Sunni leader rejects Iraqi constitution

A top Sunni Arab negotiator said today that no agreement has been reached on the draft constitution and called on Iraqis to reject it in the October 15th referendum.

Saleh al-Mutlaq made the statement on Al-Jazeera television after Sunnis studied compromise proposals offered by the Shiites on federalism and purges of former members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party.

“The issue of division through federalism is on the table,” al-Mutlaq said. “The Iraqi people have to give their word now and reject the constitution because this constitution is the beginning of the division of the country and the beginning of creating disturbance in the country.”

Asked about Shiite offers, he replied: “We are still far from what we need and what the people need.”

A Shitte negotiator, Khaled al-Attiyah, said a “consensus” had been reached on the charter and an amended version would be sent to parliament on Saturday. Asked about that, al-Mutlaq said simply: “Let them.”

That suggested the Shiites and their Kurdish allies might be prepared to send the document to the assembly without Sunni concurrence.

Government spokesman Laith Kubba indicated that the talks were hopelessly deadlocked.

“This is the end of the road,” he told Al-Arabiya television. “In the end, we will put this constitution to the people to decide.”