SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Bafel Jalal Talabani met with diplomats and representatives of foreign countries as well as organizations and international agencies in Erbil on Thursday, according to his office.
Talabani highlighted the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) stance on the latest political developments in the Region and Iraq as well as Kurdistan elections and oil and gas exports during the meeting also attended by Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Rewas Fayaq, his office said in a statement.
“The PUK is a force that has its own political weight and has its own influence in the local, Iraqi and international equation,” Talabani said.
He added that most of the parties agree on changes in the way “elections are held in the Kurdistan Region and to draft a new electoral law which will not allow fraud, allow for voter registration to be cleaned, and will allow the monitories to have their real representatives.”
“Because the election has a national dimension, it must be solved by compromise,” Talabani said, noting that the PUK has publicly announced that the law is not the “property of any party or force and must be adopted by agreements”.
Regarding the financial crisis imposed on Sulaimani, Halabja, Garmian and Raparin, Talabani said the PUK would not remain silent over injustice, non-transparency, monopoly, discrimination and waste of public revenue, the statement read.
“We have also announced our message about that,” he noted.
“Plots against our people in this area and touching their livings are a red line,” he said. “Our people send their complaints and demands to us and we won’t be silent over this situation and all possibilities are open to us.”
Talabani also explained the PUK’s stance about gas exports to Europe for the diplomats and representatives of foreign countries during the meeting, saying contracts and their methods should be made clear to the people, according to the statement.
“We don’t want more suffering for this Region. The case should be worked on transparently and the people should be a part of this process,” he said.
“[If] any attempt is made outside those demands, I publicly and clearly announce that the gas pipeline must be taken on the body of Bafel Jalal Talabani,” he added.
“This is the demand of the Kurdistan Region’s people and I will do it. I won’t choose silence and shame over our people’s livings.”
He further said part of the companies that work in the oil field “are directed by parties and are used for personal interest.”
“We don’t accept the continuation of this situation and we won’t allow any party or force to enrich themselves over the lives and livings of people,” he continued.
“Th PUK is not a force that accepts appendix or provocation from any party or force,” he warned parties aiming to disrupt the situation in Sulaimani, Halabja, Garmian and Raparin and want to impose financial embargo on them.
“We believe in democracy and we totally reject self-assertion and autocrats. But we will take all steps to correct the mistakes for the sake of people’s lives and livings.”
