Iraqi parliament calls session on Kirkuk

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Source: Associated Press

Iraq's parliament went into summer recess Wednesday without resolving key disputes holding up this year's provincial elections, forcing the speaker to announce a special session to discuss a power-sharing formula for the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a Sunni, adjourned the session as scheduled but ordered lawmakers to meet again on Sunday in a final effort to resolve the issue. His Shiite deputy, Khalid al-Attiyah, criticized the decision and said the legislative session should be extended until the matter is resolved.

"The committee discussing Kirkuk could not find a solution and has asked for more time," al-Mashadani said. "The problem of Kirkuk is a complicated one and failure to reach a solution will lead to more bloodshed," he warned.

Failure to compromise on a new law establishing rules and funding for the U.S.-backed provincial vote will likely force the vote to be delayed until next year. Under previous legislation, the election had been scheduled for Oct. 1 but will now probably be put off until December at the earliest — a blow to efforts to heal Iraq's sectarian rifts.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq