BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraq's draft constitution is ready to be put to an October 15 referendum, after days of debate and despite the objections of Sunni Arabs, President Jalal Talabani announced Sunday, hoping Iraqis would support it.

    "The draft constitution is ready and will be presented to the Iraqi people, to give their opinion on October 15," Talabani told reporters at a news conference in central Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.

    "We hope that the draft would be accepted by all Iraqis," he said. "We are optimistic."

    However, Talabani conceded that there is "no perfect book that cannot be amended except the holy Koran."

    The text was presented to parliament on Sunday, yet failed to overcome objections by Sunni representatives, who lost their political dominance with the fall of president Saddam Hussein. The Sunni objections come despite intense US efforts to broker a compromise between Iraq's divided ethnic and religious groups.

    Under current referendum rules, rejection in three of Iraq's 18 provinces, four of which are dominated by Sunni Arabs, would be enough to defeat the constitution.

    The United States and Britain, who see approval of the constitution as key to defusing an insurgency, welcomed the draft, downplaying the lack of unanimous approval.

    US President George W. Bush hailed the draft constitution on Sunday, calling it "an inspiration" for supporters of democracy.

    "This is a document of which the Iraqis, and the rest of the world, can be proud," Bush told reporters from his Texas ranch.

    Bush warned that an upcoming referendum could spark a new wave of violence. "As democracy in Iraq takes root, the enemies of freedom, the terrorists, will become more desperate, more despicable, and more vicious," Bush warned.

    He also acknowledged Sunni opposition, saying "of course, there's disagreements," and "that's their right."

    But he added that "there are strong beliefs among other Sunnis that this constitution is good for all Iraqis and that it adequately reflects compromises suitable to all groups."

    While Bush urged Iraqis to debate the constitution on its merits in the run-up to an October referendum, he sung the document's praises, saying it "contains far-reaching protections for fundamental human freedoms including religion, assembly, conscience and expression."

    Britain, as Presidency of the European Union (EU), said on Sunday that the EU welcomed the publication of Iraq's constitution.

    "The Presidency congratulates the Iraqi people on reaching this important milestone in the political process," the British Foreign Office said in a statement.

    "Drafting Iraq's constitution has been difficult. There have been compromises on all sides. But representatives from across Iraq's diverse community have now produced a constitution which we hope will set the foundations for a democratic Iraq," the statement said.

    "The European Union encourages all Iraqis to play a part in thenext stage of the political process by voting on the draft constitution in the October referendum. Broad public support for the constitution will help ensure a stable future for Iraq," the statement said.

    "The EU will continue to offer its full support to the Iraqi people, including assisting in the run-up to October's referendum and the national elections in December," added the statement.

    Blair on Sunday also hailed the publication of the draft constitution through a statement issued by his office, calling it "an important and historic achievement."

    The ethnic and religious diversity of Iraq made drafting a constitution "a particularly complex task. But compromise is the essence of democracy," Blair, who is currently vacationing in Barbados, said in the statement.

    UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also welcomed the completion of the new draft constitution, a UN spokesman said on Sunday.

    In a statement issued by the spokesman, Annan said the new draft of the constitution is the result of an Iraqi-led and Iraqi-owned process.

    The Secretary-General also welcomed the earnest efforts made by all Iraqi political entities under the difficult circumstances in which this process took place, the spokesman said.

    According to the spokesman, Annan urged all Iraqi communities and political entities to continue to work together in a spirit of national reconciliation, "through a fully inclusive, transparent and participatory political process in the period leading to the national referendum." Enditem