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Iraqi politicians seek OK on constitution
8.8.2005
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BAGHDAD, Iraq -
Iraqi political leaders launched marathon
negotiations seeking to overcome obstacles blocking
agreement on the country's new constitution, one
week ahead of the deadline for its completion.
Insurgent violence aimed at derailing Iraq's
political efforts killed three more American
servicemen and at least 13 Iraqi civilians and
government employees across the country.
President Jalal Talabani, who hosted a first round
of constitution talks at his Baghdad home, expressed
optimism that leaders from the Shiite, Sunni Arab
and Kurdish communities could reach agreement in
time for parliament to approve the charter by the
Aug. 15 deadline.
Participants said the 2 1/2-hour meeting Sunday
produced no breakthroughs, and Sunni Arabs repeated
their opposition to transforming Iraq into a federal
state - a key demand of the Kurdish minority that
wants to protect the self-rule its region has held
since 1991.
Saleh al-Mutlaq, a Sunni Arab, said the leaders did
manage to prepare a "working program" for a second
session Monday afternoon. He would not elaborate.
With divisions deep on such key issues as the role
of Islam, federalism and national identity, Talabani
acknowledged that agreement would not come quickly.
Some Iraqi politicians said intense American
pressure would be required to bring all sides
together.
Before the meeting, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad
urged all the parties to make compromises so Iraq
"will serve as a democratic model" for the Middle
East and "take its proper place in the international
community."
"The United States believes strongly that the Iraqi
Constitution should provide equal rights before the
law for all Iraqis regardless of gender, race,
ethnicity, religion or sect," Khalilzad said in a
statement.
Talabani, a Kurd, said the leaders recognized the
gravity of the challenge facing them and would exert
all efforts to meet the deadline.
"After this meeting, we're going to have continuous
meetings and I'm optimistic that we will reach, God
willing, positive results," he said. "Eight days are
not a little" time.
The Bush administration hopes a new constitution
will build political momentum and, over time, lure
many Sunni Arabs away from the insurgency, which is
rooted in that once-dominant but now discontented
minority.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the
insurgency in Iraq was losing steam as a political
force.
"If you think about how to defeat an insurgency, you
defeat it not just militarily but politically," Rice
said in an article appearing on Time magazine's Web
site.
Once parliament ratifies the constitution, voters
will deliver their verdict in an Oct. 15 referendum.
Passage would lead to national elections in
mid-December.
If all goes according to plan, the United States
envisions being able to begin pulling out some of
its 140,000-strong military force in Iraq starting
next year.
The effort to produce a constitution is being
accompanied by a sharp rise in violence. The U.S.
command said Sunday that two Army soldiers and a
Marine died in two bombings the previous day. That
brought to 30 the number of U.S. personnel killed
this month - most by roadside blasts and suicide
bombings.
At least 1,828 U.S. military personnel have died
since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to
an Associated Press count.
Underlining the insecurity, a U.S. Abrams main
battle tank and several Humvees blocked a major
street near Talabani's house in the Karradah
district as the political leaders talked Sunday
night.
The approach of the charter deadline has brought
hardened political positions. Shiites insist Islam
be declared the main source of legislation, which is
opposed by Kurds and many women activists fearing a
rollback of their rights. Sunni Arabs, meanwhile,
strongly oppose the key Kurdish demand for
federalism.
Kurdish leaders Massoud Barzani has threatened to
bolt the political process if Kurdish positions are
not included in the new charter. Barzani, head of
the Kurdistan Democratic Party, had planned to
attend the Sunday talks but was delayed by
sandstorms.
About 1,000 protesters angry with the lack of clean
water and electricity clashed with Iraqi police in
the southern city of Samawah, where Japanese troops
are based. One person was killed and about 60 were
injured, police said. The protest was organized by
radical Shiite clerics demanding that all foreign
troops leave the country.
A suicide bomber detonated an empty fuel tanker near
a police station in Saddam Hussein's hometown of
Tikrit, killing at least two people and injuring at
least 13, police said.
Three Iraqi soldiers and two Oil Ministry employees
also were killed in two separate drive-by shootings
in Baghdad.
In Baghdad, three Iraqi soldiers dressed in civilian
clothes were gunned down while heading to work, said
Dr. Muhannad Jawad of Yarmouk Hospital. A fourth
soldier was wounded.
Assailants opened fire and then threw a grenade at a
police vehicle in the central Iraqi city of Baqouba,
killing one policeman. One civilian was also killed
and three policeman were wounded in the attack,
police said.
In southern Basra, gunmen in two speeding cars
killed a policeman.
Al-Jazeera television aired a video of what it said
were three Turkish truck drivers kidnapped in Iraq,
reportedly while working for a company that
transports supplies for U.S. forces. Insurgents have
kidnapped more than 200 foreigners seeking to
discourage help for the Iraqi government.
AP
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