ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – After a busy day of meetings with Kurdish parties in Sulaimani, the prime minister told reporters they were pondering two options to overcome the current crisis – holding a general election or establishing an interim government until elections can be held – stressing that the difficulties could be overcome if the parties are united.
The final decision lies with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), “once we have discussed this matter with the political parties," said Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. He and his deputy, Qubad Talabani, have been sitting down to talk with the various parties this week.
In the wake of Baghdad’s rejection of Kurdistan’s independence vote and Iraq’s assertion of federal control over the disputed areas, several parties have called the KRG a failure and demanded its dissolution, the formation of an interim government to lead talks with Baghdad and manage affairs, and preparations for elections.
Barzani said he needs more information about what role an interim government would take on. He said the current government is itself interim after parliament voted in late October to postpone elections for eight months and extend its mandate until elections can be held. The legislature made the move in light of uncertainties in the Region after the referendum. Presidential and parliamentary elections had been scheduled for November 1.
All parties are opposed to any action that would split the Region into two administrative zones, namely Erbil and Sulaimani, said Barzani, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), after meetings on Tuesday with Gorran, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and the Socialist Democratic Party.
He said they also agreed that talks with Baghdad have to be held on a government level and no party should enter talks with the Iraqi government individually.
“As the government… with all the parties involved, we will go to Baghdad,” Barzani said, adding that no timeframe had been set yet for talks.
Meetings with the parties will continue and decisions will be made public. Barzani is hopeful of a positive outcome.
“It is true that the situation is unstable, but if united, we can overcome it together,” he said.
The financial crisis, specifically lack of full, regular payments of the salaries of public employees, is an issue Gorran and other parties have said must be a priority for the government.
Barzani promised transparency on the matter: “We will provide the salaries of civil servants as far as we can. When we are unable to do, we will come out and explain it to our people.”
The final decision lies with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), “once we have discussed this matter with the political parties," said Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. He and his deputy, Qubad Talabani, have been sitting down to talk with the various parties this week.
In the wake of Baghdad’s rejection of Kurdistan’s independence vote and Iraq’s assertion of federal control over the disputed areas, several parties have called the KRG a failure and demanded its dissolution, the formation of an interim government to lead talks with Baghdad and manage affairs, and preparations for elections.
Barzani said he needs more information about what role an interim government would take on. He said the current government is itself interim after parliament voted in late October to postpone elections for eight months and extend its mandate until elections can be held. The legislature made the move in light of uncertainties in the Region after the referendum. Presidential and parliamentary elections had been scheduled for November 1.
All parties are opposed to any action that would split the Region into two administrative zones, namely Erbil and Sulaimani, said Barzani, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), after meetings on Tuesday with Gorran, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and the Socialist Democratic Party.
He said they also agreed that talks with Baghdad have to be held on a government level and no party should enter talks with the Iraqi government individually.
“As the government… with all the parties involved, we will go to Baghdad,” Barzani said, adding that no timeframe had been set yet for talks.
Meetings with the parties will continue and decisions will be made public. Barzani is hopeful of a positive outcome.
“It is true that the situation is unstable, but if united, we can overcome it together,” he said.
The financial crisis, specifically lack of full, regular payments of the salaries of public employees, is an issue Gorran and other parties have said must be a priority for the government.
Barzani promised transparency on the matter: “We will provide the salaries of civil servants as far as we can. When we are unable to do, we will come out and explain it to our people.”
PM Barzani met with Hero Ibrahim, PUK leadership member and widow of the party’s founder Jalal Talabani. He was accompanied by Deputy PM Qubad Talabani and a number of ministers who come from various parties. Other senior PUK members, including Mala Bakhtiyar, were also present at the meeting.
“We discussed the current situation and our future plans,” Barzani tweeted, “we insisted on unity and supporting the Kurdistan Regional Government.”
دەباشان، کۆبوونەوەمان لەگەڵ یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان، دۆخی ئـێستا و پلانەکانی داهاتوومان تاوتوێ کرد، داکۆکیمان لە یەکڕیزی و پشتگیریی حکوومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان کردەوە. pic.twitter.com/ogar7ybMO3
— Nechirvan Barzani (@PMBarzani) November 21, 2017
Last updated at 11:53 p.m.
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