SULAIMANI (ESTA) — President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Bafel Talabani amid a televised interview that Tuesday broadcasted on a Kurdish TV channel uncovered a number of subjects relating to the overall political situation in the Kurdistan Region, revealing much about the current relationships with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Relations with the KDP and its President Masoud Barzani
PUK President said “frankly speaking we have done our utmost efforts and continuing every effort. I have paid a visit to Kak Masoud more than sixteen times, several PUK delegations visited the KDP brothers. I assume that there is a misunderstanding between us and the KDP.”
Talabani has also revealed that “there is a party interfering in this issue that does not want us [PUK and KDP] to reach an agreement.”
According to Talabani’s words, the current relationships are reached their worst level. Even to an extent that the foreign diplomatic missions including the consulates in Erbil fear breaking out civil war between the PUK and KDP.
However, “I have ensured all consulates that the civil war will not happen,” President Talabani added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
“I am looking for a remedy. We want to have a strong government to serve our people with the KDP. We admire a government for all sides, serving all sides.”
“I see a flagrant difference between both zones [Erbil and Sulaimani], and people are sick about it,” Talabani said, adding that “all service projects have been stopped with nearly 273 private companies announced bankruptcy in Sulaimani.”
“We demand that the Kurdistan Region revenue shall fairly be distributed,” he said. “PUK funds all service projects in Sulaimani instead of the government. Governance should not go in that way.”
“Instead of making barriers let’s resolve the issues together,” President Talabani told the top officials and the KDP to put an end to the differences between Sulaimani and Erbil.
Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections
“We should amend the electoral law. We need parliament,” Talabani said. While also accusing the KDP since it does not have willing to hold elections.
“Frankly speaking the KDP does not want to hold elections. I challenge them [KDP], an official challenge, let’s have suitable electoral law to hold elections.”
Talabani stressed that the minorities must “truly” represent themselves as well as a true voters list of the Region’s people should be prepared then the “PUK is ready to hold elections”.
He laid emphasis on conducting the voters’ list purging since the KDP does not want to do so.
