ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani said on Thursday that his party did all it could to keep Kurdish unity in Baghdad by putting forward one candidate for the Iraqi presidency, but that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) set a “dangerous precedent” by reneging on an earlier agreement and taking the vote to the Iraqi parliament. “Our main priority was to enter the Iraqi parliament hall with one candidate instead of fighting each other,” PM Barzani told reporters at a press conference in Erbil. Barzani revealed that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) had promised the PUK—based on their own demands—major government and ministerial posts in the next Kurdish government in return for Iraq’s presidency which the PUK had occupied for twelve years. “We suggested giving them the post of deputy prime minister in Iraq and any major ministry for the presidency,” Barzani said. “Our efforts were not for the post itself, but for the Kurdistan Region.” “Unity is more important to us than posts,” said the Kurdish prime minister, adding, “The PUK is a major force and we need to deal with them. No party is loser here. KDP's strength comes from the votes and people's support.” PUK candidate Barham Salih was elected president by the Iraqi parliament on Tuesday against KDP’s Fuad Hussein. “We always told the PUK that they were our partners in the government, but now it seems they have chosen a new path based on the number of votes,” said PM Barzani. “And in that case they must give the same right to the other parties.” Barzani dismissed the notion that Baghdad had sided with the PUK candidate against the KDP, saying, “I don't think Baghdad wants to punish the KDP with this presidency saga. Baghdad knows very well where the decision-makers of Kurdish politics lie and they know the nerve system is in Erbil.” The KRG prime minister said that as soon as the final results of Sunday’s elections come efforts will be set into motion to form a new government, starting with the implementation of a new reform program. Barzani congratulated Iraq’s prime minister-designate Adil Abdul Mahdi and hailed him as someone qualified for the post. “As KDP and as government we have congratulated him,” he told the media. “He deserves that post. We have known him for a long time and we believe that he is qualified for that post in every aspect and all sides in Iraq must support him in his work so he succeeds.” “Today we and Iraq have a new chance before us to work together through the constitution, learn from past mistakes and take steps for a brighter future and a better Iraq.” Barzani concluded.
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