Cleric blocks signing of constitution for Iraqis

SHI’ITE members of Iraq’s Governing Council refused to sign the interim constitution at the last minute yesterday, delaying a signing ceremony, after the country’s top cleric rejected parts of the document, Iraqi officials said.

The council agreed to the accord unanimously on Monday, but Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani rejected provisions put into the text at the request of the Kurds to protect their self-rule area in the north, said a source in the council, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"The marja'iya (al-Sistani's office) will not accept it," the source said.