News[JURIST] Sunni Arab leaders on Friday rejected calls for a Shiite federal region to be written into the new constitution [JURIST news archive], claiming the plan would break up Iraq along strict religious and ethnic lines. Sunnis, also fearing they will be cut out of some oil revenues if the country is split into such zones, responded negatively to the demand of a top Shiite lawmaker seeking local Shiite control in parts of southern and central Iraq. The dispute threatens to delay the Monday deadline for completion [JURIST report] of the charter. AP has more.
