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Your World Today

On Notice in Gaza; Iraq Constitution Deadline Approaches

Aired August 15, 2005 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Center, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: On notice in Gaza. A day that many believed would never come has arrived for Jewish settlers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no moral basis or legal basis to such an order. And from our point of view, we are staying here for good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Not everyone is leaving. There are protests, even riots.

VERJEE: And nail-biting negotiations in Baghdad as the final deadline for a draft constitution approaches.

It's 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad, 7:00 in the evening in Gaza. I'm Zain Verjee.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy. Welcome to our viewers around the world. This is CNN International and YOUR WORLD TODAY.

Tension is palpable in Gaza and parts of the West Bank as Israeli troops serve eviction notices to some 8,500 Jewish settlers.

VERJEE: The withdrawal is the first time Israel will dismantle settlements in areas captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

CLANCY: We're going to have live reports from our correspondents in various locations, including Ben Wedeman in Gaza City, John Vause in Morag, and Guy Raz in Neveh Dekalim, the largest settlement in Gaza.

So there's hope, and there is recrimination this day in the Middle East as the historic Israeli withdrawal begins in Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Let's begin our coverage now with Guy Raz -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jim, the day passed largely without incident here in Neveh Dekalim, the largest of the 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza. A few minor scuffles here and there. But in the end, Israeli soldiers and police chose not to enter this settlement and begin distributing evacuation notices, preferring, perhaps, to wait for the moment until this settlement is finally evacuated for good.

Now, throughout -- now, throughout the day, Zain, there were protests in the morning. They began quite early at the crack of dawn. Hundreds of young people gathered near the main gate leading into this settlement, expecting the police and the army to arrive.

Now, the police did arrive at about half past 8:00. The police essentially surrounding the outer perimeter of the gate, and just waited there.

Now, we -- it became quickly clear that the police had no intention of ever entering the settlement. They said they were there primarily to keep the peace and to make sure that calm was ensured.

Now, at another part of the settlement, the side gate, a few soldiers managed to enter into the settlement. They brought with them a stack of eviction notices. But in the end, they didn't go house to house distributing those notices. They dropped them off at the municipality, allowing leaders here in the community to decide how they want to make it known that settlers here in these -- in these settlements throughout Gaza now have 48 hours before they are evicted -- Zain.

CLANCY: It's Jim here at the CNN Center, Guy. We're just wondering, as you look at those pictures, we've heard already that thousands of settlers have left. But also, thousands of settlers, supporter or settlers from the West Bank, have gone in. Any way of telling how many people there that are resisting all of this, are actually residents of Gaza, and how many of them have come in?

RAZ: Well, Jim, let me start by answering your question this way. Despite the very loud protests, the moving trucks and the containers continued to roll into this settlement throughout the day. And that's perhaps a sign that many of the residents here are now very much resigned to their fate.

All that being said, the army estimates some 5,000 to 6,000 infiltrators have managed to come into the Gaza settlements in the past few days and weeks. Now, many of them are youngsters. Many of them have arrived here in Neveh Dekalim.

You can see them at night gathering in the town square. And the Israeli army is expecting some kind of passive resistance from these youngsters. But the army ultimately says it will be prepared for all eventualities, because for each individual who remains inside these settlements, the army will...

CLANCY: All right. I'm sorry, we've lost Guy Raz there. Good reporting on the situation inside the settlements, at this moment, at least.

We are going to continue to monitor this, as we noted. We have live reporters all over Gaza, in Jerusalem, looking at this situation -- Zain.

VERJEE: Jim, meanwhile, several thousand Palestinian security personnel have moved into position on the outskirts of settlements to ward off any attacks. Ben Wedeman is monitoring the situation from Gaza, and he joins us now -- Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Zain. Well, Palestinians here in Gaza are glued to their television screens, watching as the Israeli evacuation -- or rather pullout goes ahead from the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, as you said, Palestinian security forces are doing everything they can to ensure that this is a smooth evacuation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice over): A pep talk to Palestinian security troops before taking up positions around the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. "We bear a huge responsibility," Major Abu Ahmed (ph) tells his men, "to stop our people from bleeding, to stop anyone from preventing the Israeli pullout." A triumphal cheer before boarding the buses to take up positions they fled at the beginning of the Palestinian uprising.

Israelis may be debating the significance of it all, but not the men on this bus. "This is a victory for all the Palestinian people," Shadi (ph) tells me. "From Gaza to south Lebanon because Palestine is ours," says another. It will be the job of this somewhat disorderly force to ensure no one from the Palestinian side interferes with the evacuation.

Battle songs blaring, gunmen from Islamic Jihad stage a victory march through the streets of Gaza City, while shortly after midnight, when the Israeli evacuation officially began, Hamas holds thanksgiving prayers for what they see as a triumph of armed resistance.

And just to make clear who's the boss, the authority deployed policemen and a bulldozer to knock down a house belonging to a senior authority official who they say built illegally on state land. The authority says this house demolition is a message to anyone, officials or militants, who thinks they're above the law.

FREIH ABU MDAIN, ADVISER TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT: We are not going to accept to anybody, in settlement or outside the settlement, to capture and to occupy and to build.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN: And, of course, with the profound challenge posed by groups like Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other militants, the Palestinian Authority, as the evacuation goes ahead, wants to make sure everyone understands that they are still in command and in control -- Zain.

VERJEE: CNN's Ben Wedeman reporting. Thank, Ben -- Jim.

CLANCY: Now, John Vause is monitoring the situation in southern Gaza. He joins us from the Morag settlement.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Jim.

Well, the Israeli soldiers managed to get into Morag this morning, but it wasn't easy. They arrived early, but they found dozens of residents blocking the main gate. They were bolstered by dozens more of those infiltrators who managed to get into Morag over the last few days, the last few weeks. The Israeli army says there could be as many as 300 infiltrators here in Morag alone, adding to that grand total of between 5,000 and 6,000 for all of the Gaza settlements.

There was a standoff at the main gates for about two hours while senior army commanders negotiated with the settler leaders. While that was going on, the protesters were singing and praying and playing music.

Now, I mentioned the praying because this is a very religious settlement, as are many of the 21 settlements in Gaza. And the people here say the reason why they are finding it so difficult to leave, well, one of the main reasons, at least, is because they believe that God promised this land to the Jews. And if they leave, they are defying God's will.

Now, the flip side of that is, of course, that the Palestinians and the United Nations both say that these settlements are built on occupied Palestinian territory. And the Palestinians claim all of Gaza for a future state.

Nonetheless, the police -- sorry, the soldiers, actually, managed to get in today. They went door to door.

They handed out some written notices, but they were quickly tore up. They also delivered a verbal notification to the settlers here that they are now illegally in this settlement, and that they will be removed when that deadline comes midnight on Tuesday. And they could be removed by force.

And one final note in all of this, Jim. If those settlers are here when the police and soldiers do come in after midnight on Tuesday, they risk losing about a third of their compensation and even their possessions. The army says after that deadline comes and goes, there won't be packing for the settlers here -- Jim.

CLANCY: All right. John Vause, continuing to monitor the situation there in southern Gaza for us.

Thank you for that, John -- Zain.

VERJEE: Jim, there are concerns that militant groups like Hamas may seek to gain political advantage after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Earlier, we spoke to Israel's deputy prime minister, Shimon Peres, about the relationship between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI DEP. PRIME MINISTER: Hamas is today basically a danger to the Palestinians. If they think they can divide our people, come with rifles and troop (ph) around, and the world will provide them will financial support, political support, moral support, in my judgment they're making a mistake.

Now, we are interested in what's going to happen in Gaza. We would like to see an independent Gaza, a peaceful Gaza, a prosperous Gaza, because the purpose of our living is to enable the Palestinians to leave on their own, independently, in freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: The Palestinian perspective now on the Israeli withdrawal. We're joined by Nasser Al-Kidwa, the Palestinian foreign minister.

Thanks so much for joining us.

Is Shimon Peres right? Is Hamas a danger to Palestinians?

NASSER AL-KIDWA, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: No, I don't think so. Hamas is transforming in the right direction. We have very constructive dialogue with Hamas and with other Palestinian factions.

It is now committed to a cease-fire. We are trying to take this to a different level, whereby we can agree on a comprehensive national platform. So things are going in the right direction, and let's hope they will continue in that direction. However, the Palestinian Authority, while it's keen to solve all our problems peacefully, if needed then we will have to imply law and order and to enforce -- to enforce the law.

VERJEE: Are Palestinian security forces ready for that? Are they capable of taking over the power vacuum that many fear will arise once the Israelis pull out of Gaza? Are you ready?

AL-KIDWA: Well, not completely. Unfortunately, partly because of what Israel has done to our security apparatus. It's destroyed totally, and now because of its positions objecting to armament of the security forces, objecting to even getting ammunition for the use of the force. So it is a difficult situation. Nevertheless, we believe that the force is doing its utmost, and they will continue to do so.

VERJEE: If you are not ready, though, that's going to pose a problem though, isn't it? Israeli intelligence says, look, it fears that once they leave, Gaza's going to turn essentially into what they've called "Hamastan," a hotbed of militants really to smuggle weapons and instigate terror. And it would provide Hamas, they say, an opportunity to exploit the weaknesses and the gaps within the Palestinian security infrastructure. Gaps that you've acknowledged.

AL-KIDWA: No, I didn't say that we are not ready. I said that it could have been better. The situation could have been better. But because of the Israeli position, we are where we are now.

VERJEE: How are you going to reign in Hamas?

AL-KIDWA: In any case, I said that the security force will continue to try to do what it can.

VERJEE: How?

AL-KIDWA: Let me also introduce another point. I think the post important thing is the overall political environment.

The Palestinian people have to believe that Gaza is not going to be Gaza last (ph). Mr. Peres said "independent Gaza," for instance. This is not going to be the case.

We want to be -- to have a prosperous Gaza, a peaceful Gaza, but not independent Gaza. There is only independent Palestinian.

We have to have accessibility to Gaza. We have to linkage between Gaza and the West Bank. We have to stop Israeli actions around Jerusalem, inside Jerusalem.

VERJEE: Right. Right, OK.

AL-KIDWA: We have to move to implementing the roadmap. So we have to have hope. We have to have positive horizon. And that is going to be a good reason for all Palestinians to believe in this process and to take the right position.

VERJEE: And there is a lot of hope that the Palestinian Authority will reign in militant factions like Hamas. Are you going to be able to do that? I mean, Hamas is now claiming that it's responsible for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. And there's a lot of fear that Hamas is going to point to this Israeli withdrawal to justify more rocket attacks, more shooting on Israelis.

AL-KIDWA: This is another reason why the Israelis, as well as the Palestinian official sides, have to demonstrate that it was a negotiation, that it was the belief in the peace process, that the road forward is the peaceful negotiation. That's why it's very important to put the proper political context in place and to show that there is a future apart or away from the use of violence and mutual attacks between the two sides.

VERJEE: And to...

AL-KIDWA: Let me emphasize one more side, the political dimension, and the need for a better -- a better future that the Palestinians can believe this.

VERJEE: And with that future, giving something for the Palestinians to believe in, the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, really under pressure to show immediate, tangible economic benefits for the Palestinians in the wake of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. How are you going to do that?

AL-KIDWA: Well, again, that's why accessibility is of utmost importance. There should be freedom of movement within Gaza, between Gaza and the West Bank, and between Gaza and the outside world. Otherwise, we will be in a very bad situation.

In addition to that, international assistance is also extremely important. And here I have to praise the efforts of Mr. Wolfensohn in this regard, the G8 initiative that would provide the Palestinian people with $9 billion in the next three years is also extremely important.

So we will be working on all these fronts. We will be working with the international community, with Mr. Wolfensohn. And, of course, we will be trying our best to improve our performance. And I believe that things hopefully will be better.

VERJEE: Nasser Al-Kidwa, the Palestinian foreign minister. Thank you so much for joining us.

Israeli television will air a taped address from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. CNN plans coverage of the speech. That's expected to be broadcast in about an hour.

CLANCY: Well, now we want to go to our other top story, and that is the self-imposed deadline for presentation of the draft Iraqi constitution. And that's a deadline that's come and gone. Negotiations are going on.

Let's check in with CNN's Aneesh Raman. He is in Baghdad at the -- at the hall where they are to meet -- Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Jim. Less than four hours to go until midnight. And virtually everyone here agrees that something has to happen, one of three things.

The national assembly twice delayed its meeting. Now set to convene in about two hours. The question is whether a draft will be put forth of the constitution at that gathering.

If it is, is it a draft that addresses concerns on federalism and Islam that the Sunnis, as well as the secular Iraqi List had raised? Or is it a draft that the Shia-Kurd coalition puts forth without appeasing everyone? That raises questions about whether this draft constitution could pass a referendum by mid October. The Kurds, the Shia, as well as the Sunnis, all have it in their power to veto, to vote down the constitution by that date.

The second option is that the national assembly convenes and essentially amends the law, allows themselves an extension of the deadline, something they were to have done by August 1. They chose not to. We're hearing they could do that and give themselves a few days, a few weeks, perhaps even a month more to try and hammer out compromise.

The third, though, is easily the most disastrous for the Iraqi political process. If nothing happens by midnight, this government, by law, at least, is dissolved. It becomes a caretaker government. Elections take place in December, and a new government comes into power to start this entire process again.

Everyone wants to avert that. They see that as corrosive to what's taking place in Iraq. The question is, which of the former two happen and when does it happen -- Jim. CLANCY: All right. Aneesh Raman, reporting there live from Baghdad. We'll check back in with him whenever there are developments on that story.

VERJEE: Next on YOUR WORLD TODAY, we're going to follow up on a major story from the weekend.

CLANCY: Flight recorders now recovered from mysterious Cypriot plane crash near Athens. We're going to have the latest on the investigation.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Welcome back. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

Well, Greek authorities have recovered the bodies of 119 of those 121 people who were aboard a Cypriot airliner that crashed into a mountain in Greece. Clues suggest the plane suffered a sudden high- altitude loss of air pressure.

The flight was headed from Cyprus to the Czech Republic. It was to have stopped in Athens when it crashed north of the Greek capital. The plane's two black box voice and data recorders are now headed to France for expert examination.

VERJEE: Let's check some stories making news now in the United States.

The U.S. has been singled out for praise by the U.N. World Food Program for a fast and generous emergency aid donation. Only last week, the U.N. warned of a coming food shortage in South Africa caused mainly by drought and aggravated by poverty and AIDS.

The statement be the World Food Program said, "Washington's $51.8 million donation, one of the largest ever to Southern Africa, will help get food to the neediest people before the crisis peaks several months from now."

Gas prices have shot up 20 cents over the last three weeks. Seven cents just over the weekend. Motorists are paying a record average $2.50 a gallon for regular unleaded. Prices remain below historical highs, though, when you factor in inflation.

We're going to check the business news just ahead.

CLANCY: And that includes the latest on the price of oil and how it's going to affect financial markets around the world.

You are watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Time for a check on what's moving the markets in the United States. (STOCK MARKET REPORT)

CLANCY: Well, up next, Iraq's foreign minister will be talking about the scramble to finish his country's new constitution.

VERJEE: And then...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The intifada here has destroyed the economy, because we are very close in Netzarim. So the people can't come to eat here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: After years of economic downturn, Palestinians wonder if the hard times will end with Israel's withdrawal.

Stay with us for that story and more here on YOUR WORLD TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY, right here on CNN International. I'm Jim Clancy.

VERJEE: And I'm Zain Verjee. Here are some of the top stories that we're following.

CLANCY: Well, there's still bargaining in Baghdad this hour. After establishing a two-hour long delay for the Iraqi National Assembly session to vote on a draft constitution, officials have added another two hour delay. Now, that is to give the constitutional commission still more time to try to find an agreement. Negotiators have until midnight Baghdad time to submit it to the National Assembly.

VERJEE: A historic Israeli withdrawal is underway in Gaza and the West Bank. Thousands of remaining Jewish residents have two days to comply be eviction notices, as Israel dismantles settlements. But as thousands stream out of the area, others do not plan to go quietly. In some settlements, residents formed human chains and burned tires to try and block the delivery of eviction notices.

As the Israeli government pullout -- excuse me, as the Israel pullout from Gaza gets under way. Back in Jerusalem, the Israeli cabinet continued to approve the stages of the withdrawal, but those who oppose the plan are speaking out.

Let's turn now to Paula Hancocks in Jerusalem. Paula, this is a big political gamble for Ariel Sharon, isn't it?

HANCOCKS: It certainly is, Zain, yes. And he certainly hasn't made many friends amongst right-wingers and amongst those settlers themselves. They always thought of Ariel Sharon as the settlers champion. But now they do believe that he has betrayed them by this pullout from all the 21 settlements in Gaza and from four from the West Bank.

Now, at the same time, as these eviction notices were going out, there was a cabinet meeting where they approved the second stage out of four stages of this evacuation, really a formality. Last week, they overwhelmingly approved the first set of settlements. And then this morning, they approved the main settlement bloc Gush Katif.

Now as the ministers, even those that have approved and are supporting Ariel Sharon, came out of this cabinet meeting, they all acknowledged it was a very difficult time for the settlers, and a difficult time for the whole of Israel. This is what the housing minister had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ITSHAK HERZOG, ISRAELI HOUSING MINISTER: This is the most painful day in Israel for generations. We are today carrying out a very, very painful operation in pulling out Israeli citizens from their homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Now Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman this Monday also called Israel's step a courageous step.

Now, what we're waiting for next here in Jerusalem is just over half an hour's time, we will have a speech by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon. He will address the Israeli nation. And what we are expecting him to say is he will empathize with the settlers, but he will not apologize. He is not expected to ask for any forgiveness. Also, we are expecting him to talk about how determined he is to see this evacuation through, and how the law must be abided by -- Zain.

VERJEE: Where will the settlers go?

HANCOCKS: Well, they will be going to many different parts of Israel. A lot of them will be going to temporary housing. There have been some temporary housings being built over the last two months or so, temporary caravans. And much of their belongings will be put in storage for the next couple of years, until permanent housing can be found for many of them -- Zain?

VERJEE: Paula Hancocks in Jerusalem. Thanks, Paula. As Paula just mentioned, Israeli television will air a taped address from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. CNN's planned coverage of the speech expected to be broadcast now in about 40 minutes.

CLANCY: Well, for their part, the Palestinians are hoping that this Israeli pullout is going to revive Gaza's stagnant economy. Hala Gorani reports that there are already some signs of improvement, at least for some businesses in Gaza. But for others, there could still be road blocks to recovery.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Over the last five years, Abu Abdullah has had to fire 90 percent of the workers of his beachfront restaurant in Gaza. Haifa restaurant is across the road from the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. Road closures and military incursions virtually wiped out business here.

ABU ABDULLAH, GAZA RESTAURANT OWNER: The intifada here has destroyed the economy, because we are very close to Netzarim. So the people can't come to eat here to enjoy food and to eat. And the road is closed with tank.

GORANI: Abu Abdullah says a small handful of customers are coming back.

(on camera): But if the Israeli disengagement will help businesses like Haifa restaurant, the economy as a whole, experts say, won't improve unless trade can flow easily across the border, like here at Zarkani Crossing (ph), east of Gaza City. That's because most of Gaza's GDP relies on trade of textiles and agricultural products.

MOHAMMED SAMHOURI, PALESTINIAN ECONOMIC ADVISER: If your borders are controlled by someone else, you cannot compete (INAUDIBLE). You cannot get your products to the point of distillation, on the right time, at the right price, at the right quality. That is not the case right now.

GORANI (voice-over): This Gaza factory makes floor tiles. Its biggest market used to be Israel, but owner Sameh Khozendar tells me his trucks are sometimes held up at the border for three days, and that the Israeli pullout probably won't change things much.

SAMEH KHOZENDAR, KHOZENDAR SONS COMPANY: If we cannot bring it easily from outside to our factory and easy to export our goods to West Bank and Israel, it will not change anything.

GORANI: Back at Haifa restaurant, though, there is optimism in the air. When the settlers go, so will the roadblocks, and the insecurity.

ABDULLAH: I feel that we will return back to work well, and we are prepared for that.

GORANI: Preparing for the future by hiring back five waiters. And Abu Abdullah is having a new sign put up at the door. In Arabic and English, the words read, "Welcome."

Hala Gorani, CNN, Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: All right, let's return to one of our top stories now. And that is the efforts by Iraqi lawmakers to hammer out a new constitution. Now those lawmakers are standing by. They are hoping that, oh, about 3.5 hours from now, at least, they are going to see the look of that draft constitution, something they can consider. It will be debated. Remember, this is a self-imposed deadline. But nonetheless, one being watched very carefully.

From Iraq and from Baghdad, we are now joined live by Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's foreign minister. Thank you so much for being with us.

I think we all know what the holdup is, and that's trying to reach an agreement on so many issues. But this is a critical document. How important, in your view, is it that it gets done tonight?

HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, it's the most important document, Jim, I mean for the future of stability of Iraq, for the future generation.

And, definitely, our leaders are working very hard tonight. I joined you coming straight from that meeting.

But I'd like to assure you that the leaders are making compromises. There is progress to finalize the document on the day -- and the assembly the waiting, actually, to receive that document from the constitutional commission that was set up and tasked to draft this all-important document.

CLANCY: Is this going to be a document that sets out separate rights for Iraqis -- as autonomy for the Kurds, demands from the Shia that they also have autonomy? And some people fear that -- less talk about unity than dividing up the nation.

ZEBARI: No, there has been compromises between all the communities to reach an acceptable document, a social contract between all the communities of Iraq.

Yes, the document underlines the structure of the future Iraqi government to be a federal structure, but a united country. Also, it addresses the concerns of other communities as well.

On this issue, the rule of Islamic law in the constitution, women's rights, a bill of rights for all Iraqis -- so it is a very, very important document, really, for all of us.

CLANCY: When you look at the problem that is being faced now by these lawmakers -- they are going to have to vote on this. How much difficulty are they going to have? It would seem they are not going to have much time if they are to make the deadline. But, of course, they can stay up, they can remain in session throughout the night.

Is that what you would expect?

ZEBARI: I think, according to the interim constitution, that's the Transition Administrative Law, the constitutional commission must submit this document on the 15th of August to the national assembly. And in this mission, this task, I believe, I am confident and Iraqi leaders are confident that it's doable. And it's achievable.

It may take some more time -- I mean, with the remaining few hours -- but talks are continuing and everybody's focused, everybody knows what is at stake for them and for the people of Iraq and for the region.

CLANCY: Have you seen the draft? Are there any surprises in it? How far does it go, say -- let's take one example -- in protect's women's rights? How far does it change things over the current interim laws?

ZEBARI: Definitely -- I have seen the document, Jim, and have participated in many of the discussions earlier.

But, really, the women's right would be protected in this new constitution. There would be equality. There would be participation of women and public life and political life.

There were many debates about civil law in the constitution. But I think there has been some good compromises to reach an acceptable language.

CLANCY: What is the area that needs to be, then, worked out right now? What is the sticking point at this hour?

ZEBARI: What happened -- there has been a number of drafts presented, and you need to merge these different drafts in one single, agreeable -- or agreed -- document or text to be presented to the assembly.

And this is what's happening as I'm speaking to you.

CLANCY: One final question, and that is the concern of some that Iran is playing too great a role in Iraq's internal affairs. There have been the issues of accusations over arms coming across the border in the past. There have been charges that Iranian agents, or those acting on behalf of Iran, have been involved in taking over some cities -- particularly in the south.

How concerned are you about that?

ZEBARI: Well, we are concerned about any influence -- unnecessary influence -- by any of our neighbors. And Iran is a big neighbor, actually. It has its influence over Iraq.

But, recently, we were in an official visit to Tehran with the prime minister, and we have reached some good understandings with the Iranian government to respect Iraqis' will to make their own future; not to interfere in Iraq's internal affairs; and, also, to have the Iraqi government preventing infiltrators, weapons, terrorists from crossing the border into Iraq.

And we have agreed on a number of measures and mechanisms. Really, we have to test those, you see, in the days ahead.

CLANCY: All right. Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq's foreign minister, still very hopeful we're going to see a draft constitution in the coming hours.

Sir, we thank you again for being with us.

RAMAN: After three decades of fighting, peace may be on the horizon in Indonesia's Aceh province.

That's straight ahead here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, and we're going to check on news in the United States where a lot of people are in the dark.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Welcome back. You're watching YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International. In Finland, Indonesia's government and Aceh separates signed an agreement that could mark the beginning of the end of a 30- year conflict.

Andrew Stevens has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREW STEVENS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It took a devastating show of force from nature to bring an end to a manmade conflict. The Asian tsunami in December ravaged the island of Aceh in Indonesia, an island already embroiled in a civil war since 1976.

One hundred and thirty thousand people perished in the tidal waves, whole towns literally wiped from the map. The sheer scale of the catastrophe forcing an end to the fighting. Acehnese rebels fighting for independence and Indonesian government forces agreed to a cease-fire to help the rescue and recovery effort and the eventual rebuilding. Nearly eight months later, that cease fire is now permanent. A peace deal brokered by a former president of Finland, and finally signed Monday in Helsinki.

MARTTI AHTISAARI, CHIEF MEDIATOR: The purpose of this peace process has been to keep a new start for the people of Aceh, to live their lives in peaceful (INAUDIBLE) and democratic society. The agreement includes a strong commitment by the parties to human rights of servants in Aceh.

STEVENS: Both government and rebel leaders stressing a new start.

MALIK MAHMOOD, GAM CHIEF NEGOTIATOR: What we hope we have achieved in the signing of this peace agreement is the beginning of a process that will bring justice to the people of Aceh.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are here to try to make history, a history of peace. Peace means living together, supporting and understanding each other.

STEVENS: There were attempts on an agreement before. The deal breaker has always been a non-negotiable demand by the leaders of the rebel group GAM for full independence, until now. In return for GAM fighters laying down their arms, they'll be allowed to contest provincial elections. Their fighters will be given amnesty, some will receive land and money to rebuild their lives. In a key economic victory Aceh will receive 70 percent of revenues from its oil and gas resources. The Indonesian government will also began the withdrawal of troops from an escalated 30,000 to around 5,000. The speed of the withdrawal will be linked to the surrender of weapons by the rebels.

It's being called the best chance for peace in the 30-year history of this conflict. And as rebuilding gets under way in the shattered province, hopes are growing that this may finally be a deal which will stick, a time not only for rebuilding homes, but rebuilding an entire community free of conflict.

Andrew Stevens, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: Let's pause and take a look at some of the stories that are making headlines in the U.S. Bad weather forcing golf fans to wait an extra day to see who won the PGA Championship in New Jersey. It was worth it, though, Phil Mickelson clinching his second major title with a one-shot victory, with a birdie on the 18th hole. This was the first Monday finish at the PGA Championship in nearly 20 years.

Washington State firefighters are up against a 49,000-acre blaze today. That fire is the largest burning on the U.S. mainland. More than 100 homes have been lost in all. Crews are hoping cooler weather that is coming in helps to beat back the flames. Parts of the Northeast are starting the week with a lot of cleaning up to do. Severe storms rolling through Massachusetts's last night, leaving tens of thousands of people in the dark. The storms also sent floodwaters into the streets of several cities. And high winds toppled trees and knocked down power lines. It is pretty much the same story in New Jersey where high winds, heavy rain, lightning and hail pounded parts of that state. About 25,000 people there lost power.

(WEATHER REPORT)

CLANCY: You are looking at a live picture here. This is the evacuation of settlers from central Gaza. It is taking place right now. They're crossing into Israel. This is the Kissifim (ph) crossing point in central Gaza. That's the road that would lead to Gushkatif (ph), the main settlement bloc. It contains all kinds of other settlements within it. But you can see some of the settlers withdrawing here at the end of a dramatic day. It is a day where we have seen also a lot of resistance by settlers and their supporters that have infiltrated into the Gaza Strip, but many more of the settlers choosing to evacuate when the eviction notices have been given on the last days, and the last hours, as you can imagine, but at the same time, not jeopardizing the payments that might come their way for an evacuation that many now admit is inevitable. We'll continue to follow this story.

VERJEE: Meanwhile, all through Asia and much of the world ceremonies commemorate VJ Day, Victory over Japan, in World War II.

CLANCY: A historic moment in Tokyo, thousands paying tribute to the country's war dead. At the controversial Yasakuni (ph) Shrine. Now it honors 2.5 million Japanese who lost their lives in World War II. Among them, some documented war criminals.

VERJEE: At a separate ceremony, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi apologized once again for his country's wartime colonization and invasions in Asia.

CLANCY: You have been watching YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Jim Clancy.

And I'm Zain Verjee. This is CNN.

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