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Iraqi Bill Helps Baath Members

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By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr., The New York Times

Published: January 13, 2008

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi parliament passed a bill Saturday to allow some former officials from Saddam Hussein's party to apply for government positions in the first of the so-called political benchmark measures to pass after months of U.S. pressure for progress.

The measure, which is expected to be approved to become law by the presidential council, was described by its backers as opening the door for the reinstatement of thousands of low-level Baath Party members barred from office after the 2003 U.S invasion.

The Bush administration has urged the Iraqi government to pass such a measure to start healing deep rifts between Sunni Arabs who used to control the government and the Shiites who now dominate politics.

It was unclear Saturday, however, how far the legislation would go toward soothing Sunni Arabs, many of whom have denounced the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for shutting them out. Under the new legislation, Iraqi officials said, the most senior former Baath officials would be eligible only to have their pensions reinstated, and anyone convicted of crimes would not be allowed to return.

A spokesman for the largest Sunni Arab bloc in parliament, Tawafiq, said the group supported the bill. Mohammed al-Diani, a member of the hard-line Sunni National Dialogue Council, said the bill still would restrict "many scientists, professors, doctors, engineers and other competent men."

Some Shiite officials praised the legislation for just that reason, saying that strong restrictions on former Baathists still would be in place.

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