US ambassador meets with Kurdish leaders on elections, gov’t formation

Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski met with leaders in the Kurdistan Region on Monday, including Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) head Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, discussing the recent elections and inclusive government formation.

The Region held parliamentary elections on October 20 overseen by Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) with the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) securing 39 seats. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) won 23 seats and the New Generation Movement 15 seats.

“The KDP has formed a team to discuss the formation of the government and the agenda of the next government with the [other political] sides,” read a statement from the KDP presidency.

The KDP leader also assured the US delegation, including Consul General to Erbil Steven Bitner, that their party is not excluding any other party, the statement added.

Romanowski congratulated Barzani on “the victory of the October 20 parliamentary elections and stressed that the elections were held in a democratic and peaceful atmosphere,” the KDP statement added.

Barzani also thanked the international community and IHEC for their “notable role in the success” of the elections.

Romanowski called the meeting with the KDP president "productive" in a post on X, adding they discussed efforts to form a government "without delay."

"We will continue to work with our partners in the KRG to promote a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq," added the post from the US ambassador.

The top US diplomat in Iraq also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) PM Masrour Barzani “to reaffirm U.S. support for the swift formation of a government,” according to a post from the ambassador on X.

Romanowski conveyed that Washington supports a process that is “inclusive and responsive to the needs of the IKR’s [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] people.”

The parliamentary elections were a first for the Region with the legislature being downsized to 100 seats from 111, after a landmark Iraqi court ruling stripped the 11 seats reserved for ethnic and religious minorities, later reinstated a quota of five seats within the 100.

“Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the U.S. Ambassador agreed on the importance of a new cabinet to advance the KRG's agenda and continue serving all citizens and communities,” read a statement from the office of the prime minister.

 


The premier and the US ambassador agreed on the importance of a new cabinet to advance the KRG's agenda and continue serving all citizens and communities, according to the statement.

The polls saw a voter turnout of 72 percent, with over 2 million people across the Region casting votes, according to IHEC.

PM Barzani stressed that “the new government's configuration should be determined based on the political parties' votes and shares of parliamentary seats, leading to a government that is inclusive, strong, and unified.”

They also discussed “ongoing conflict in the Middle East and agreed on the need to maintain security and stability to safeguard Iraq and the Kurdistan Region from the consequences of the conflict,” according to the PM’s statement.
 
Romanowski also noted “Peshmerga reform efforts” in the post by the ambassador.

The US ambassador also met with Qubad Talabani, KRG deputy prime minister and a PUK official, on governance efforts and Peshmerga reforms

"A strong and resilient KRG is necessary to ensure the security, stability, and sovereignty of Iraq and combat threats to the region," read a post on X from Romanowski.

Although the Peshmerga forces are under the authority of the Peshmerga ministry, the force’s two largest units are divided among the KDP and PUK.

"All political fronts have agreed on this program, that the Peshmerga Units 70 and 80 will gradually become smaller in size until they all fall under the umbrella of the ministry," PM Barzani said at the Middle East Research Institute Forum in Erbil on Wednesday.

The United States has supported efforts to unify the partisan forces under the umbrella of the Ministry of Peshmerga.

Update at 10:37 pm