On the Iraqi government schedule and the constitution

Current consultations carried out by the designated Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to form the government coincided on Friday with the call advocated by the representative of the Higher Council For The Islamic Revolution In Iraq, Sheikh Sader Eddine al-Qabanji, in Friday's sermon, to write a new constitution for the country and to be accepted by all, foremost the religious leaders."

According to the set schedule, the elected interim National Assembly (parliament) should draw the permanent constitution before August 15 so as to be debated for ratification via a referendum before October 15.

On the government's formation, al-Jaafari announced he hopes it would be completed within two weeks. Jaafari was assigned to form the government after President Jalal al-Talibani took the constitutional oath.

For its part, the US announced its desire that the Iraqi leaders will honor the schedule for the political operation, due in Iraq to be completed by the end of the current year. The spokesman for the US Department Of State, Richard Boucher, said that the Iraqi leaders know what should be done and that the US will give them any possible support to reach this very objective.