SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Co-leaders Bafel Talabani and Lahur Sheikh Jangi met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Sulaimani on Tuesday, stressing the need for unity among the parties.
Barzani arrived in Sulaimani city on Tuesday morning and held talks with Change Movement (Goran), PUK and Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party.
The PUK co-leaders and the Region’s president discussed the latest developments, the current political situation and relations between the political parties as well as issues between Erbil and Baghdad, early elections in Iraq, and Kurdistan Region’s constitution.
They stressed “the continuation of comprehensive dialogue and the need for unity and reconciliation between the parties, mutual understanding and working together to restore strong confidence to solve the problems by returning to agreements signed between the parties, particularly on national and strategic issues in order to preserve the high interests of our nation,” PUK co-leaders’ office said.
They also stressed on “finding a peaceful environment and putting aside political issues and disputes, and finding and determining a common framework that will be accepted by all parties so as to preserve interests and achievements, and defend rights”, the statement read.
The PUK co-leaders thanked Barzani for his national role in bringing the parties and the different views close together, according to the statement.
They also shed light on the problems that have deepened the disputes, the PUK co-leaders’ office said. They also reaffirmed the PUK’s view for “unity between the parties and reaching a common vision to overcome the challenges”.
On Monday, the Region’s president met with leaders from the Kurdistan Justice Group and Kurdistan Islamic Union in Erbil.
They discussed the latest political developments in the Kurdistan Region, ongoing preparations of the Region’s constitution, relations between Erbil and Baghdad, and the upcoming Iraqi elections, the Region’s presidency said in a statement.
“The importance of joint efforts and unity among Kurdistan Region’s communities and parties was affirmed, and the role of the Kurdistan Region Presidency was greatly appreciated as a unifying factor for all groups,” the statement read.
“The current and future challenges of the Kurdistan Region require joint actions and collective efforts from all sides in order to safeguard the national interests of the Kurdistan Region, regardless of political differences,” they said.
