KDP Welcomes President Barzani's Appeal, Says It Is Ready To Meet PUK
The PDK says it is fully ready for dialogue, and also for talks with other parties, to end the Kurdistan Region’s political crisis four days after the PUK said it was quitting the government
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Monday welcomed an appeal by President Masoud Barzani on the political situation and said it is fully ready to meet and talk with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to resolve their problems and end the Kurdistan Region’s political crisis.
KDP spokesman Mahmoud Mohammed said in a statement that the party also stresses holding talks and meetings with the Region’s other political parties, so that all can meet the demands of citizens and pass this difficult stage in the interest of the people and the homeland.
In his message, President Barzani said that all sides must keep in mind that the interest of the people of Kurdistan is greater than every other interest and objective
On that basis, he asked “our brothers in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan” to sit down with the KDP, resolve the problems and bring an end to the Region’s political crisis.
He also said he would like the Region’s other political parties to take part in the steps of the political process, form a broad-based national government and answer the demands of the people of Kurdistan.
The appeal comes after the Kurdistan Parliament met on November 4 for the first time in nearly two years and elected KDP lawmaker Vala Farid as speaker, with the PUK and its ally New Generation boycotting the session.
PUK leader Bafel Talabani announced on Thursday that his party is quitting the Kurdistan Regional Government and said it would name its own Region president and cabinet if the KDP does.
He said the PUK would recognize neither the parliament nor any government or post that comes out of it, and he called the session illegal and an attempt to impose one party’s will, according to Iraqi media.
The PUK’s Board of Government met on Saturday to prepare to carry out his decisions, and the KDP says the session was lawful.
The KDP won 39 seats in the 100-seat parliament in October 2024 and the PUK 23. KDP-PUK talks on a new cabinet have repeatedly broken down over power-sharing and senior posts, and Monday’s appeal was President Barzani’s second in a week, according to Iraqi media.
Iran called for the dispute to be resolved constitutionally, Kurdistan 24 reported on Monday, and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani agreed in Baghdad to work out ways to settle disputes with the federal government under the constitution, according to the prime minister’s office.