ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A senior Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader called for renewed efforts between his party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) during this important time for the Kurdistan Region.
The two main leading parties of the Kurdistan Region met in Erbil on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues including efforts to reactivate the parliament and inter-party relations.
“An important aspect of today’s meeting was that the strategic alliance was discussed. We discussed whether we will continue our past strategic alliance or discard it. Some of the objectives laid out in the strategic alliance have now been achieved, and we together have to strive to realize the goals which have not been achieved yet,” Mala Bakhtiar, PUK executive member, said in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the KDP.
The PUK and the KDP have shared a strategic alliance for about a decade and have practically ruled the Kurdistan region since its foundation after the first Gulf War of 1991.
“In order to be able to take steps together toward another, higher phase amid the unfolding events in the Region and resolve the problems which exist in the society, peoples’ thinking as well as problems of people, we need a new alliance which incorporates the aims enshrined in the strategic treaty. The new alliance will not be at the expense of any party. We will be combining the shared objectives of the KDP and PUK and will be striving to achieve them,” Bakhtiar added.
Barzani said he agreed that Kurdistan was entering a new phase that needed a “new reading.” He said the two parties discussed a roadmap presented by the PUK earlier this year that had at its core a new vision for relations between political parties.
“It was an important meeting at this stage on the roadmap which the PUK had previously written and submitted to parties. We had previously responded to them officially, and today we met practically to discuss the mechanisms of implementing the roadmap,” said Barzani.
With respect to the contentious issue of reactivating the Kurdistan Region’s parliament that has not sat in a year and a half amid a dispute between the KDP and Gorran, Barzani reiterated that his party has dropped all conditions to return to the legislature, adding “We hope that the parliament commences its work as soon as possible.”
A member of Gorran told Rudaw on Monday that the party would like to know the proposed agenda for parliament before committing to its reactivation.
Gorran supports in principle holding a referendum on independence but has insisted that it must have a mandate from parliament.
Bakhtiar said he hopes Gorran will explain in the coming day or two what remaining concerns they have so that “we can sit and study them” and reach a conclusion to the matter.
Responding to some who have called for a delay of the referendum, scheduled for September 25, Barzani asked what alternative there was and said that what has been decided in multi-party meetings “still stands and should be implemented.”
The two main leading parties of the Kurdistan Region met in Erbil on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues including efforts to reactivate the parliament and inter-party relations.
“An important aspect of today’s meeting was that the strategic alliance was discussed. We discussed whether we will continue our past strategic alliance or discard it. Some of the objectives laid out in the strategic alliance have now been achieved, and we together have to strive to realize the goals which have not been achieved yet,” Mala Bakhtiar, PUK executive member, said in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani of the KDP.
The PUK and the KDP have shared a strategic alliance for about a decade and have practically ruled the Kurdistan region since its foundation after the first Gulf War of 1991.
“In order to be able to take steps together toward another, higher phase amid the unfolding events in the Region and resolve the problems which exist in the society, peoples’ thinking as well as problems of people, we need a new alliance which incorporates the aims enshrined in the strategic treaty. The new alliance will not be at the expense of any party. We will be combining the shared objectives of the KDP and PUK and will be striving to achieve them,” Bakhtiar added.
Barzani said he agreed that Kurdistan was entering a new phase that needed a “new reading.” He said the two parties discussed a roadmap presented by the PUK earlier this year that had at its core a new vision for relations between political parties.
“It was an important meeting at this stage on the roadmap which the PUK had previously written and submitted to parties. We had previously responded to them officially, and today we met practically to discuss the mechanisms of implementing the roadmap,” said Barzani.
With respect to the contentious issue of reactivating the Kurdistan Region’s parliament that has not sat in a year and a half amid a dispute between the KDP and Gorran, Barzani reiterated that his party has dropped all conditions to return to the legislature, adding “We hope that the parliament commences its work as soon as possible.”
A member of Gorran told Rudaw on Monday that the party would like to know the proposed agenda for parliament before committing to its reactivation.
Gorran supports in principle holding a referendum on independence but has insisted that it must have a mandate from parliament.
Bakhtiar said he hopes Gorran will explain in the coming day or two what remaining concerns they have so that “we can sit and study them” and reach a conclusion to the matter.
Responding to some who have called for a delay of the referendum, scheduled for September 25, Barzani asked what alternative there was and said that what has been decided in multi-party meetings “still stands and should be implemented.”
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