Good News On Iraqi Constitution
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Foreign Policy, The War On Terrorism, WarLooks like there’s a compromise in the works.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi leaders reached a breakthrough deal on last minute changes in the constitution Tuesday, and at least one Sunni Arab party said it would reverse its rejection of the document and urge its supporters to approve it in next weekend’s referendum.The deal boosts the chances for a constitution that Shiite and Kurdish leaders support and the United States has been eager to see approved in Saturday’s vote to avert months more of political turmoil, delaying plans to start a withdrawal of U.S. forces.
U.S. officials have pushed the three days of negotiations between Shiite and Kurdish leaders in the government and Sunni Arab officials, that concluded with marathon talks at the house of President Jalal Talabani late Tuesday.
The sides agreed to a measure stating that if the draft constitution is passed, the next parliament will be able to consider amendments to it that would then be put to a new referendum next year, Shiite and Sunni officials said.
A top Sunni negotiator, Ayad al-Samarraie of the Iraqi Islamic Party, said that if the current parliament approves the measure, “we will stop the campaign rejecting the constitution and we will call on Sunni Arabs to vote yes.”
I’m not counting my Sunnis before they’re hatched, but this sounds like it could be a real deal.
More later I’m sure.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2005 and is filed under Foreign Policy, The War On Terrorism, War. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 12th, 2005 at 4:25 pm
A similar deal worked for the US Constitution. I’m all for the Iraqis taking their own shot at crafting their own equivalent to the Bill of Rights.