Iraqis agree an interim constitution

Iraqi politicians agreed early today on an interim constitution with a wide ranging bill of rights and a single chief executive, bridging a gulf between several members over the role of Islam in the future government.

A coalition official said the new document – which will be signed by top US administrator Paul Bremer on Wednesday, after the Shiite Muslim religious holiday of Ashoura ends – “strikes a balance between the role of Islam and the bill of individual rights and democratic principles”.

He also said the charter sets a goal, not a quota, to have at least 25% of the national assembly made up of women, adding that council members unanimously approved the document.

The deal came two days after a deadline for finishing the document – a key part of the US plan for handing over power to the Iraqis on June 30.

Saturday’s deadline had been set by the Americans and agreed to by the Governing Council in November. When it passed with the council still deeply divided, Bremer helped organise marathon talks.

Besides a comprehensive bill of rights, including protections for free speech, religious expression, assembly and due process, it also spells out the executive branch.

Under the terms of the document, Iraq will have a president with two deputies, a prime minister and a cabinet.

Council member Mahmoud Othman, a Sunni Kurd, said leaders will go over the document’s English and Arabic text to “make sure every word is there” before it is signed.

“They believe this is a document that is historic, not only for Iraq, but for the entire region,” the official said.

The basic law does not tackle the ongoing wrangling of how power will be transferred from the US-led occupiers to an Iraqi government by July. That measure will be handled in a forthcoming annex, the official said.

But the charter does stipulate that elections for a Transitional National Assembly, which will be charged with drafting and voting on a permanent constitution for Iraq, will be held by the end of the year, if possible. If not, those elections would be held in 2005.

Rules for those elections will be written by the interim Iraqi government that takes power on July 1.