Iraq moves a step closer to self-rule

"The basic law of the Iraqi government during its interim period ... represents the first constitutional experiment in Iraq," Sheikh Bahr al-Ulum said. "It represents a political agreement and a compromise among its people. This compromise will protect its land and its people's rights."

The key points of the interim constitution, as outlined by Bahr al-Ulum, are:

• The end of the US-led occupation and the restoration of sovereignty on June 30.

• The unity of the Iraqi people and territory.

• Guaranteeing the rights of all Iraqis irrespective of religious or ethnic background.

• Enshrining the Islamic identity of Iraq and guaranteeing that no law will contravene sharia, Islamic law.

• A federal system of government.

• Equal distribution of income from natural resources.

• The return of Iraqi refugees and the restoration of citizenship to those who were stripped of it by Saddam Hussein's regime.

• Full rights for Iraqi women.

The interim charter will expire no later than Dec. 31, 2005.

By the time discussions begin in earnest to forge a lasting constitution, the American-led occupation will be over. US overseer Paul Bremer will no longer be around to keep the process moving, as he and his British deputy, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, did at the start of the month when the council was deadlocked over key elements of the document.

"I can assure you that discussions for the constitution will always be direct and difficult," says Hamid al-Kifay, spokesman for the council. "I don't think defining the permanent constitution is going to be easy. It will have to satisfy all the people, and that will be difficult to say the least."

Members of the Governing Council were handpicked by the Coalition Authority last summer to reflect as broadly as possible Iraq's religious and ethnic composition.

But many Iraqis view the council as an illegitimate construct of the American occupation, filled with unknown names who lack political experience and heads of political parties.

"The council has no credibility with the Iraqi people," says Sadoun al-Dulame, general director of the Iraq Center for Research and Strategic Studies. "Who says that the Iraqi people must accept their rules?"

Council members are well aware of the public's perception of them, says Mr. Kifay, and that has impeded progress in finalizing the interim constitution.

"One of the problems facing the council is that many members feel they do not have the right to change things in Iraq without being elected," he says.

Still, council members and coalition officials were clearly relieved at the completion of the interim constitution.

Even Mahmoud Othman, an independent Kurdish member of the council who has often been critical of the organization, is unusually optimistic.

"It went well today and in the future it will be better," he says. "The main thing is that we agreed on some fundamental important points. What happened [with the Shiite dispute] was an important lesson for us all."

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