(Iraq) Extension Sought for Amendment Report

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Extension Sought for Amendment Report

By HAMZA HENDAWI
Monday, May 14, 2007; 4:32 PM

BAGHDAD -- A parliamentary committee set up to study amendments to
Iraq's constitution has failed to agree on a number of issues and will seek
a weeklong extension of its deadline to present a report to parliament,
lawmakers said Monday.

The 30-member committee was to present its report Tuesday _ four months
after it was established. Amending the constitution to address Sunni Arab
concerns is one of the key benchmarks for measuring political progress in
Iraq.

But the committee was unable to agree on recommendations and lawmakers
said it would ask for an extension until May 22, the next time parliament is
scheduled to meet.

Iraqi politicians said the major stumbling block was a provision about the
future of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which the Kurds want to annex into
their semiautonomous northern region. Arabs and Turkomen object.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/14/AR2007051400942.html

[Drum]

1. *yawn*

:eyes: