ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held two meetings in three days, for the first time after several months, ramping up efforts to form the next cabinet, nearly a year after the elections were held. The PUK seeks "genuine partnership" in the next cabinet, a senior party official told Rudaw.
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary election nearly a year ago, in October. The KDP won 39 out of 100 seats, followed by the PUK with 23. As has traditionally been the case, the two parties are seeking to form a power-sharing government.
In the Tuesday meeting, which was attended by KDP President Masoud Barzani and PUK leader Bafel Talabani, the PUK demanded guarantees from the KDP to join the cabinet, seeking "genuine partnership" or it will take a stance to a point it may "withdraw" from joining the earlier in forming the government, said Pola Sirwan Talabani, a member of the Leadership Council of the PUK.
"There were a number of issues and problems that arose in the current cabinet, to a point that Qubad Talabani, the deputy prime minister, and the PUK team boycotted the Council of Ministers," Talabani said. "Therefore, we are insisting on guarantees from the KDP in the meetings."
The member of the PUK leadership council said the meetings between the two sides have proceeded "very well" and "the PUK's demands, as one package, call for a government to serve the people of Kurdistan."
Therefore, the PUK leader revealed, his party has told the KDP that it wants "the post of the interior minister, or any other ministry, through which it could serve the people, and fulfill promises it delivered to its supporters."
Talabani, who is a member of the PUK leadership council, described "the meetings that are being held these days between KDP and PUK as being very important, aimed at reactivating the parliament as soon as possible."
The legislature has convened only once, in December, when lawmakers were sworn in. According to regulations, sessions should be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but no meetings have been scheduled in the past ten months.
Talabani added the PUK will soon reveal the name of its candidates for the government and parliament posts.
"In the meeting, the PUK determined that [the next] prime minister and deputy prime minister must together be tasked to form the new cabinet," Talabani said.
The Tuesday meeting was also attended by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who are both KDP deputy leaders.
The senior PUK official said they share "a mutual vision with the KDP for the formation of the new cabinet."
The KDP and PUK, while rivals, have shared power in government since the establishment of the Kurdistan Region in the nineties. For the past several governments, the KDP has held the posts of prime minister and president.
Today's meeting came a few days after Kurdish oil exports resumed after a milestone agreement between Erbil, Baghdad, and international oil companies ended a more than two-and-a-half year stoppage.
Rudaw understands that the PUK and KDP are eager to see the reactivation of the parliament this month, with the post of the speaker said to go for the PUK and the deputy for the KDP.
Developments between the KDP and PUK indicate the earlier has shown leniency towards the latter's demands.