"This meeting is among the last ones. I have heard from sides that 90 percent of differences and definitions - where needed - have been settled. Disputes have been reduced. Those [issues] that carried criticism and disputes have been addressed,” PUK spokesperson Saadi Ahmed Pira told Rudaw.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, also a deputy KDP leader, and PUK leader Bafel Talabani are meeting in Erbil to discuss the formation of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and regional developments.
“There are a few things left that were above the authority of the delegations and have been kept for the top meeting, which is taking place today. I believe that today is important,” Pira said.
The Kurdistan Region held its delayed parliamentary elections in October. No single party won a majority, meaning a governing coalition will have to be formed, as has historically been the case, but the political parties have yet to reach a final agreement.
The KDP came out on top, securing 39 spots in the 100-member legislature. The PUK came in second with 23 seats. Several opposition parties have claimed electoral fraud.
The KDP and PUK, while rivals, have shared power in government since the establishment of the Kurdistan Region in the 1990s.
On January 16, Barzani and Talabani had their first meeting since the elections to discuss the government formation.
During the election campaign, Talabani positioned himself as a strong critic of the current cabinet, frequently directing his rhetoric at Barzani.