Changes in Iraqi constitution to appease Sunnis ruled out

IRAQ'S Shiite-led government yesterday ruled out any major changes to a draft constitution that parliament looks set to pass this week in the face of minority Sunni objections that it could ignite civil war.

Sunni leaders, who largely shunned a January election that gave Shiites and Kurds control of parliament, quickly indicated they would try to mobilise support for a "No" vote in the October referendum on the charter.

The constitution will be rejected if two thirds of voters in three or more of Iraq's 18 provinces vote "No".

The Sunnis are a clear majority in at least three provinces in the heartland of the insurgency: Anbar, Salaheddin and Nineveh.

A Sunni delegation met Iraq's independent electoral commission to discuss ways of ensuring participation in those three areas, the commission said.

President Jalal Talabani, who has brought Iraqi leaders together for weeks in a bid to keep the political process on track, renewed mediation efforts.

A statement from his office said the Kurdish leader urged all Iraqi sects to unite on the issue of the constitution.

But all sides held fast to their positions. The Shiite head of the parliamentary drafting committee again made clear he did not intend to reopen contentious clauses such as those on autonomous "federal" regions which Arab Sunnis say discriminate against them and could break up the state.

Humam Hamoudi said the Sunni negotiators brought in from outside parliament were not representative and the assembly should now submit the draft to a referendum.

US diplomats say they will go on working for a consensus that can draw the Sunnis away from violent opposition.

But one participant in the talks said a comprehensive deal would require a Sunni change of heart. "The only possible change now is that the Sunnis become convinced on federalism," said Jalal al-Din al-Sagheer, a Shiite cleric.