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Baghdad, 20 Sept. (AKI) - Welcoming the adoption
of a draft text for the permanent constitution of
Iraq by the Transitional National Assembly “as an
important step,” the top United Nations envoy in the
country urged the Government on Monday to ensure the
free expression of all points of view.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special
representative Ashraf Qazi reiterated the UN’s
commitment to assist the transitional process in
Iraq in accordance with the relevant UN Security
Council resolutions.
In a statement issued by the UN Assistance Mission
for Iraq (UNAMI) Qazi urged the people of Iraq to
participate in the referendum to exercise their
democratic right of choice.
“He also urged the Iraq government to ensure
conditions that would enable all Iraqis to
peacefully and securely advocate their point of
view, and to participate in the referendum free from
intimidation and violence,” the statement added.
He noted that the distribution of the draft text
among the Iraqi people would enable them to make an
informed choice on whether to accept or reject the
document during the referendum scheduled for 15
October 2005.
Over the past months, Qazi has devoted much of his
time to trying to ensure the participation of all
elements in the country's political transition,
particularly Sunni Arabs who largely stayed away
from January's elections that chose the transitional
assembly.
Sunni Arabs, who represent some 20 per cent of the
population, were the dominant political force in
Saddam Hussein's ousted regime. Shiites represent
about 60 per cent and Sunni Kurds some 20 per cent.
There are also other smaller communities such as
Assyrians and Turkmen.
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