Last-minute withdrawal of new Iraq constitution

IRAQI leaders finished their draft constitution yesterday and prepared to submit it to parliament - but withdrew it in the final minutes in order to give time to win over the Sunni Arab community whose support is key to ending the insurgency.

The parliament gathered in Baghdad with just minutes remaining before a midnight deadline to adopt the constitution, which still faced fierce resistance from minority Sunnis over the issue of federalism, which they fear could cut them out of most of the country's vast oil wealth, as well as power relations among the provinces.

Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hassani then announced that there was strong interest in reaching unanimity on the draft "so that the constitution pleases everyone".