Iraq parliament delays divisive federal debate

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament delayed debate on Sunday on a divisive draft law on federalism that minority Sunni Arabs fear could lead to the partition of Iraq and stoke sectarian conflict that has already killed thousands.

The Shi'ite and Kurdish-sponsored draft law paves the way for Iraq's 18 provinces to form autonomous federal regions with their own governments and security forces. Kurdistan, encompassing three provinces in northern Iraq, is already largely autonomous and has its own president and parliament.

But Sunnis, concentrated in Iraq's resource-poor central and western provinces, are opposed to such a move, fearing it would seal their political doom by giving Shi'ites in the south and Kurds in the north control of much of Iraq's oil.

Read the rest at Reuters

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