No vote on Kirkuk issue, Iraqis say

BAGHDAD, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The Iraqi Parliament adjourned its Tuesday session without reaching an agreement on provisions in the election law regarding the status of the city of Kirkuk.

Shahied al-Jaberi with the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance said lawmakers opted to postpone the issue until the Wednesday session because lawmakers could not agree on the Kirkuk issue, Voices of Iraq reported.

"Today's session held to discuss the provincial council elections law was adjourned until tomorrow as parliamentary blocs have not yet reached an agreement on the Kirkuk cause," he said.

Iraqi Parliamentary Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani had interrupted the Tuesday session to allow lawmakers more time to reach a consensus, but the measure ultimately expired without an agreement on the issue.

The Iraqi Parliament passed a version of the elections law on July 22, though Kurdish lawmakers stormed out of the session over Article 24 of the law which outlines the status of Kirkuk.

Lawmakers Monday had negotiated changes to the provision to omit sections of the law that refer to dividing Kirkuk into four election zones.

U.N. officials have expressed interest in delaying elections in Kirkuk by six months so votes can move forward in the rest of the country as planned.