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Iraq’s Parliament on Sept. 24 overwhelmingly approved a provincial elections law, overcoming months of gridlock. The provincial elections, which were supposed to be held by Oct. 1, are now to be held by Jan. 31, 2009. Polls are to be held in 14 of the country’s 18 provinces, excluding three that are part of the northern autonomous Kurdistan federal zone and the province of Tamim — whose capital, Kirkuk, is in an oil-rich region and is disputed territory. The law now goes to Iraq’s three-member presidency council, headed by President Jalal Talabani, for approval. Talabani rejected an earlier version of the law that lawmakers approved in July.
All sides reportedly have made concessions on the Kirkuk issue, which means this law will make it through the council. The Kirkuk compromise entails having a separate law for dealing with elections there; voting will be held in the city after March 2009, after a power-sharing formula for Kirkuk’s administration is devised. Kurdish, Shiite, Sunni and Turkomen legislators agreed to a U.N. compromise to form a parliamentary committee to review disputes regarding Kirkuk in coordination with the United Nations, the existing multi-communal provincial council and the central government. They will present a report by March 31, 2009.
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