http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3534879.stm
The Governing Council agreed on the constitution that will serve Iraq until the directly elected government takes over on Tuesday, a few days after the Saturday deadline and it was due to be signed today but apparently 5 Shia representives didnt turn up and now want to renegotiate the deal, with a collective, ethnically defined presidency and a removal of veto guaranteed by the constitution to safeguard minority rights.
Its a hitch, but its not all bad news - they expect the deal will still be signed. Once its signed its one more step towards elections being held. The Shias who were kicking up a stink over the election of the post June 30th government seemingly have accepted it is not possible to run direct elections in June, for security reasons if nothing else - the coalition have come to meet them halfway and direct elections have been pushed forward and look likely to take place in late 2004 or early 2005, in accordance with the UNs evaluation.
One good outcome is that Sharia law will not be part of Iraqs constitution, though Islam will be a source for legislation. A 25% representation by women in the governing body is an aspiration rather than a requirement which is a pity - Im not a fan of affirmitive action or the like in most cases but a requirement would have been useful as a guard against conservitive clerics turning back the clock on progress. We Irish should know ourselves only too well the threat posed by conservitive clerics and the governments that listen to them.
The Kurds will retain their autonomy, which is simply recognition of the political and even military realities - but the borders of their region will be decided later, which is deferring what will be an extrmely bitter battle for posession of Kirkuk.
Trying to start up a modern democracy from the ashes of a brutal dictatorship wasnt going to be done in a wet weekend, but its looking fairly promising all things considered. The longterm benefits to the region of the citizens/subjects of other Arab regimes seeing what Iraqis are entitled to ( such as freedom of speech and religious exspression ) and comparing it to what theyre entitled to could be extremely significant in bringing the whole region out of its malaise.
