KDP, PUK to take ‘serious steps’ to resolve issues

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region —The Kurdistan Region’s two leading parties released a joint statement on Monday after meeting in Erbil, saying ‘serious steps’ are needed to resolve current issues , and also showing support for Iraq’s 2021 elections. 

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) met on Monday in a meeting led by Kurdistan Region President Barzani. The PUK delegation, led by the party’s co-chair Bafel Talabani and the KDP delegation, led by Hoshiar Zebari met for the first time in three months in an attempt to resolve a variety of differences. 

In the joint statement, the parties focused on the current economic crisis facing the Kurdistan Region and showed their support for early elections in Iraq, scheduled to take place next summer.

“The  two parties assured their support for Baghdad’s preparations in order to hold successful early elections, and emphasized  cooperation with Kurdish representatives in the Iraqi parliament,” the statement said. 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced in July that Iraq elections would be held in June 2021. President Barham Salih officially signed electoral reforms into law last week. 

“Both parties agreed that it is necessary to take serious steps towards resolving all issues between them and other parties in the region, in order to face the current circumstances and support the KRG establishments and serve the community,” it added.

The last time the two parties met was on August 11th, when both parties reaffirmed their commitment to a 2019 agreement regarding governance.

The meeting was in hopes of defusing tensions between the two parties that tightened after the events of October 16, 2017

The KDP and PUK signed a four-year 18-point landmark political agreement on March 4, 2019 for the joint governing of the Region, and the strengthening of Kurdish political unity.

The agreement came in hopes of replacing the “strategic agreement” of 2005, which united the Kurdistan Region under one KRG administration.