Following Protests by Shia Members of the Iraqi Governing Council, Signing of Iraq's Interim Constitution Delayed - 2004-03-05

The signing ceremony of Iraq's interim constitution has been delayed due to last-minute protests from five Shia members of the Governing Council. They have objections to two articles of the constitution; one pertains to the composition of the presidency, and the other allows for the permanent constitution to be vetoed if three provinces oppose it. Shia politicians are concerned that this could give undue influence to the small number of voters in Kurdish and Sunni areas. The Shia council members also reiterated their demand for a presidential council with five members, three of which should be held by Shia. The interim constitution, which was approved on Monday after lengthy discussions among the 25 members of the Governing Council, envisions a single president with two deputies. Several hours after the scheduled time, it remains unclear when the interim constitution of Iraq will be signed. A spokesperson for Paul Bremer, the American civilian administrator in Iraq, told CNN that the 25 members of the U.S.-appointed Governing Council are discussing how to resolve this disagreement. The interim constitution was approved on Monday after a long debate in the Governing Council.