PUK head calls on KDP to 'come forth seriously'

Dilan Sirwan

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Wednesday called on the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to take serious steps forward in order to resolve all outstanding issues between the parties.

Speaking at the Erbil Forum in Erbil, Bafel Talabani said that the PUK is ready to initiate dialogue with the KDP in a bid to bring both sides together, “but come forth seriously,” he said calling on the KDP.

“Can we not separate our problems? Let's solve other problems. If we cannot solve the bigger issues, let's start with the small ones,” Talabani said. “Hopefully we will have no problems in the end.”

The KDP and the PUK have been at loggerheads in recent months over the Region’s parliamentary elections, the transparency of the oil and local income of the provinces under their influence, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil in October.

Despite working together in the KRG, the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone“. The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.

However, according to Talabani, the existence of problems should not become a pretext to halting relations and dialogue.

“It is okay for two parties to have differences… but when a country’s institutions are used to target one side, this is not right,” he said, adding that his party is not ready to attend government meetings until such issues are resolved.

Both parties met on an electoral body level in Erbil on Tuesday, with both parties announcing in a joint statement that they reached a “mutual understanding” on “majority” of points related to how the upcoming elections should be held.

Rudaw understands that both parties have agreed on the method of the election as well as coordinating with Iraq’s electoral commission to benefit from their voter list of the Kurdistan Region.

However, according to Talabani, the problem between the parties is not the absence of meetings, but rather the absence of a solid outcome from the meetings.

“If we can agree on the laws and not conduct any childish manoeuvres, then we will be more than happy to hold elections,” he said.

The issues between the Kurdistan Region’s two ruling parties has attracted international attention as well, at times commending both sides and mediating during meetings.

The US and the UK have at times praised both parties’ efforts to resolve their differences, however Talabani claims that the West is not happy about an agreement taking so long.

“The foreigners want to help us but they're laughing at us,” he said.

Speaking of attempts to reach an agreement with Baghdad, Talabani said that an agreement with Baghdad would be the best way forward.

“Baghdad is willing to cooperate with us. They only have one request, they are saying we will do our job and you do yours,” he said. “The reason for our close ties with Baghdad is that it should be so. We have to keep ties with our friends.”

The budget has been a frequent point of contention between Erbil and Baghdad, especially after the Kurdistan Region's decision to sell its oil through Turkey. Almost two years after Iraq passed its last budget law, Erbil and Baghdad remain in disagreement over several key issues. Kurdish government delegations have traveled to Baghdad on several occasions to reach common ground with the Iraqi government, however, they have yet to reach a resolution on all disagreements.

Following a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation visit to Baghdad earlier this week, the delegation announced that they had reached a a preliminary agreement with the federal government regarding the 2023 Iraqi budget bill.