BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A leading Shiite on the Iraqi Governing Council voiced concerns Tuesday about Iraq's interim constitution but said he is now focusing on developing a government to carry the country into sovereignty this summer. "We will not step away from our responsibilities, and we will stay on until this process is finished and we will not stop," said Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.
| Sounds like a politician! |
Calling the constitution a "an important step forward," Hakim said council members, faced with delaying the signing, decided to move along the political process instead of stopping it. But he stressed the document must be fine-tuned. "There are various positions that are important and, with much of our efforts, we hope that we can treat and improve on these positions for the future," said Hakim, who said a consensus would be sought for any changes.
Iraqi leaders "cannot impose an unelected law to an elected administration," Hakim said, pointing out that it "would be wrong to force an elected administration [to] abide to the conditions of an unelected administration." He said parts of the new law impose restrictions that may limit the will of the people. "If the majority of the people approve the constitution, the approved constitution will be the one that stays, but in this law there are restrictions, and this is one of the points that are supposed to be treated in the future," he said.
Even with the concerns, Hakim said he does not think Iraq is in danger of a civil war. "We are a unified people, and there are strong ties between the Sunnis and the Shiites; there are strong ties between the Arabs and the Kurds, between the Muslims and the non-Muslims and between all the different sects in Iraq," he said. "We have a strong will and we treat our differences by convincing each other."
| That really sounds like a politician! |
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