Talibani supports Iraqi constitution draft, Sunnis opposed
Iraq-USA, Politics, 8/29/2005

The US President George W. Bush commended the new Iraqi constitution which was submitted to the parliament following heated debate among the political sides, describing it as a source of inspiration for the supporters of democracy, noting simultaneously that the next referendum may result in what he called a new wave of crimes, as he alleged.

President Bush talked about what he called splits in the lines of the Sunnis and admitted their right to express own reservations on it, considering that this is part of their right, as free citizens.

He indicated that the political progress proceeds to a new phase in Iraq, calling on the Iraqis to get involved actively in the constitutional process via discussing the merits of the important document and taking a conscientious decision. The American ambassador in Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad considered that the draft constitution is the most advanced document in the Islamic world.

In a press conference he held in Baghdad, Khalilzad called on the Arab Sunnis to accept the formula of the draft constitution which they had rejected, stressing that each and every social strata in the Iraqi society should concede some of its demands in order to ensure the success and continued political operation in the country.

The European Union which is presided over by Britain welcomed the draft constitution in its final formula, considering that approving it as "an important phase in the political operation." A statement by the British foreign office urged the Iraqis to vote for the draft constitution through the referendum set on the mid of October this year.

The Iraqi President Jalal al-Talibani ignored the current controversy over the final draft of the Iraqi constitution which forced the parliament to postpone its vote on it. He announced that the draft constitution is ready to be debated for a referendum expected to be carried out on the mid of October.

In a press conference on Sunday in the presence of members of the parliamentary committee in charge of drafting the constitution, the Iraqi president said that the draft constitution has become ready to be debated for referendum on the Iraqi people "who are known as intelligent and to have the final say." He considered the reservations expressed by the Arab Sunnis on the draft constitution as part of the democratic process, calling on the Iraqis to approve the constitution "so as to start a new march where the rule is based on consensus."

He stressed that no one can claim to represent all the Arab Sunni, in remarks to the Sunni delegation taking part in the constitution drafting, whose 15 members announced their rejection of the draft constitution, because it does not include several amendments and proposals they had demanded.

By approving the constitution by the Iraqi parliament, focus has shifted to the Arab Sunnis on the referendum in which some Arab Sunnis pin great hope to foil the constitution which is under controversy.

One of the Sunni member in the constitution drafting committee Hussein al-Fallouji said that they will start a campaign to foil the constitution, stressing that the Iraqis will say "no" if cheating does not take place in the results of the referendum. "This is an American constitution we will not accept it, whatsoever," Al-Fallouji said, and denied split in the lines of the Sunni members in the committee, noting that their objection on the last document is the same objection they presented since the first day on the negotiations.

The Iraqi Vice President Ghazi Elyawer said in a statement to al-Jazeera TV that the current draft constitution is still far from meeting the ambitions of all Iraqi people.

Elyawer explained that the Iraqis are looking for a permanent constitution that preserves the unity of the Iraqi soil.

In his reply to new proposals by the Shiite and the Kurds, the secretary general of the Iraqi Islamic party Tareq al-Hashimi said in a statement to al-Jazeera TV that these suggestions do not reach the minimum level of ambition and there are several issues that are still pending, including the identity of Iraq, the state resources distribution, the question of the nationality as well as the authorities of the districts.

In the same context, the higher Shiite reference in Iraq Ayatullah Ali al-Seistani urged his followers to register their names in referendum lists over the constitution, against similar calls advocated by the Sunni leaders in attempts linked to resort to the judgment to the Iraqi public to enhance the positions of each party towards the constitution.

The Arab Sunnis can stop the adoption of a proposed constitution through the referendum, if they are able to get the two thirds majority in three governorates in the 18 Iraqi governorates, according to articles of the Interim Iraqi constitution. Iraqi Arab Sunnis are said to be have such a majority, if they choose to vote as a block. It is not clear if these implications have been fully considered by the two major political factions in Iraq, the Arab Shiites and Kurdish Sunnis, and what the end result will be under such circumstance, if no further reconciliation in views is achieved.

Previous Stories:
  Comments on a constitution for Iraq, part 2   (8/27/2005)
  Comments on a constitution for Iraq, part 1   (8/27/2005)
  Comments on a constitution for Iraq, part 3   (8/27/2005)
  White House official says Iraqis working to craft durable document   (8/26/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search