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To: Road Walker who wrote (246075)	8/15/2005 3:02:35 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1572207

Iraqis Delay Meeting to Submit Charter as Deadlock Continues By DEXTER FILKINS Published: August 15, 2005 BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 15 - Iraqi leaders postponed by several hours today a special session to submit a draft constitution to the National Assembly, giving themselves more time to work on a document that has been plagued by deadlocks over major issues that include federalism and the role of Islam. While they delayed the special session of the National Assembly about four hours, they expected to submit the document later tonight, according to Iraqi leaders involved in the process. However, it is still unclear whether that will give the assembly time to debate it or vote on it by the end of today. The outstanding hurdles to agreement on the draft had raised the possibility that the Iraqi leaders would fail to meet today's deadline and push the country toward a new political crisis. But a National Assembly member, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, said today that specific solutions to the more difficult issues, like federalism and the status of the city of Kirkuk, would be put off for another day. "There are issues that will be postponed and addressed in a general way," he said. Asked about the challenges of bringing the Sunni minority on board, Mr. Rubaie said they were making an effort to obtain the best deal possible. With several questions unresolved, Shiite leaders had said they were considering asking the National Assembly to approve the document without the agreement of the country's Sunni leaders. Such a move would probably provoke the Sunnis, whose participation in the political process is seen as crucial in the effort to marginalize the Sunni-dominated guerrilla insurgency. Shiite and Kurdish leaders have said they will consider giving themselves more time to reach a deal, though it was by no means certain that they could without amending the interim constitution, the law currently in force. That would require a three-fourths majority of the 275-member National Assembly. a Shiite leader, Shatha Al-Musawi, said earlier: "There are two probabilities: either they might get an agreement at the last moment - and there are some hints for this probability - or the National Assembly will hold a meeting" to discuss extending the constitutional deadline. The National Assembly had been scheduled to convene at 6 p.m. to consider the draft. Members were advised that the new starting time was 8 p.m., and then it was delayed again until 10 p.m. If the deadline is not met nor the interim constitution successfully amended, the law appears to require dissolving the National Assembly and holding new elections. Shiite and Kurdish leaders said late Sunday that they were discussing that possibility, but said that they hoped to avoid it. "That is the worst option, and we want to avoid it at all costs," said Ali al-Dabbagh, one of the Shiite leaders charged with writing the new constitution. continued........... nytimes.com