Key parts of Iraq's draft constitution that deals with issues such as the role of Islam and the power of local governments remain undecided, Iraqi leaders confirmed Tuesday.
Parliament voted Monday to give negotiators until Aug. 22 to try to draft the charter. The delay was a strong rebuff of President Bush's insistence that the Aug. 15 deadline be met, according to The AP.
U.S. officials tried to downplay the significance of the delay, and Bush expressed confidence the Iraqis would reach consensus. "I applaud the heroic efforts of Iraqi negotiators and appreciate their work to resolve remaining issues through continued negotiation and dialogue," Bush said in a statement.
On Tuesday, police said an Iraqi Army captain was killed in an ambush Monday, and an employee of a TV and broadcast station died Tuesday by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad in the town of Buhriz.
Elsewhere, an Iraqi-Canadian citizen, Zaid Meerwali, kidnapped in Iraq on 2 August, has been executed, said Canadian prime minister. Meerwali was in Iraq to take part in a business venture.
