A crucial meeting on Iraqâs constitutional stalemate was put off yesterday by an emergency session of the Kurdish autonomous Parliament as sustained rebel attacks left over a dozen people dead... Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said the meeting to end the deadlock on drafting a new constitution and resolving outstanding questions was postponed for Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. âThe meeting of leaders was delayed from today to Sunday in order to allow Barzani to attend a meeting Saturday of the Kurdish Parliament before coming to Baghdad as the head of a delegation of Kurdish parliamentary groups,â said a statement from Talabaniâs office. The issues yet to be decided on include federalism, official languages, the relation between religion and state, the name of the republic, the rights of women and the question of the oil-rich center of Kirkuk which Kurds want included in their own autonomous region.Iraqi leaders have pledged to draft the new basic law by Aug. 15 ahead of a referendum in mid-October, to be followed by national elections in December and possible formation of a new government by early 2006. Mahmud Othman, a Kurdish member of the constitutional committee, told AFP the delay was to give the Kurdish autonomous Parliament time to discuss the charter. âThe leadership in Kurdistan asked for the Kurdish committee members to come back and explain to our Parliament what has been discussed in Baghdad,â said Falah Mustafa, a spokesman for Barzaniâs Kurdistan Democratic Party. âWe are worried about comments from some on the committee regarding federalism, Kurdish rights, democracy and womenâs rights,â Adnan Mufti, head of the Kurdish regional Parliament and senior official of Talabaniâs Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Party told AFP from Arbil. He said the Kurds were ready to endorse the charter âif all parties understand a constitution should be based on rights for all Iraqis, if not we cannot reach an agreement.â
âWe are insisting on federalism, there is no way to have a unified Iraq without federalism.â Mufti said he hoped Baghdad would accept Kurdish federalist demands, but added three issues could be problematic â the future of Kirkuk, the name of Iraq and the role of Islam. âWe want Islam to be a main source of legislation, but not the main source,â Mufti said. âIraq is a country for all â Christians and Yezidis, as well as Sunni and Shiite.â
Iraqi Premier Ibrahim Jaafari said meanwhile the Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani was ready to accept a federal Iraq. âSistani does not disagree with the principle of federalism if the Iraqi people choose it,â Jaafari told reporters after meeting the reclusive cleric at his home in Najaf. This could boost hopes of an agreement between members of a committee tasked with drafting the constitution by the deadline. The conference is due to report back by Aug. 12 and any matters still unresolved will be put to the full Parliament for decision by majority vote. Iraq will be a parliamentary republic with a strong prime minister and a figurehead president, according to the latest draft of the constitution.