Kurdistan's two main ruling parties prepare joint national project for dialogue with Baghdad

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The two main ruling parties in the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), have discussed preparations for a national project to begin a dialogue with the winning Iraqi political parties for the formation of the new federal government.

The political bureaus of the KDP and PUK met in Erbil to discuss a national project for the Kurdistan Region for dialogue with Iraqi political parties, the spokespersons of both parties said in a joint press conference on Monday.

Mahmood Mohammed, the KDP spokesperson, said the meeting was a continuation of previous meetings between political bureaus from both sides on the situation and recent developments in Kurdistan and Iraq.

“The meeting addressed the preparations for a joint project [for dialogue with the Iraqi parties] after the announcement of official, and final results of the May 12 elections,” Mohammed said.

He added that bilateral relations between the PUK and the KDP regarding the current situation in Kurdistan are important.

The KDP spokesperson called on other Kurdish parties to end their boycott, criticism, and appeals of the elections when the final results are announced, stating that both parties’ doors are always open for others to join.

Saadi Ahmed Pira, the PUK spokesperson, said they are working on preparing a joint national project with the KDP. The project will be the basis for dialogue with political parties in Iraq about the future of the country and the establishment of a new federal government in Baghdad, he added.

Pira also noted a joint committee from both parties would prepare a draft of the national project which will then be endorsed by the political bureaus in a follow-up meeting.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany