A STUTTER-STEP TOWARDS PROGRESS

Top Shia leaders in Iraq have resolved issues delaying the adoption of the interim constitution, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council has declared.

Mowaffaq al-Rubaie made the announcement after he and another IGC member had talks with leading Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

"There is going to be very good news very soon," Mr Rubaie said.

A signing ceremony was called off on Friday because Shia leaders objected to some aspects of the new constitution.

Mr Rubaie said the ceremony would now go ahead on Monday.

My guess is that everyone pretty much understands that although this is only an "interim" constitution, the precedents that it sets will be hard to break.

I'm not surprised that this process isn't without its speed bumps.