KDP, PUK to hold gov’t formation talks in Baghdad as united delegation

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The two leading parties in the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday announced they had agreed to form a joint delegation for holding government formation talks in Baghdad.

The decision came after officials from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met at the KDP politburo office in Erbil to join efforts in post-election talks in Baghdad.

After an hours-long gathering, the officials agreed to form a joint Kurdistani delegation that will soon head to the federal capital to negotiate the formation of a new government with leading Iraqi political parties.

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KDP and PUK politburo members Hoshyar Zebari and Emad Ahmad, respectively, made the announcement during a press conference after the meeting. The two parties affirmed they must "work together and negotiate together in Baghdad," Zebari said.

"The new members of the Iraqi Council of Representatives will meet soon, and that's where the work on the new Iraqi government starts." 

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"The PUK and KDP will work together in Baghdad, and we hope the other Kurdish political parties participate with us and support us so we can have one united voice," Zebari added.

Delegations from the two Kurdish parties also met in Sulaimani on Wednesday and agreed to hold the Kurdistan Region's next parliamentary election in September.

They discussed the process of writing the Kurdistan Region's constitution, the parliamentary elections, and the reactivation of the electoral commission, according to a joint statement shared with Kurdistan 24.

"The two ruling parties agreed that the Kurdistan Parliament elections should be held on time," the statement added.

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