PUK, KDP joint delegation in Baghdad ahead of first parliament session

Reports 11:56 AM - 2022-01-08

The joint delegation of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) held several meetings with the political parties in Baghdad to discuss the formation of the government ahead of holding the first session of the Iraqi Parliament.

On Sunday, the new Iraqi Parliament is scheduled to hold its first session following more than two months over holding early elections in the country.

The joint delegation of the PUK and the KDP arrived in Baghdad on Friday and met with the Iraqi President and several political forces, including parties of the Shiite Coordination Framework (includes all Shiite parties except the Sadrist Movement), as well as the Sadrist Movement.
 
After the meeting with the Sadrist movement ended, Nassar Al-Rubaie, representing the Sadrist movement, and Hoshyar Zebari, representing the joint delegation, held a press conference, where Nassar al-Rubaie said, "the meeting was fraternal, in which the political developments and the file of forming political alliances were discussed."

"We were honored today to receive the joint delegation of the PUK and the KDP, and God willing, we will have unified visions towards holding the next session of the new parliament."

For his part, Hoshyar Zebari said, "the meeting was amicable and we discussed post elections, and everyone."

"We have an important national mission before us, which is holding the first session of the Parliament, and everyone is required to benefit from this experience and prove that democracy will be the arbiter in determining the fate of this country," he added. 

Meanwhile, a member of the delegation, Harem Kamal Agha, stressed the need to address differences and reach an agreement in Baghdad.

"The joint delegation carried two messages, the first is that the Kurds are part of the solution, not the problem inside the Shiite house, because the division of political forces will affect the overall political process, and the second message is that the Kurds will participate in the next government with a unified paper to provide the rights and entitlements of the people of Kurdistan," Agha told PUKmedia on Saturday.

"The Kurds formed a unified delegation and the Sunnis agreed among themselves, but the Shiite parties have not reached any agreement yet which makes the matter difficult as they did not reach an agreement on the largest bloc, and the dispute still exists between the Coordination Framework ( includes all Shiite parties apart from Sadrist Movement) and the Sadrist movement," he said.

Agreement of political parties to choose parliament presidency

Regarding the holding of the first session of the Iraqi Parliament scheduled to take place on Sunday, Agha said: "The session will be held tomorrow because this matter is defined by a constitutional ceiling and it cannot be postponed, but we do not know yet whether the second paragraph will be implemented as well or not? Which is the selection of the president and his two deputies."

He also pointed out that the Sunni parties have agreed on a candidate for the position of Speaker of the Council of Representatives, but the Shiite parties have not yet agreed on a candidate for the position of First Deputy Speaker which will inevitably lead to the postponement of the session.

Agha indicated that the joint delegation will continue its meetings with the political parties in Baghdad, and it will meet Nuri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law coalition, in addition to Mr. Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National State Forces Alliance.

PUK, KDP: Together we are stronger in Baghdad

The Kurdish political parties emphasize going to Baghdad and participate in the next Iraqi government in a unified position to achieve the rights and entitlements of the Kurdistan Region.

Last Wednesday, the PUK and the KDP met in Erbil and discussed joint work towards securing the rights of the citizens of the Kurdistan Region.

After the meeting of the two parties’ delegations, Imad Ahmed, a member of the Political Bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, said during a press conference, “we discussed in detail the rights of the citizens of the Kurdistan Region," adding that "when we go to Baghdad, we go to protect the rights of the Kurds and try to achieve the entitlements of the Kurdistan Region in Baghdad and become a real partner in a new democratic, federal Iraq."

For his part, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's Political Bureau, Hoshyar Zebari, told the reporters, "during the meeting, they discussed the political process in Iraq and the relations between the PUK and the KDP, stressing joint action and dialogue in Baghdad."

Positive and important visit

Political analyst Wathiq Al-Jabri told PUKmedia that the unity of the Kurds is necessary at the current stage, and it is very important to see a unified Kurdish position.

"We hope to see a unified Shiite and Sunni position as it exists among the Kurds, and we need in the current stage to unify positions and define goals and objectives to chart the strategies of the next stage," he said.

Amiri thanks PUK, KDP

A statement by the Fatah Alliance said: "The head of the Fatah Alliance, Hadi al-Amiri, received on Friday evening the joint delegation of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) at his office in Baghdad, and Amiri informed the delegation during the meeting, that the Coordination Framework (which includes all Shiite parties except for Sadr Movement) believes that tearing up the Shiite situation is not in the interest of anyone and that the understanding with the Sunnis among themselves, as well as the Kurdish component, imposes a Shiite understanding."

Amiri told the delegation, according to the statement, "We have done everything we can for the sake of the understandings, and we will work with every effort to make these understandings a success because the country faces great challenges," noting that "the next government faces huge responsibilities and needs political and social harmony."

Amiri also thanked the PUK and the KDP for not giving precedence to one party over another and for their support for understandings within the Shiite house.



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