Iraq's vice president today said he had vetoed part of an election law over the allocation of seats to displaced Iraqis, throwing fresh doubt over plans for general elections in January.
Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, part of a presidential council that has veto power over legislation, said he objected to Article One of the law approved by parliament this month because it did not give a voice to Iraqis abroad.
"I have delivered my letter of objection to the presidential council and another copy to parliament," Mr Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, told a news conference. "My suggested amendment is to give justice to all Iraqis living abroad, not just Iraqis displaced in neighbouring countries."
Iraq's election commission has halted all preparations for elections in January, an electoral official said today.
Many Iraqis abroad are part of Iraq's once-dominant Sunni Muslim community who fled
the sectarian war that began after Saddam Hussein's ouster in 2003.
Mr Hashemi said he had sent the legislation back to parliament with his objection to a single article, but he believed the issue could be resolved in a single session of parliament.
He tried to play down the impact of his veto on the elections, saying it should not interrupt preparations for the poll or force a change in the date that it is to be held.
The ballot, planned for between January 18th and 23rd, is viewed as a major milestone as Iraq emerges from six-and-a-half years of violence and stands on its own feet while US forces withdraw.
Any delay to the election could affect US plans to end combat operations on August 31st, 2010, ahead of a full pullout by the end of 2011.
Reuters