Rumsfeld calls Iraqi political delay 'not helpful'

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Rumsfeld calls Iraqi political delay 'not helpful'

ASUNCION, Paraguay (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday called Iraq's weeklong delay in drafting a new constitution "not helpful," but said he was confident the postponement would not push back a planned Oct. 15 referendum on the document.

Rumsfeld's remarks were more critical than those made by U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday after the seven-day delay was announced in Baghdad. Bush played down the delay and Rice said, "We are witnessing democracy at work in Iraq."

Asked about the delay in completing the constitution, Rumsfeld said that "the sooner it is done, the fewer Iraqis that will be killed, the fewer Americans or coalition forces that will be killed."

"I have every confidence that they (Iraqis) will end up voting on a new constitution on October the 15th when they had originally planned to do so," Rumsfeld told reporters aboard his airplane before landing in Paraguay at the beginning of a trip to Latin America.