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powerclown · 06-17-2005, 08:42 AM

*Quite a remarkable development. The word was that the Sunnis were going to be a part of the new government despite boycotting the elections, and here is confirmation. This is precisely the spirit needed to push forward in Iraq. I wonder how the insurgency feels about this agreement - a major denunciation coming from their own people. Their cause seems more obsolete by the day.
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Sunnis Added to Iraq Constitution Panel

By Andy Mosher and Omar Fekeiki
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, June 17, 2005; Page A22

BAGHDAD, June 16 -- Iraqi political leaders reached a compromise Thursday to include more Sunni Muslim Arabs on the committee responsible for writing the country's new constitution, ending weeks of stalemate and raising hopes that the document can be crafted before the panel's deadline expires in two months.

"The problem is solved and ended. The Sunnis will participate in the process of writing the constitution," said Tariq Hashimi, the secretary general of the Iraqi Islamic Party, a leading Sunni organization.

The breakthrough in bringing minority Sunni Arabs into the constitution-writing process bridged a divide between leaders of the 55-member constitution committee. Shiite Muslims, the dominant group on the panel, had offered to add 13 Sunnis to the two already on the committee. Sunni groups had demanded that 25 be added.

Under the compromise, the new panel will include members of the existing committee, 15 additional Sunni Arabs with full voting rights and 10 more Sunnis in an advisory, non-voting role. A member of Iraq's Sabean sect, an ancient religious group, will also be added and allowed to vote.

Adnan Janabi, the head of a subcommittee that has been negotiating for weeks to involve more Sunnis in the process, called the compromise "the best we could reach. It was unanimously agreed upon by both sides."

But Saleh Mutlak, who leads a Sunni coalition known as the National Dialogue Council, said: "We bitterly agreed on the decision. The country is in a critical situation, and if we don't agree, the political process will be delayed."

Iraq's Sunni Arabs, who held the bulk of power in Iraq for centuries, boycotted January's parliamentary elections and hold relatively few seats in the 275-member National Assembly. When the Shiite coalition that holds a majority in the assembly formed a constitution committee in May, only two Sunni Arabs were included.

Since then, leaders from across Iraq have been working to ensure that more Sunni Arabs have a role in writing the constitution, which is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 15. The committee could extend the process by six months, but that would delay a referendum on it scheduled for Oct. 15 and ultimately postpone the election of a permanent government.

Party leaders said Thursday that they would assemble a list of candidates' names to be presented to the National Assembly for inclusion on the new panel. Hashimi, the secretary general, said that the list would include members of established parties and independents and that it would be compiled by Saturday.

06-17-2005, 08:42 AM	#133 (permalink)
powerclown Junkie Location: Detroit, MI	Quite a remarkable development. The word was that the Sunnis were going to be a part of the new government despite boycotting the elections, and here is confirmation. This is precisely the spirit needed to push forward in Iraq. I wonder how the insurgency feels about this agreement - a major denunciation coming from their own people. Their cause seems more obsolete by the day. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sunnis Added to Iraq Constitution Panel* By Andy Mosher and Omar Fekeiki Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, June 17, 2005; Page A22 BAGHDAD, June 16 -- Iraqi political leaders reached a compromise Thursday to include more Sunni Muslim Arabs on the committee responsible for writing the country's new constitution, ending weeks of stalemate and raising hopes that the document can be crafted before the panel's deadline expires in two months. "The problem is solved and ended. The Sunnis will participate in the process of writing the constitution," said Tariq Hashimi, the secretary general of the Iraqi Islamic Party, a leading Sunni organization. The breakthrough in bringing minority Sunni Arabs into the constitution-writing process bridged a divide between leaders of the 55-member constitution committee. Shiite Muslims, the dominant group on the panel, had offered to add 13 Sunnis to the two already on the committee. Sunni groups had demanded that 25 be added. Under the compromise, the new panel will include members of the existing committee, 15 additional Sunni Arabs with full voting rights and 10 more Sunnis in an advisory, non-voting role. A member of Iraq's Sabean sect, an ancient religious group, will also be added and allowed to vote. Adnan Janabi, the head of a subcommittee that has been negotiating for weeks to involve more Sunnis in the process, called the compromise "the best we could reach. It was unanimously agreed upon by both sides." But Saleh Mutlak, who leads a Sunni coalition known as the National Dialogue Council, said: "We bitterly agreed on the decision. The country is in a critical situation, and if we don't agree, the political process will be delayed." Iraq's Sunni Arabs, who held the bulk of power in Iraq for centuries, boycotted January's parliamentary elections and hold relatively few seats in the 275-member National Assembly. When the Shiite coalition that holds a majority in the assembly formed a constitution committee in May, only two Sunni Arabs were included. Since then, leaders from across Iraq have been working to ensure that more Sunni Arabs have a role in writing the constitution, which is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 15. The committee could extend the process by six months, but that would delay a referendum on it scheduled for Oct. 15 and ultimately postpone the election of a permanent government. Party leaders said Thursday that they would assemble a list of candidates' names to be presented to the National Assembly for inclusion on the new panel. Hashimi, the secretary general, said that the list would include members of established parties and independents and that it would be compiled by Saturday. Last edited by powerclown; 06-17-2005 at 08:44 AM..