Draft-law on NCSS to be presented to Parl.

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Al-Iraqiya Bloc has completed the draft-law for the National Council of Strategic Studies (NCSS), to be presented to the Parliament’s next session, al-Iraqiya Legislature, Kazim al-Shimmari said on Thursday. “Al-Iraqiya Bloc has completed on Wednesday the draft-law of the National Council of Strategic Studies, during a meeting with representatives of the National Alliance and the Kurdistan Alliance” Simmari said, adding that the draft-law had gotten the approval of Iyad Allawi. The draft-law for the NCSS defines the missions of the new Council to lay the leading policies of the Iraqi State, regarding the strategic political, economic and security affairs. The final version of the NCSS‘s draft-law, a copy of which was received by IraqiNews.com news agency, prepared by al-Iraqiya Bloc, points out that the Council would “enjoy financial and administrative independence,” and would include the NCSS‘s Chairman, the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Kurdistan Region’s President, the Leaders of the four Parliamentary Blocs that won the largest number of seats in the new Parliament. The NCSS, according to its draft-law, “would be granted legislative, executive and legal missions, and would act to overcome the obstacles that would face the political process, lay the general lines for the high policies of the State and for all other authorities, in addition to presenting draft-laws for important laws, as well as legal reforms.” The NCSS is to draw the country’s foreign policy, lay down the security and military strategies, reorganize the links of the armed forces, as well as laying the economic, financial and investment policies. “The NCSS‘s Chairman would enjoy the legal rights of the prime minister, including the right of appointing his deputies, in the event of his absence for any reason. In addition, the right to invite any leading official to attend its meetings, including the Chairman of the Legal Council, the Chairman of the Federal Court, the ministers, Army commanders, provided their presence would be obligatory, but won’t give them the right to vote.” SKH/SR 1