UN conveys concerns on Iraq's referendum law resolution

Conveying concerns on recent changes to Iraq's referendum law that make it harder for Sunnis to defeat the draft constitution in the Oct. 15 referendum, the United Nations said the process does not meet international standards, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.

Dujarric told reporters at the daily noon briefing that, consistent with its mandate to advise the Iraqi authorities on relevant international standards on electoral processes, the United Nations has conveyed its views and concerns to the Transitional National Assembly (TNA) on the resolution it adopted on Oct. 2 regarding Iraq's referendum law.

"We've conveyed our views and concern to the Iraqi authorities," he said. "It is our duty to point out when the process does not meet international standards."

The United Nations hopes that the TNA will be able to come to a resolution on this issue, he noted, adding that this is a sovereign Iraqi process and it will be up to the Iraqi National Assembly to decide on an appropriate electoral framework for the referendum, which would meet international standards.

He said that the issue was currently under close consideration by Iraqi authorities, saying "we hope they will be able to come to a resolution on this issue."

The Iraqi parliament decided in a session on Sunday to interpret an article in the interim constitution in such a way that makes it difficult for the Sunnis to reject the draft constitution.

Source: Xinhua