is presented to the National Assembly for approval on time,” Shahristani told Reuters.Another possibility, he said, was for the National Assembly to vote and, if three quarters of the house agree, to amend the TAL to allow more time to draft the new constitution.”That is a very likely possibility,” he said, adding that if that route were taken an extension of between two weeks and one month would likely be sought.- Nampa-Reuters