On November 8, Iraqi National Assembly President AyadeSamalai (right two) at the press conference which holds in capital Baghdad speaks. On the same day, Iraqi Parliament passed finally has repeatedly postponed the vote the electoral law, the national election which will hold in next January will have swept clean the barrier for Iraq.
Xinhua News Agency society/Agence France Presse

    Iraqi Parliament on 8th through repeatedly postponed the vote officially the electoral law, the new electoral law will substitute in 2005 through old electoral law, thus has swept clean the final obstacle for Iraqi next January\’s election.

    Iraqi Parliament altogether has 275 seats, participates in the voting in 195 congressmen had 141 people to cast the affirmative vote. The new electoral law confirmed regarding the independent elector\’s announcing candidacy qualifications from the law that this is helpful to improving in the present Iraqi domestic politics divides the camp by the religious sect and nationality, neglects the true livelihood problem the phenomenon.

    In past two weeks, Iraqi Parliament has carried on 10 consultations on this bill, attempts to reach the mutual recognition in the parliamentary each political group and balanced, but the Kirkuk question becomes hinders the chief obstacle which the innovation obtains to pass before this.

    Kirkuk is provincial capital in the At-Ta\’mim Governorate, is north Iraq the biggest city. More more importantly, the Iraqi biggest oil field is located around Kirkuk. Kirkuk oil field reserves is not only huge . Moreover the equipment is advanced, has the ready-made oil line to lead to neighboring country Turkey and Syria, the mining transportation cost is low. Meanwhile, this local land is suitable for the farming and animal husbandry fertilely, becomes north Iraq the biggest commodity collection and distribution center, leads to the northern Kurdish mountainous area\’s gateway.

    Kirkuk is Iraqi Kurds multinational area and Arab nation area\’s border region. The Kurds and Arab mix to occupy in this. Rules the time in Saddam, large quantities of Arabs move to Kirkuk to live from the middle area, but after the US military overthrows the Saddam\’s regime, has large quantities of Kurds to send here the housing from the north. The constitution of Kirkuk voter population will affect directly this area\’s national ownership question. Speaking of living middle Iraqi Kurd in Sunni Arab and northern mountainous area, Kirkuk had the entire Iraqi Mid-north only large-scale oil field, who obtained Kirkuk\’s domination, who may obtain the guarantee in the future the subsidy. The Arabs insisted that must act according to 2004 the registration criterion to carry on the registration to the Kirkuk voters, after this will cause large quantities of Iraq War, migrated Kurds in Kirkuk to lose the voting rights. Therefore, the Kurd insisted that requests to take 2009 the voter registration as the standard, but this request has encountered the opposition of Arab. Kirkuk\’s another main nationality – - the Tucuman person as a result of being worried about the Kurd oversized chose in this local influence has supported Arab\’s standpoint.

    Lives did not participate in the Kirkuk status south Iraqi Shiite Group Arabs competition, but because the present Baghdad central authorities in fact are controlled by the Shiite Group Arabs, Shiite Group deeply is also involved to this contradictory eddy current. Shiite Group was worried, if Kirkuk were acknowledged that is a Kurdish city, once the northern Kurd founds a nation independently, Iraq will lose an important source of wealth and strategic point, but loses the financial resources the Sunni Arab will aim at the spear point the south Shiite Group, thus initiates the conflict.

    Kurdish congressman once repeatedly by did not attend the parliament to resist the new electoral law voting, causes the innovation voting to miscarry repeatedly. In both sides coordinate the concessions in the situation, the new electoral law stipulated finally voters in Kirkuk will take 2009 the registration number as the standard, but will announce candidacy the political party and individual must be ahead of time the public announcement relevant information, will accept all voters to supervise.

    Although the innovation has obtained to pass, but Iraqi highest election committee indicated that as a result of the time press, Iraq decided the election which on January 16, 2010 held possibly to postpone to 23rd holds.

    Ban Ki-moon appealed that Iraq each faction actively participates in the election

    Newspaper United Nations on November 9 (by Wu Yun) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on 8th issued the statement, welcome Iraqi Parliament to adopt the electoral law. Ban Ki-moon said in the statement, new electoral law through prepared in next January to hold the national election for Iraq to pave the way.

    Ban Ki-moon said that the Iraqi election “is will promote Iraq to realize the national reconciliation and impels Iraqi politics progressive critical opportunity”. He appealed that Iraq various political power and leader unfold the genuine statesman style in the election, by the spiritual investment election of national unity, appealed that the Iraqi people “will participate will decide its national future advancement”. United Nations will continue to organize Iraqi election\’s independence high-level election committee provides the help. (By Yang Jun)

    The US military said that will elect the postaccelerating post to evacuate in Iraq

    US President Pama on 8th extends the congratulation in the White House to Iraq through the electoral law on the same day. He said that Iraqi Parliament is “one has great significance breakthrough” through electoral law.

    Pama said that electoral law through promoting Iraq\’s political process, has been helpful to brings the lasting peace and unity for Iraq, is helpful before American combat unit in next September can the order and withdraws responsiblily.

    The US military indicated that after Iraq holds election, was still stationed at Iraq\’s 120,000 US military to accelerate to evacuate. The US plans before at the end of next August, to withdraw all combat units, leaves behind approximately 50,000 armies, its function is mainly “consultation” and “support”. The US on 8th said in Iraqi Ambassador Hill that Iraq also lies in through the electoral law importance, the US military may evacuate according to the plan according to the above gradually. Hill added that the Iraqi election possibly held on next January 23. This compared to the date which planned in advance late the several days, but still permitted in the Iraqi constitution in time horizon. (By Wen Xian)

    Review

    Electoral law passing is in Iraqi political life and post-war reconstruction advancement important matter, after is each faction undergoes the long-term intense argument, weighs the advantages and disadvantages, the mutual compromise result.

    In brief, its significance has four: First, had finished among different factions temporarily the intriguing interest conflict pattern, each school of benefit difference can close temporarily, avoids the Iraqi political arena falling into the further confusion and turbulent; Second, national attribute and the national Iraq realized to obtain the strengthening; Third, paved the way for next year beginning Iraq\’s election; Fourth, to be helpful in the US in garrison in Iraq after the election smooth evacuation and security defense smooth handover and so on.

    Electoral law through, on the one hand obtained the welcome of Iraqi Populace and international society, but on the other hand, because Iraq is destroyed the war the political ecology was still frail, each faction achieves the agreement still lacked the stable foundation, the security situation is in addition less optimistic, the electoral law implementation prospect awaits the observation. (Huang Peizhao)

(Chief-editor: Feng Yanqiang)