Sunnis Reject Draft of Iraqi Constitution

By SLOBODAN LEKIC
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Iraqi negotiators finished the country's new constitution Sunday without the endorsement of Sunni Arabs who helped prepare it, dealing a blow to the Bush administration and setting the stage for a bitter campaign leading up to an October referendum.

The 15 members of the Sunni panel said they rejected the document because of disagreements over such issues as federalism, Iraq's identity and references to Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated Baath Party.

Sunni Arab negotiators also said in a joint statement that they had asked the United Nations and Arab League to intervene.

The country's parliament speaker, Hajim al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab who was not on the negotiating panel, said he had "some reservations" about the draft - including "too much religion" and curbs on women's rights - and believed Shiites should have offered more concessions to the Sunnis.

Also, Sunni Vice President Ghazi al-Yawer did not attend a ceremony marking the end of the drafting process. Asked why al-Yawer was absent, President Jalal Talabani said "he's sick," eliciting laughter from officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi, a Shiite.

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