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Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warns
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-05 04:02

During a news conference Wednesday, the parliament speaker, Ayad al-Samaraie, said there was draft of the election law that most of the political blocs had agreed upon. But he gave no details of the proposal, about who had agreed or, more importantly, who had not.

US and U.N. officials have been intensely following the debate.

"We remain hopeful that the Council of Representatives will pass the law tomorrow," said a spokesman for the US Embassy in Baghdad, Philip Frayne, referring to the parliament's official name. "We believe it's important the elections take place on January 16th, as scheduled."

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The possibility of the delay is additionally worrying because it is at times of political instability that violence tends to rise in Iraq.

However, Joost R. Hiltermann, from the International Crisis Group, said there is also a risk of pushing through a piece of legislation over the objections of key factions in Iraqi society.

"I think what is important is to reach an agreement that works for everyone, which means on Kirkuk, and then you can move forward," said Hiltermann, pointing out that the Iraqi constitution was pushed through despite Sunni worries in 2005 and the next two years saw intense violence and insurgent attacks. "You can also argue that when things are done wrong ... the violence is greater."

A visit Wednesday by Iranian parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, to Iraq and parliament stirred the debate Wednesday. Some Iraqi legislators accused Larijani, who was invited by his Iraqi counterpart, of political interference.

"It is not an innocent visit," said Sunni lawmaker, Osama al-Nujaifi.

Many Iraqi political parties in Shiite-majority Iraq have strong ties to Iran. During Saddam Hussein's regime, many Shiite political and religious leaders sought refuge in the Persian neighbor.

However, the connections with Iran have always been viewed suspiciously by Sunni leaders, and many Shiites as well, who worry that Iran has too strong an influence in Iraq.

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