The fundamental law being worked out for Iraq will guarantee basic rights for all Iraqis, regardless of religion, ethnicity or gender, US civil administrator Paul Bremer said here Thursday.
A representative and sovereign Iraqi government "should be bound by a transitional administrative law that protects fundamental rights and provides a stable political structure," he told a news conference.
The US overseer said he doubted that the interim Governing Council would pass a fundamental law that would be undemocratic in nature and was confident it would adhere to the principles laid out in the November 15 agreement on Iraq's political process.
The Governing Council is drafting an interim constitution which will serve as a bill of rights for the Iraqi people and is due to be presented by February 28.
Under it, "Iraqis will enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious belief and practice.
All Iraqis will stand equally before the law, regardless of ethnicity, regardless of religion and regardless of gender," Bremer said.