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Iraq's President Expects Constitution By August

8 April 2005 -- Iraq's new president, Jalal Talabani, said on Friday that lawmakers will meet a mid-August deadline for writing a constitution despite weeks of delay in forming a government.

Ten weeks after Iraq's 30 January elections, a new government has yet to be formed. But progress was made this week with Talabani becoming president and Shi'ite leader Ibrahim Ja'afari named prime minister.

Once a government is formed, writing a constitution is the next key political step on the road to new elections by end-2005.

The new constitution is meant to be ready by 15 August, although lawmakers are allowed to request a six-month delay.

But Talabani said that drafting the constitution "will be done on time."

(Reuters)

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org