Talabani backs Sunnis’ plea for 25 seats: Constitution panel
BAGHDAD, June 9: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Thursday backed Sunnis’ demands for 25 seats on a committee to draft the country’s new constitution, in response to the community’s calls for greater representation.
But both Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and a member of the parliamentary committee warned that such a number may be impractical.
“We decided to include 25 Sunni members in the constitutional drafting commission with full rights like the other members elected by parliament,” Mr Talabani told reporters.
Asked whether this was a done deal, he said: “Very soon. We are discussing how to finalise this.”
Mr Talabani made the announcement after meeting a top-level delegation of European leaders, including Britain’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.
But at a joint press conference with the same delegation, Mr Jaafari was more cautious about the final number of Sunnis that would be brought into the Process, saying it was parliament’s decision.
“There are different opinions, one opinion calls for adding 14 personalities to the 55,” he said referring to the current size of the committee, which is made up only of MPs and currently includes two Sunnis.
“Another opinion favours expanding this number. We support the decision of the national assembly, which is the legitimate body to deal with this.”
Committee member Ali Dabbagh, a Shia MP, said: “Bringing in 25 members would distort the body’s balance. We are talking about adding 13.”
It is not the first time Mr Talabani and Mr Jaafari have differed on how best to bring the Sunnis into the mainstream political fold.
Mr Talabani, a Sunni Kurd, offered an amnesty to Sunni fighters when he was sworn in as president in early April before Mr Jaafari, a Shia, poured cold water on the idea.
Both Kurds and Shias, who lead the present coalition government, agree on the need to include the Sunnis in the process, but differ on the extent and mechanism.
Mr Jaafari reiterated his government’s willingness to open dialogue with all those who renounce violence.
“The thing that we refuse completely is the use of arms to express opinion ... otherwise we are open to reaching out to all Iraqis,” he said.
Sunni leaders met in Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss who would take part in the crucial drafting process, but threatened to boycott the process unless their demand for 25 places was satisfied. The Sunnis were initially offered only 13 seats on the committee.
QAZI MEETS TALABANI: Involving the disaffected community in politics and the constitution-drafting process is a key challenge faced by the Shia-dominated government sworn in last month.
“The constitution has become the number one priority,” UN special envoy Ashraf Qazi said after meeting President Talabani on Thursday.
Mr Qazi said the United Nations was closely involved with supporting the committee tasked with drafting the document, and had assigned a leading expert to head its team.
