IRAQ: Iraq's Shia-led government said yesterday it would give representatives of the Sunni minority a greater role in drafting the country's new constitution, but the offer fell well short of Sunni demands.
Leading officials in the committee assigned to write the constitution by August 15th said the size of the committee would be expanded to 69 people from 55. The number of Sunni Arab members would be raised to 15 from two, giving them the same level of representation as the Kurds.
The Sunnis, however, have demanded more. On Wednesday an alliance of Iraq's main Sunni Arab groups said they wanted 25 seats on the constitutional committee and would refuse to take part in drafting the document unless their demand was met.
Sunni Arabs dominated Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule but were sidelined by January 30th elections which propelled Shias and Kurds into power. Many Sunni Arab groups called for a boycott of the elections and most Sunni voters did stay away.
Iraq's government says it will offer Sunni Arabs more participation in politics to try to defuse sectarian tensions and undermine the Sunni-dominated insurgency.
"The important thing is that the Sunnis are with us in every detail in drafting the constitution. It's in their and Iraq's interest that they are with us," said Humam al-Hamoudi, head of the committee.
Asked about the Sunni demand for 25 seats, he said: "This matter will be discussed. They say 25, and we will negotiate to solve this issue. We will continue to talk to them until they take part and are with us in every detail."
As part of efforts to rebuild Iraq, the US and EU are taking part in a conference in Brussels on June 22nd. British foreign minister Jack Straw was part of an EU delegation that arrived in Baghdad yesterday to promote the conference.
US forces detained 16 American private security contractors and three Iraqis late last month after they opened fire on civilians and US marines in Falluja, the US military said yesterday.
The 19, employed by US company Zapata Engineering, were held after two shooting incidents in three hours in the city west of Baghdad. No one was hurt in the shootings.