Talibani denies differences on federalism for north Iraq

The second meeting on drafting the Iraqi constitution was postponed because the participants could not have access to the place of the meeting, as a result of a sand storm which hit the capital Baghdad.

The interim Iraqi president Jalal al-Talibani denied any American pressures in this regard. He also denied any differences over the issue of federalism concerning the Kurdistan area, noting that the differences are confined to the issue of federalism of the southern areas.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, urged the constitutional committee to forge a document that guarantees equal rights and opportunities to all Iraqi citizens and ensures that no community is oppressed, marginalized or excluded.

"There can be no compromise on the principle that Iraqis can each have an equal role in the building of their country's future without regard to their ethnic or religious background or gender," Khalilzad said in an August 6 statement after meeting with leaders from several minority communities.

According to the Transitional Administrative Law, the constitutional committee has until August 15 to present a draft constitution. Iraqi leaders have indicated that the committee expects to meet its deadline. Iraqi voters will then have the opportunity to pass judgment on the proposed document in a nationwide referendum October 15.

In an August 7 statement, Khalilzad said the constitutional committee has "the opportunity to lay the foundation for a new Iraq, one that will serve as a democratic model for the region and help Iraq take its proper place in the international community."

The U.S. ambassador said the constitution "should ensure a vibrant and healthy relationship between the people and government of Iraq, and create trust within its institutions."