5:38 pm
KDP and PUK to choose next Kirkuk governor
Mahmoud Mohammed, KDP spokesperson, told reporters that the meeting was mainly aimed at formulating practical steps and setting timelines.
One of the points was the future agreement between the two parties. It will be finalized sometime next week, and then both politburos sign off.
“We have reached an agreement on February 18 being a suitable day for the parliament to convene,” added Mohammed, saying both parties will facilitate a parliamentary session.
There were no talks of positions or posts, he added, as those will be determined by February 18.
“We have given our word to intensify efforts to normalize the situation there [in Kirkuk] however possible,” added Mohammed.
Thus, the Kirkuk Provincial Council needs to meet to normalize the situation, adding February 18 is also the set date for the council’s meeting.
“In that first meeting that will be held, it is an assessment of the administrative and security setting of Kirkuk and its surroundings and what the necessary steps are that the Council needs to take with the backing of KDP and PUK,” Mohammed added.
As for electing a governor for Kirkuk, it will happen after a PUK and KDP agreement, added the spokesperson, without confirming whether the first meeting will see the electing of a governor for Kirkuk.
An “understanding” and agreement needs to be reached with the federal government for Kirkuk, mainly over security, in a formula that satisfies local Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen.
3:24 pm
KDP, PUK agree on Kurdistan Parliament to convene on Feb 18
Following a-three-hour-long meeting in Erbil the KDP and PUK announced that they have agreed on four points in order to end a deadlock the two former allies have been in since the September elections.
Leaders of the two parties said they have tasked some committees “political projects to kick off their works and in the middle of next week meet to discuss the results of their joint works and present them to the PUK and KDP politburos in order to sign agreements on them."
One of the points of agreement is for the Kurdistan Region Parliament to convene on February 18, PUK negotiator Pira said.
"On the same day, February 18, the Kirkuk Provincial Council will convene to resolve the issues of Kirkuk," he added.
Without providing further details, Pira said that the third point they agreed on was appointing a new governor for Kirkuk.
He said the two parties are also working to resolve their outstanding issues in Baghdad.
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11:30 am
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – High-level leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are meeting in Erbil today to continue negotiations on the formation of the next government cabinet and both parties are calling today’s gathering “decisive”.
“If the problem was only over the distribution of ministerial positions it would have been resolved in a week or so,” PUK negotiator Saadi Ahmed Pira told Rudaw.
Pira said that the core of the negotiations is over policies and the government agenda for the next four years.
“The problem goes beyond the distribution of positions,” he added. “The problem has multiple dimensions including future policies, development policies, and economic policies.”
The PUK has been in the government in various coalitions with the KDP since 2005.
“This cabinet might need to restructure the government and its policies and this requires an agreement among parties.” Pira said of his party’s position.
At today’s meeting the KDP negotiation team is headed by current prime minister and the party’s deputy leader Nechirvan Barzani. Their PUK counterpart is led by Kosrat Rasul.
“The government will not succeed if formed alone,” KDP leadership council member Khasro Goran told Rudaw.
Goran said that the KDP is seeking other parties’ participation in the next cabinet.
“The KDP will do its best to convince other parties to join the government so that they too take part in governance.” Goran said.
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