Iraq speaker says three days not enough to resolve constitutional disputes [View All]

August 23, 2005

BAGHDAD (AP) - The head of Iraq's constitutional drafting committee said Tuesday he did not think the three additional days lawmakers said are needed for the three main factions to agree on the draft charter would be sufficient to achieve a breakthrough.

The draft was submitted to parliament just minutes before the expiry of the midnight deadline on Monday by the bloc composed of Kurds and Shiite Arabs. But lawmakers quickly deferred a vote on it because of the fierce Sunni Arab resistance, and parliamentary speaker Hajim al-Hassani said it would take another three days to iron out "pending differences."

No date was set for another parliament session and a vote on the proposal, after which it will be put to the voters to ratify in a referendum by Oct. 15.

more:http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=1382080e-739d-482d-98d6-108c404bc336