NEWS: Shiites and Kurds Reach Deal on Iraq Constitution, page 1

Just hours before the deadline, Shiites and Kurds have reached an agreement on the Iraqi constitution. Both sides are now working to convince the Sunni leadership to agree as well. Issues that needed resolution included how to divide oil revenue and the role of the role of the Shiite clerics in the new government.

Parties Reach Deal on Iraq Constitution
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Hours before a midnight deadline, Shiites and Kurds reached an agreement Monday on a draft constitution and were trying to persuade Sunni Arabs to go along with their compromises, officials said.

Negotiators met for about three hours Monday morning and convened again shortly after 4 p.m. at the home of Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani in the Green Zone for talks Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman said would "be decisive." He said there was some progress in the earlier session.

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The U.S. Constitution was not approved overnight either and its reasonable that this will take time in Iraq. The Sunni's really have little choice but to go along or risk being left behind. Of the three I think the Kurds will benefit the most from this document. No longer to be shunted around by whatever group is in power, they will have a real voice in the government.

[edit on 8/22/05 by FredT]

[edit on 8/22/05 by FredT]