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BBC Monitoring Headlines, Quotes From Iraqi Press 29 Aug 05

Posted on: Monday, 29 August 2005, 06:00 CDT

The following is a selection of headlines and quotes taken from the Iraqi press published on Monday 29 August 2005:

Headlines

Al-Adalah [twice-weekly newspaper in Arabic published by the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI)]: President Jalal Talabani says Iraqi draft constitution is ready for referendum \ National Assembly: Completing draft constitution is a milestone in Iraq history \ New constitution items: Islam main source of legislation; Central, federal government should preserve Iraq's unity, territorial integrity, independence, democratic system; Oil and gas belong to all Iraqi people \ [MP Jawad] al- Maliki: Amendment to some items possible in future if it serves public interest; [Sunni constitution committee member Salih] Al- Mutlag: Our imprints on this constitution; We call on people to vote in referendum \ Jordan asks Iraqi authorities to arrest Al-Aqaba attackers (news agencies quoted) \ Foreign Ministry: 2,330 Iraqi refuges repatriated after entering Lebanon illegally (Iraq Voices quoted) \ Oil Ministry denies sabotage attack on oil well \ Five antiquity smugglers caught in Al-Sulaymaniyah \ No water in Basra

Baghdad [daily newspaper in Arabic published by the Iraqi National Accord Movement]:

Draft constitution announced (news agencies quoted) \ Terrorists captured in different parts of Iraq (news agencies quoted) \ Complaint units opened at Independent Electoral Commission offices \ Government polices behind Iraqis' migration \ Gunmen assassinate Al- Diwaniyah TV director \ Terrorist killed, partner captured in Al- Kadimiyah \ Police defuse three explosive devices in Baghdad \ Public works minister criticizes reluctance to release US grants \ Arab foreign ministers to discuss situation in Iraq \ Intensive health campaigns for women, children in Al-Diwaniyah \ Ten million dinars to each terror victim in Baghdad \ Central criminal court issues death sentence against dangerous terrorist \ New batch of 930 prisoners released from multinational jails \

Al-Bayan [daily newspaper in Arabic published by the Islamic Al- Da'wah Party]: Ibrahim al-Ja'fari: People will approve, of their own free will, their permanent constitution \ Local, international reaction to signing of constitution \ New mechanism to encourage donor nations to offer grants, loans to housing sector \ [National Assembly Speaker] Al-Hasani calls for weighing proposed solutions to draft constitution far from previous positions (news agencies quoted) \ One million dollars to develop industrial development fund \ Joint gas projects between Iraq, Jordan \

Al-Dustur [daily published by Al-Dustur Press, Publishing and Distribution House]: Parliamentary blocs approve draft constitution despite some reservations; Fifteen constitutional committee members call on Arab League, UN to block draft \ Prisoner escapes from Abu- Ghrayb jail (news agencies quoted) \ Al-Ja'fari: Sunnis cannot be limited to Ba'th party \ Deputy PM, four ministers express reservations at draft charter (news agencies quoted) \ Iraq seeks to sign extradition agreement with Jordan (news agencies quoted) \ UK sets training programme for Iraqi doctors \ US ambassador: Sunni demands could be used as trump card in upcoming election \ Sunni advisor confirms National Assembly legally dissolved (news agencies quoted) \ President Talabani: Christians, Chaldean sect enjoy equal rights with other sects in Iraq \ Multinational forces arrest policemen manning Iraqi checkpoint; 167 terrorists apprehended, others killed; car bomb factory, weapons caches found \ Industry minister announces plan to privatize state-run institutions

Al-Hadath [weekly independent newspaper in Arabic]: Al-Najaf developments: Sadrist Movement demands formal apology to stop clashes \ Al-Ja'fari calls for end to clashes between Shi'is \ Talabani stresses need for meeting Sunni Arab demands in constitution \ Washington welcomes Iraqi draft constitution \ [Sunni conference chairman Adnan] al-Dulaymi denounces Bush's statements, considers Iraqi draft illegal \ [Deputy National Assembly Speaker] Al-Shahristani: National Assembly to approve Iraqi draft constitution \ Sunnis: We will not concede on Iraq unity, Arabism \ Shi'is, Kurds ignore Sunni Arab objections to federalism \ US occupation army plans to stay for another four years \ Bulgaria to withdraw Iraq troops by year end \ Islamist hardliners in control of some Iraqi cities

Al-Mada [daily, independent newspaper published by Al-Mada Media, Culture and Arts Corporation]: National Assembly receives final draft of permanent constitution; Boycotters committed to political process, participation in next elections \ Eight Iraqis killed in Baghdad, Mosul (AFP quoted) \ Al-Ja'fari: Those who do not shake hands with Iraq will regret it \ Force in charge of protecting Imam Ali shrine disarmed \ Presidential council, government celebrate complete draft constitution \ Iraqis deny masterminding Sanaa bombing (AFP quoted) \ Iraqi army receives military base from Ukrainian forces in Al-Suwayrah \ Member of Muslim Scholars Association arrested (AFP quoted) \ Karbala police capture six drug smugglers \ Former director of Diyala radio and TV killed \ Weapons confiscated in Baghdad \ Diyala policeman arrested \ Terrorist cell raided in Al-Khalis [Diyala] \ Four suspects rounded up in Mosul \ Bilharzias incidence reported in Diyala \ Political prisoners hold first conference in Maysan

Al-Manar al-Yawm [daily published by Al-Manar al-Yawm Press and Publishing House]:

Iraq Sunnis stick their position rejecting draft constitution \ Twenty people killed in US raids on Al-Qa'im \ Three Iraqi soldiers killed including officer in separate attacks north of Baghdad \ Seven thousand Kurds to be repatriated from UK \ USAID holds advanced training courses for medical staff; 150 health centres rehabilitated

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based daily Al- Sharq al-Awsat, Saudi-owned]:

Draft constitution: Writing chapter over; Awaiting final say in referendum; 15 Sunni Arab members object to "some provisions", call for "no" vote if not amended \ EU welcomes draft constitution; Arab League chief relieved with last-minute amendments \ Eight Iraqis killed by gunmen fire in attacks in Baghdad, Mosul \ Hundreds of intellectuals, political activists killed in Basra; Fingers point to Shi'i organizations, Iran \ Iraqi sentenced to death in Al-Kut \ Three hostages freed from captors in Al-Amarah \ UN human rights envoy to Iraq visits Arbil (DPA) \ Opinion poll: 88 per cent of Iraqis for participation in constitution; 30 per cent in favour of federal system; 84 per cent support women freedom \ Expert accuses US forces of stealing Iraqi manuscripts

Al-Zaman [daily, independent, Baghdad edition of London-based Al- Zaman]: Drafting committee endorses constitution short of consensus \ Mortar attack on US military base in Al-Mahawil [Al-Hillah] \ Six arrested in Baghdad; Two explosive devices defused in Al-Silaykh, Abu-Ghurayb\ Al-Sadr supporters to march to Al-Najaf carrying olive branches, flowers \ Talabani: Draft constitution ready for referendum \ Deputy PM, five ministers have reservations on draft, call for deferring federalism to next stage \ FM Zebari urges EU to continue support for Iraq reconstruction \ Three wounded in unidentified mortar attack on two houses, stadium in Al-Khalis \ Fourteen rockets, bombs seized in Al-Kut \ Multinational forces arrest six gunmen in Parwanah [Ba'qubah] \ Iraqi Human Rights Association calls for including political asylum right in constitution \

Quotes

Al-Bayan [Baghdad, daily newspaper in Arabic published by the Islamic Al-Da'wah Party]:

[From editorial] "We believe the approval of the draft constitution is an achievement and a victory for the Iraqi people with all their components, groups and forces. It is a great achievement because it has been written by Iraqi hands and endorsed by people's representatives ... And it is victory since it has dealt a telling blow to terrorists' bets and overturned their claims \ Moreover, It has given people greater momentum to go ahead with the political process, and placed Iraq on the threshold of a new historical stage full of hope and giving\"

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based daily Al- Sharq al-Awsat, Saudi-owned]:

[From commentary by Ahmad al-Rab'i] "Iraq cannot be an exception to the laws of human development. The truth that has proved to be valid at all times and everywhere is that the project of a sectarian state or the notion of a national, sectarian ghetto inside the state is nothing but a suicide \ Iraq is a pluralist nation in the very sense of the word. If Iraqi politicians fail to grasp this fact and do not behave in a manner far from the mentality of the dark sectarian cave and refuse to go out to the space of the democratic multi-ethnic and multi-sectarian state, a high price might be paid by Iraqis with their own blood, which is a disaster for all..."

Sources: As listed

Source: BBC Monitoring Newsfile

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