Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=3/1/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= IRAQ/POLITICS (L)

NUMBER=2-313664

BYLINE= LAURIE KASSMAN

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

INTRO: The Iraqi Governing Council has agreed on an interim constitution that sets the basic laws for the temporary government that will take over from the U-S-led coalition on June 30th. V-O-A Correspondent Laurie Kassman has the details from Baghdad.

TEXT: The Governing Council issued a statement in the early morning hours Monday to announce the unanimous agreement on an interim constitution. The document is the product of weeks of marathon debate and discussion.

A senior coalition official described the mood at the end as euphoric.

The document sets out a basic bill of rights and a structure for the shape of the Transitional National Assembly.

Compromise was reached on several key issues that had divided the council.

The final document states that Islam is a source of legislation, not the source of legislation. A senior coalition official describes it as the right balance between identifying the religion of most Iraqis and protecting basic freedoms for all Iraqis that are now enshrined in a bill of rights.

The interim constitution also sets a goal of 25 percent representation for women in the future elected government.

On the issue of general elections, the document is said to set a target date of December of this year or January of next year at the latest.

The U-S administration had wanted elections by the end of next year, but Iraq's top Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani insisted they should be held sooner. The Shiite community, which suffered bloody persecution under Saddam Hussein, represents the majority of Iraq's population of 24-million.

The Kurds were satisfied that the document endorses their continued autonomy under a federal system of government.

The council members also agreed on the structure of the executive branch of government, which will be a president and two deputy presidents, a prime minister and a cabinet. The idea was to provide checks and balances to prevent any hint of the authoritarian control Iraqis experienced for the past three decades.

The discussions were at times spirited, but one member said the council members had learned the craft of compromise. In the end, the interim constitution was unanimously approved. Delegates cheered and applauded each of the speakers who wanted to make a final statement endorsing Iraq's first step toward a democratic future. (Signed)

NEB/LMK/AWP/KBK