Goal to finish constitution in six months

By Judy Aita
Washington File United Nations Correspondent

United Nations -- Saying that "we can't really be precise about it," Secretary of State Colin Powell speculated September 26 that Iraq could form a government to take over from the Coalition Provisional Authority in about a year.

"Six months seems like an appropriate amount of time for a constitution of the kind that we expect the Governing Council and the constitutional commission to prepare," Powell said. "Some people have said it would take another six months for elections but we really can't be precise about it. This is a work in progress."

Participating in a press conference with members of the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East, Powell was questioned about Iraq and the much-discussed timetable that would return full self-government to the Iraqi people.

The Iraqi Governing Council is having discussions throughout Iraq on the make-up of the group that would write the constitution, Powell said.

"It is our feeling ... that a period of about six months seems to be appropriate for such a group to determine the form of government that they would like to ... see in the constitution, and the form of representation that the people will have in that government embedded in a constitution," Powell said.

"If it is possible to meet that goal of finishing the constitutional work in six months, then it is quite appropriate to consider that shortly thereafter, the people would be able to ratify such a constitution and prepare for elections," he said.

"Some people say it would take another six months for elections," the secretary of state said.

Powell also cautioned that the international community should not expect a "deadline" for drawing up the constitution.

"The term 'deadline' suggests that something awful happens at the end of the six months," he said.

"I wouldn't want to convey the impression that [it] falls off the end of the Earth at the end of six months. But six months seem to be a good timeline to put out there for the creation of this constitution and also to give a sense of momentum and purpose to the effort of moving toward full restoration of authority over Iraq to the Iraqi people," Powell said.

The issue of the transfer of authority is one of the key points being debated in talks on a new resolution in the Security Council.

In the draft Security Council resolution proposed by United States, the Governing Council would be asked to provide a timetable for adopting a constitution and holding elections, U.S. officials say.

Members of the Iraqi Governing Council at U.N. headquarters to attend the opening of the General Assembly were optimistic about the progress the country can make on a constitution and elections, but said that the security situation holds the key to progress.

The Governing Council will be able to provide a timetable, they said at a press conference September 24.

A preparatory commission has already been appointed to look into holding a constitutional convention and the council members said that they expect that convention could get under way as early as October.

Powell also said that the United States is prepared to remain in Iraq "as long as is necessary to put in place a representative form of government [and]...help the Iraqis create the government and the ministries and the institutions of government."

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)