U.N.'s Ban praises Iraqi election law

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Iraqi lawmakers for passing a key election law in time for a January parliamentary election.

Iraqi lawmakers on Sunday reached a compromise on amendments to a national election law that will govern parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 21.

Lawmakers had initially squabbled over whether to hold elections using a closed system that lists only political parties or an open system that includes candidate names on the ballots. The latest obstacle centered on how to conduct the election in the ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk.

In a Sunday deal, lawmakers agreed to use 2009 voter records for Kirkuk to reflect the ethnic diversity of the city. The election will also take place using an open system.

Ban in a statement released through his office hailed the passage as a milestone for the burgeoning Iraqi democracy.

"These elections will be a crucial opportunity to advance national reconciliation and contribute to Iraq's political progress," the statement read. "The secretary-general appeals to all political blocs and their leaders to demonstrate true statesmanship during the election campaign and participate in a spirit of national unity."

A delay in the election law put a January vote in jeopardy with possible ramifications on the schedule for the U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.