Iraq misses charter deadline
2005-08-15 23:00
Baghdad - Iraq missed a crucial deadline Monday to finalise the first post-Saddam Hussein constitution and MPs granted a one-week extension, with thorny differences ranging from federalism to the role of Islam unresolved.
The parliament, which held a special session late in the night, voted to amend the present interim law to seek a fresh deadline of August 22 to prepare the charter.
US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told AFP: "There have been substantial agreements, but they need a week to finalise it."
"We weren't able despite all efforts to reach solutions that would satisfy everyone," parliament speaker Hajm al-Hasani confirmed.
As the country missed the deadline despite heavy US pressure to meet it, the 275-member parliament voted for a fresh deadline.
"The national assembly should draft the permanent constitution within a period ending by August 22," Hasani said as he read the proposed amendment to the interim law.
"Huge efforts were exerted and principle issues have been settled, but this crucial project needs closer examination, and therefore, more time," President Jalal Talabani said.
Iraq's top leaders had battled for the past two weeks to finalise a charter that aimed to set the country on a new political roadmap.
Iraqi government spokesperson Leith Kubba said earlier on Monday: "Everybody knows there are differences between political groups, but this is part of the constitutional gain."
The sticking points that delayed the charter continued to be federalism, the role of Islam in law-making and a mechanism to distribute the country's national wealth - mainly oil revenue - among the 27 million population.
- AFP