Iraq battles to complete charter as parliament session delayed (AFP)

BAGHDAD (AFP) - As the deadline for drafting
Iraq's constitution inched closer, leaders of the war-torn country battled to complete the draft, delaying the special parliament session called to consider the charter.

"The parliament session has been delayed as the leaders are still in the meeting," Hiwa Osman, spokesman to President Jalal Talabani told AFP.

A source in the communication department of the 275-member national assembly said the delay was for two hours.

The delay occurred as leading politicians were locked in 11th-hour talks to thrash out the remaining disagreements over a final draft amid intense US-led pressure not to play into the hands of insurgents by missing a key target date in Iraq's political transition.

Semper Fi