British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Monday welcomed the signing by the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) of an interim constitution, describing that it as a "significant achievement."  

"I would like to welcome the signing of Iraq's Transitional Law. This is a significant achievement and I want to pay tribute to all parties to this agreement, for their patience and for the spirit of consensus in which they have negotiated it," Straw told a joint news conference with visiting Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.

"This is the clearest demonstration to date of the strong desire to build a free, stable and democratic society in Iraq, despite the terrorist violence which seeks to deny the people of Iraq the future they want," Straw told reporters.

"The transitional law sets out the path Iraq will take to democracy. The people of Iraq will continue to have our full support as they work for their freedom," he added.

The IGC on Monday completed the signing ceremony for the interim constitution after a meeting in the morning.

The signing of the constitution has been repeatedly delayed because of bomb attacks and disputes between Iraq's ethnic groups over the document which forms the foundation for the planned hand-over of sovereignty to an Iraqi government on June 30.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2004)