Iraq's parliament signed off on revisions to the country's draft constitution on Sunday, with a leading lawmaker declaring acceptance of the new charter was a matter for the people, not the parliament. Hussain al-Shahristani, deputy National Assembly speaker, said the new basic law was given to the United Nations, which will print 5 million copies and distribute them to Iraqis before the Oct. 15 national referendum on the new basic law. The original draft was not voted on by the parliament and al-Shahristani did not call for legislative approval on the amendments. "The vote on this ... is the right of the people, not their representatives," he was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. The deputy speaker said the draft was handed to the United Nations which will print 5 million copies and distribute them to Iraqis before the Oct. 15 national referendum on the new basic law. The changes to the document included an apparent bow to demands from the Arab League that the Iraq be described as a founding member of the pan-Arab organization, and that it was "committed to its charter." Other changes included holding the federal government responsible for the management of water resources and the creation of two deputy prime minister positions for the Cabinet.
