A vote over Afghanistan's post-war constitution was postponed on New Year's Eve, as many delegates at the constitutional assembly refused to accept an amended draft of the national document. 

The gathering, earlier scheduled to culminate late Wednesday through a vote on the document, apparently failed again to reach consensus on some controversial issues due to persisting differences among the delegates.

"As some delegates are out, I postpone the voting until 9 o'clock tomorrow," assembly chairman Sibghatullah Mujadadi told the session late Wednesday.

Over 500 legislators from across the country have gathered in a huge tent at a west Kabul campus to study a government-drafted constitution since Dec. 13.

The Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, has been overshadowed by differences between the delegates who support President Hamid Karzai and former Mujahidin leaders who fought against the Soviet occupation in 1990s.

Karzai has been advocating a strong presidential system for Afghanistan, arguing that only such a system could benefit the war-torn country where there are no political parties with nation-wide influence.

But opposition delegates demanded that the country should have a strong parliament to balance presidential powers.

Mujadadi, the assembly chairman, on Wednesday failed to force a vote on the amended draft, in which some delegates said their demands to restrict the presidential authority were omitted.

"The seen and unseen involvement of certain circles in the process forced us to stand firm and defend national interests," opposition delegate Abdul Shakoor Waqif said, referring to reported interference by the transitional government.

"We would have no choice but to boycott if such interference continues to hit the Loya Jirga," he told Xinhua through telephone from the assembly site.

According to the delegate, key controversial issues include the country's future political system, the parliament's powers, and dual citizenship holders' possible role in the national politics.

It is believed that if those articles proposed by the opposition camp are included in the new constitution, many of President Karzai's Cabinet would be affected. 

(Xinhua News Agency January 1, 2004)