Iraq council inks constitution; Ayat Sistani terms it 'obstacle'

By: Hamoud Kufi

BAGHDAD, Iraq: Iraq's Governing Council on Monday has signed a landmark interim constitution in a ceremony, a key step in US plans to transfer power to the Iraqis by July 1.

The signing by all 25 members of the Council that held in Baghdad had already been postponed twice -- first by bomb attacks on the holy cities of Karbala and Kazemiyah on Ashoura Day Tuesday that left at least 271 husseini mourners martyred, and then by last-minute doubts that forced a high-profile ceremony Friday to be abandoned.

Just before the signing, loud explosions echoed across central Baghdad. At least one of the blasts was caused by a rocket hitting a house, witnesses said adding that there were no casualties.

Meanwhile, Iraq's Ayatullah Ali As-Sistani said Monday that the newly signed interim constitution made drafting a permanent charter for the country harder.

“This (law) places obstacles to arriving at a permanent constitution for the country that preserves its unity and the rights of its people, in all their ethnicities and sects,” said a statement from the Ayatullah insisting that only an elected body should sign off on further legislation in Iraq.

He said: “Any law prepared for the transitional period will not have legitimacy until it is approved by the elected national assembly.”

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