Under the terms of the document, Iraq will have a president with two deputies, along with a separate Prime Minister and a cabinet.
The United States, which plans to open its largest embassy in the world on July 1 in Baghdad, will still exert considerable diplomatic influence on the fledgling Iraqi government. More than 100,000 U.S. troops will remain in Iraq after power is handed over.
The basic law does not tackle the ongoing wrangling of how power will be transferred from the US-led occupiers to an Iraqi government by July.
But the charter does stipulate that elections for a Transitional National Assembly, which will be charged with drafting and voting on a permanent constitution for Iraq, will be held by the end of the year, if possible. If not, those elections would be held in 2005.
Rules for those elections will be written by the interim Iraqi government that takes power July 1.
INTERIM CONSTITUTION - MAIN POINTS
- Islam described as state religion and“a source” for civil law
- Establishes Iraq as a federal state
- Three provinces of Kurdistan to remain autonomous
- Women to make up 25 per cent of future parliament
- Protects freedom of speech, religious freedom and other democratic rights
- Establishes separation of powers, including a president with two vice-presidents and a prime minister with a cabinet
- Sets date for general elections by end of 2004 or end of January 2005 at latest
