BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNS) — An Iraqi archbishop expressed optimism that the Iraqi parliament will vote to ensure Christians and other minorities are represented in provincial councils. “Everybody is saying it should be an issue to guarantee the rights of the minorities. The nuncio in Baghdad (Archbishop Francis Chullikatt) played a very strong role, contacting several of those responsible. I think it will work,” said Chaldean Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk, in an Oct. 7 e-mail to Catholic News Service. “I think the (minorities) quota will be reinstated because the clergy and politicians have worked hard for that,” Archbishop Sako said Oct. 4 in an earlier e-mail to CNS. On Sept. 24, the parliament removed Article 50, the minorities provision, from the old elections law when it created the new provincial elections law. Following protests by Iraqi Christians, the Iraqi parliament agreed Oct. 3 to consider the minority provisions in a separate bill. The new elections law — without Article 50 — was approved by the Iraqi Presidency Council Oct. 7. Iraqi elections must be held by Jan. 31.