According to Rojnews, Erşad Salihi, former President of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC), told Iraqi media that they have reached an agreement with the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party, the ruling party in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq which is in close cooperation with the Turkish state) and Arabs on the local administration of Kirkuk.

Erşad Salihi stated: "Negotiations between the parties and political leaders are ongoing. The Iraqi Prime Minister's attempts to reach an agreement have been successful."

Remarking that the political blocs have not yet reached an agreement, Erşed Salihi said, "I believe that an agreement will be reached within a few days. Because time is limited. The current situation in Kirkuk is not in anyone's favour.”

Erşed Salihi finally said, "Arabs, Turkmens and KDP reached an agreement among themselves on this issue."

Kurdish parties have 7 seats in the Kirkuk Provincial Assembly, which consists of 16 seats. At a time when the Kurds are striving for national unity, the KDP made an agreement with Arabs and the Turkmen Front, which acts on the orders of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, but not with the Kurds for the post of Kirkuk Governorate.

According to the results of the provincial general assembly elections held in Iraq on 18 December, ‘Kirkuk Our Power and Will Coalition’ led by PUK came first in Kirkuk with 5 seats. While the Arab Coalition won 3 seats with 102,558 votes, the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) won 2 seats and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 2 seats. The KDP suffered a serious decline in the elections.

Following the PUK’s success, the negotiation traffic between Turkey and the KDP intensified. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Head of National Intelligence Organisation Ibrahim Kalin and most recently AKP President Tayyip Erdoğan held meetings with the Barzanis under the KDP administration in the Federal Kurdistan Region after the elections.

The ITC statement regarding Kirkuk was made at a time when the Turkish state is expanding its occupation attacks in the region with the open complicity of the KDP, which is harsly criticized by Kurdish forces and parties because of its partnership in the unlawful and anti-Kurdish genocidal campaign, operations and activities in the region.