SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Co-President Bafel Talabani met with British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hickey in Erbil on Wednesday, according to his office.
Talabani and Hickey discussed the latest political, economic and security developments and stressed on reconciliation and consonance of the parties to solve the issues in the country, Talabani’s office said in a statement.
They considered the approval of the federal budget law for 2021 as an “important and positive” step and a beginning to put an end to disputes between the Region and Baghdad, the statement read.
“Stability of the Region and prosperity of Kurdistan’s people are our priority and all our efforts must be made for that,” Talabani said, stressing joint work between the Kurdistan Region’s parties and forces.
“We should have a national thinking and avoid personal and political disputes,” he added.
Talabani and Hickey also discussed early parliamentary elections in Iraq, scheduled for October 10.
Talabani expressed the PUK’s desire to hold elections on time, the statement said.
“Iraqi parliamentary elections should be held in a clean and pure manner and under the supervision of international centers, and should express the will of all components and parties,” Talabani was cited as saying.
