- Title: IRAQ: UN ENVOY TO IRAQ SAYS IRAQI DRAFT CONSITUTION MUST BE READY ON TOME
- Date: 7th August 2005
- Summary: (MER-1) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 7, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF U.N. ENVOY TO IRAQ ASHRAF QAZI MEETING IYAD ALLAWI, FORMER IRAQI PRIME MINISTER AND CURRENT HEAD OF THE AL-WIFAQ PARTY 0.04 2. WIDE OF ALLAWI AND QAZI 0.08 3. CLOSE OF ALLAWI SPEAKING 0.15 4. CLOSE OF QAZI LISTENING 0.19 5. WIDE OF ALLAWI SPEAKING IN THE MEETING 0.25 6. WIDE OF QAZI AND A COLLEAGUE SEATED AT THE MEETING 0.31 7. WIDE OF ALLAWI AND QAZI AT THE MEETING 0.37 8. SLV QAZI WALKING OUT TO SPEAK TO JOURNALISTS 0.43 9. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. ENVOY TO BAGHDAD, ASHRAF QAZI, SAYING: "The UNMI, that is the United Nations Mission in Iraq, and its constitutional support team has been working very closely with the constitutional committee of the National Assembly and with the various sub committees and we have also been meeting with leaders of all groups and opinions, those who are in parliament and those who are outside parliament but who have been working on the constitutional drafting committee, and we are pleased and hopeful that our efforts will hopefully also contribute to agreement on a constitution within the timeline that has been specified." 1.35 10. WIDE OF QAZI STANDING TALKING TO JOURNALISTS 1.41 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA3G6B6RTDU974DU82RA9SX2SXJ
- Story Text: U.N. envoy to Iraq Ashraf Qazi says the Iraqi draft
constitution must be ready on time.
The U.N. envoy to Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, said on
Sunday (August 7) that the United Nations will do its best
to help the constitution drafting committee to get the job
done without delay.
Following a meeting in Baghdad with Iyad Allawi, the
former Iraqi prime minister and now head of the al-Wifaq
Party, Qazi said that the United Nations is working closely
with the constitutional committee and the National Assembly
and various sub committees to get the constitution ready by
mid August.
"The UNMI, that is the United Nations Mission in Iraq,
and its constitutional support team has been working very
closely with the constitutional committee of the National
Assembly and with the various sub committees and we have
also been meeting with leaders of all groups and opinions,
those who are in parliament and those who are outside
parliament but who have been working on the constitutional
drafting committee and we are pleased and hopeful that our
efforts will hopefully also contribute to agreement on a
constitution within the timeline that has been specified,"
said Qazi.
The head of the drafting constitution committee said
earlier that Iraq's new constitution would be ready by an
August 15 deadline.
Political leaders met in Baghdad on Sunday to hammer
out differences that remain among them over the wording of
the document, with just 10 days before the draft is due.
Several major and some minor sticking points remain
among the 71 members of the drafting committee, with the
issues dividing them along sectarian and ethnic lines.
The biggest problem is federalism, and how resources
should be divided in a federal state. Kurds, who have had
broad autonomy in north Iraq for 14 years, want a strict
definition.
Shi'ites generally like the concept, but want a more
loose interpretation. Many Sunni Arabs are opposed,
favouring a centralised government structure and centralised
resources.
The role of Islam, which has been a point of contention
among constitution drafters in recent weeks, appears to
have been resolved, with some saying it will now be
referred to as "a main source" of law, rather than "the
main source".
U.S. officials have been pressing Iraqi lawmakers to
get the document finished on time. Once a draft is
approved, it will be put to a referendum in mid-October
and, if ratified, elections will be held under the new
charter in December this year.
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