Kirkuk, other Iraq issues to be delayed

BAGHDAD, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Iraq's constitutional committee wants its mandate extended by a year as a Kurdish region leader OK's a six-month extension on the Kirkuk referendum.

The Committee on Constitutional Amendments said Saturday it needs more time to reach deals between rival political factions over controversial issues in the constitution, the Voices of Iraq news agency reports.

"We will demand a one-year extension of the committee's work to enable dialogue to take place free from time pressure," said parliamentarian and committee member Abbas al-Bayyati. "In 2008, the committee plans to reach political consensus on controversial issues, mainly article 140 on the status of Kirkuk, article 115 defining the relationship between the central government and regional authorities, article 41 (personal status), and the article pertaining to the president's powers."

Article 140 of the constitution gave a Dec. 31, 2007, deadline on a referendum over the future of disputed territories with some historical ties to the Kurdish region but segregated under Saddam Hussein.

Kirkuk, where a super giant oil field is located, is the hotbed for this. Kurds claim it, as do Turkey-backed Turkomen. Sunni Arabs, moved into the area by Hussein to displace Kurds and other residents, don't want the oil wealth to be taken away from Baghdad's control and put under the Kurdistan Regional Government.

But to have a referendum, a program to reverse the displacement program must be accomplished, as well as a census to decide who is eligible to vote. None of this is feasible by the end of the year.

The KRG has said that a limited delay for technical reasons would be allowed, but it is against any political delay.

The global intelligence firm Stratfor reports Nechirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the KRG, has agreed to a six-month extension.