UN urges Iraq to set election date
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:54:45 GMT
Members of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) discuss the electoral laws in Baghdad on November 17, 2009.
The United Nations has called on the Iraqi politicians to put aside their differences and work together to set a final date for the country's elections.
In a Wednesday statement, the world body said a new feasible election date was February 27, 2010.
The UN call follows doubts expressed by Iraq's electoral officials who said it was unlikely the country could hold the crucial vote before the end of January, as stated in the constitution.
The delay comes amid divisions over the number of seats allocated in the recently passed election law to Iraq's Kurdish population.
Sunni Muslim Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi also vetoed the law, demanding a greater say for minorities and Iraqi nationals living abroad.
He also threatened to veto the amended version which is currently before Iraq's three-member presidential council, composed of Hashimi, President Jalal Talabani, and Shia Muslim Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi.
The move drew criticism from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who warned a second veto would 'gravely' jeopardize the country's security, economy and constitution.
The postponement of the key election is widely seen to threaten US President Barack Obama's plans to withdraw combat troops out of Iraq by August 2010.
Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said earlier this week that the election could be pushed back to the end of March.
MRS/AKM
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:54:45 GMT
Members of Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) discuss the electoral laws in Baghdad on November 17, 2009.
The United Nations has called on the Iraqi politicians to put aside their differences and work together to set a final date for the country's elections.
In a Wednesday statement, the world body said a new feasible election date was February 27, 2010.
The UN call follows doubts expressed by Iraq's electoral officials who said it was unlikely the country could hold the crucial vote before the end of January, as stated in the constitution.
The delay comes amid divisions over the number of seats allocated in the recently passed election law to Iraq's Kurdish population.
Sunni Muslim Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi also vetoed the law, demanding a greater say for minorities and Iraqi nationals living abroad.
He also threatened to veto the amended version which is currently before Iraq's three-member presidential council, composed of Hashimi, President Jalal Talabani, and Shia Muslim Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi.
The move drew criticism from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who warned a second veto would 'gravely' jeopardize the country's security, economy and constitution.
The postponement of the key election is widely seen to threaten US President Barack Obama's plans to withdraw combat troops out of Iraq by August 2010.
Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said earlier this week that the election could be pushed back to the end of March.
MRS/AKM