ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received the Turkish ambassador to Iraq on Monday, discussing a range of topics, including the ongoing political uncertainty in Baghdad, according to a statement from Barzani’s office. “The meeting focused on developing the bilateral relations of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with Turkey, especially in the fields of economics, trade exchange, and collective cooperation. The President and the Ambassador of Turkey also discussed the latest developments in the political process, the issue of presidential election, and the ongoing efforts to form a new Iraqi Federal Government,” read the statement. Barzani and Ali Riza Guney “agreed on the importance of protecting the stability and peace in Iraq for the continued stability of the wider region. They also highlighted the current period in Iraq and how to overcome the challenges through the cooperation of the country’s all political parties and communities, and utilizing Iraq’s vast natural resources,” it added. Monday marks one full year following the early parliamentary elections in Iraq, which came as a result of nationwide anti-corruption protests. The elected legislature has failed in forming Iraq’s next cabinet during that one-year period, due to continued disagreements between the political blocs over the mechanism of its formation. A delegation from the Running the State Coalition, consisting of officials from Shiite and Sunni winning political parties, arrived in Erbil on Monday, meeting with Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). A statement from the KDP leader’s office said that the attendees of the meeting agreed to study the subjects and reach a solution before the parliamentary session which is set to elect the president. Dozens of Iraqi parliamentarians have called for a meeting to elect a president for the country but the parliament has not approved it. KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are racing for the mostly-ceremonial position.
