KDP and PUK meet to talk about Iraqi government

The two parties said Kurdish presence in central government should be strong.

Kurdish parties Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met on Monday to talk about the ongoing search for the establishment of a new government in Iraq.

In the press statement following the meeting, the parties said that Kurdish representation in Baghdad should be strong.

KDP and PUK met in Hewlêr on Monday morning. On the agenda were the recent developments in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, as well as the establishment of a new government in Baghdad.

After the meeting, PUK Politburo member, Sadi Ahmed Pire and KDP Politburo member, Mahmud Muhammad, held a joint press conference to present the statement agreed by the two parties.

Mahmud Muhammad, KDP spokesperson, stated that Kurds should have a strong presence in Baghdad.

"There is a coordination between the PUK and us. We discussed what to do with the political parties in Baghdad. We are open to dialogue and we will talk to anyone”, he said.

Sadi Ahmad Pire, for the PUK, emphasized that Baghdad should apply the entire Constitution, in particular Article 140.

Reminding the embargo implemented in the Kurdistan Region in the past, Pire said: "These and similar initiatives have never yielded results. These initiatives did not work for Iraq either. We must return to the basic principles on which Iraq was established".

Pire, expressing that the doors of the KDP and PUK are open to all Kurdish parties, added: "The main purpose of the project is to secure the rights of the people of Kurdistan. We want all parties to be involved in this project".