SULAIMANI (ESTA) — A high-level delegation from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Bafel Jalal Talabani participated in a summit meeting between officials from the Coordination Framework and Sunni Azim Alliance in Baghdad on Tuesday.
The three sides discussed the latest political developments and a roadmap to end the political stalemate, occurred following the parliament’s failure to select a new president after parties failed to reach an agreement on candidates for the positions of president and prime minister.
They stressed the importance of continuing efforts to find a “way out of the political crisis, which requires compromise from all parties and national forces for the sake of people’s interests and finding a roadmap that leads to open the political process and to step to form a government and to secure people’s demands,” Talabani’s office said in a statement.
They also stressed that all parties should begin talks and sit at the “negotiating table in order to understand, strengthen the democratic process, protect Iraq’s political stability and security, and restore citizens’ trust in the political process”, according to the statement.
Iraq entered a political stalemate after the Council of Representatives failed to select a president in three sessions due to disagreements between the political parties.
Under a power-sharing system designed to avoid sectarian conflict, Iraq’s president is a Kurd, its prime minister a Shia and its parliament speaker a Sunni.
A tripartite alliance formed by the Sadrist Movement led by Shia cleric leader Moqtada al-Sadr, Sunni Taqaddum party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) attempted to form the largest parliamentary bloc to elect KDP’s presidential candidate Rebar Ahmed, competing against incumbent Barham Salih of the PUK.
Following the alliance’s failure, Sadr said he would give the Coordination Framework the chance to form the country’s next government.
The 40-day window offered by Sadr started on April 2 on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
