Kurdistan calls for parties to set aside their differences

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Set aside differences

Kurdistan Presidency called on the Kurdish political parties to resolve their issues through dialogue, following an escalation in tensions between the ruling parties

The Kurdistan Region’s governing parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have been at loggerheads in recent months over the Region’s parliamentary elections, the transparency of the oil and local income of the provinces under their influence, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil in October.

Despite working together in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone.“ The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.

“The Kurdistan Region is facing multiple challenges and uncertain times. Today, more than ever, we need unity and cooperation among all sides, and specifically between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which together, hold the future of our Region in their hands,” read a statement from the Presidency.  

“We call on all political parties to set aside their differences and commit to resolving their issues through dialogue and understanding and with an open heart. What unites us is much greater than what divides us. We must all act responsibly in order to be able to restore stability and unity, and to protect and advance the interests of the people of the Kurdistan Region,” it added.

Representatives of the PUK, Change Movement (Gorran), Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), and Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal) met in Sulaimani on Wednesday to discuss the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections. 

“The Kurdistan Parliament’s electoral law should be amended and the electoral commission should be re-activated,” they said in a joint statement. 

Members of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament in October voted by a majority to extend the current four-year term of the legislature by one year, after disagreements between the blocs over the current elections law and the electoral commission prevented the carrying out of new elections.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/180120232

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PUK decided to boycott meetings

Kurdistan PMi Masrour Barzani on Thursday said that he believes it is “weird” that the members of his cabinet from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have boycotted the meetings of the Council of Ministers

The Kurdistan Region’s governing parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the PUK have been at loggerheads in recent months over the Region’s parliamentary elections, the transparency of the oil and local income of the provinces under their influence, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil in October.

The recent escalation in the tensions between both governing parties has led to PUK’s boycotting of government’s weekly meetings headed by PM Barzani. Qubad Talabani, deputy PM and a senior member of the PUK, has also stopped attending the meetings of the Council of Ministers.

“It is weird that our friends from the PUK boycott the meetings of the Council of Ministers," PM Barzani told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman in Davos during an interview with several Kurdish media outlets.

“We are absolutely against the idea of turning the Council of Ministers into a place for issues. All those who have taken part in this government should express their issues, criticism and opinions - if they have any - during meetings of the Council of Ministers,” he added.

Barzani called on the members of his cabinet from the PUK to attend government meetings again.

Despite working together in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone.“ The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190120233

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PUK wants reconciliation

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) wants to take diplomatic and constructive towards reconciliation for the sake of the people of the Kurdistan Region, the party’s leader said on Thursday, amidst heightening tensions between the Region’s ruling parties

The Kurdistan Region’s governing parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the PUK have been at loggerheads in recent months over the Region’s parliamentary elections, the transparency of the oil and local income of the provinces under their influence, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil in October.

“The PUK wants to guide the situation towards peace and reconciliation for the sake of the people and for ensuring decent living conditions,” PUK leader Bafel Talabani said in a statement, adding that politics should be a means to serve the people, not create diversions.

The PUK leader said that their door is open for all parties that wish to work together “in a Kurdish spirit,” stressing that the Kurdistan Region is stronger when there is trust between the political parties.

The recent escalation in the tensions between both governing parties has led to PUK’s boycotting of government’s weekly meetings headed by PM Masrour Barzani. Qubad Talabani, deputy PM and a senior member of the PUK, has also stopped attending the meetings of the Council of Ministers.

Despite working together in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone.“ The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/20012023

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Just to remind people that Bafel Talabani

is a traitorous piece of SHIT:

Lahur Talabany rejects his expulsion from PUK

Lahur Talabany, the recently ousted co-chair of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), is preparing to contest his expulsion from the party on the grounds that the decision does not align with the PUK’s bylaws

After months of tensions, Lahur Talabany and three other party members were formally expelled from the PUK on Tuesday through a decision made by rival co-chair Bafel Talabani and his allies in the PUK.

“Such decisions can only be made by the leadership council, and the council has not had a meeting,” the source who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue told Rudaw English. “He had temporarily handed his powers to Bafel Talabani, that decision had a number of requirements, and those requirements have not been met and the leadership council has not held a meeting. Therefore, he will retain his powers.”

Bafel Talabani cut Lahur Talabany out of the PUK’s halls of power in early July when he changed the head of the party’s intelligence agency and counter-terrorism units who were affiliated with Lahur Talabany and replaced them with people loyal to himself, saying the shake-up was needed to combat corruption. Lahur Talabany denied the accusations made against him.

In a video message on Facebook on Tuesday, Lahur Talabany criticized the party’s performance in Iraq’s October 10 parliamentary election and the path the party has taken.

Three other PUK members, some of whom did poorly in the election, were also ejected from the party. A source within the party identified them as Shadman Mala Hassan, Ala Talabani, Zhino Mohammed.

One of the other expelled leadership members also rejected the decision on Thursday.

“This decision is void …. This decision is not based on the bylaws, and it is not in anyone’s decision to remove leadership members. Leadership members were elected in a congress vote and that is the only way they can be removed,” Hassan told Rudaw’s Bahroz Faraidoon.

After Lahur Talabany was forced out, Bafel Talabani claimed he had been poisoned by people close to his rival. Mala Bakhtiar, a senior PUK official and father-in-law to Bafel Talabani, also claimed this week that he had been poisoned and is receiving treatment in Germany. On Monday, he blamed “comrades” for the poisoning without naming anyone.

In Tuesday’s video message, Lahur Talabany said the party must “avoid these accusations” and called on the Leadership Council to convene in the near future in order to resolve the rift, saying “if there is an issue within the party, then that must be resolved through the party’s official organs.”

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/04112021

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Kurdish parties must resolve issues

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) chief on Thursday urged the Kurdistan Region’s parties to act quickly towards resolving their outstanding issues, stressing that the political parties “cannot afford to lose more time.”

Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed the United Nations Security Council on the latest developments in the situation concerning Iraq, addressing the efforts of the new Iraqi cabinet in confronting challenges, Erbil-Baghdad issues, and Intra-Kurdish tensions.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have been at loggerheads in recent months over the Region’s parliamentary elections, the transparency of the oil and local income of the provinces under their influence, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil in October.

Hennis-Plasschaert said that while the recent meeting between the ruling parties offers a “glimmer of hope,” they must act “quickly and pragmatically” towards resolving their differences, as their divisions have “adverse effects” on the people and institutions of the Kurdistan Region.

The politburos of the KDP and the PUK held a high-level meeting in the latter’s stronghold of Sulaimani on Saturday.

“The Kurdistan Region’s political parties cannot afford to lose more time. Hence, swift compromises on outstanding fiscal, administrative, security and electoral disagreements are urgently needed,” she added.

Despite working together in the KRG, the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone“. The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.

The recent escalation of tensions have has led PUK officials -including Deputy PM Qubad Talabani- to boycott the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) weekly meetings.

Erbil-Baghdad relations

Tensions have escalated in recent times between the Iraqi federal government and the KRG over oil and gas, the federal budget bill, and rulings from Iraq’s top court against the Kurdistan Region.

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court last week ruled against the payment of the Kurdistan Region’s financial entitlements by Baghdad, claiming it violates the 2021 Iraqi Budget Law.

The UNAMI head expressed hope that the recent ruling does not hinder the talks between Erbil and Baghdad aimed at reaching an agreement over the federal budget, as any more delay in passing the bill will only worsen the situation “due to the well-known spending constraints.”

“It is our hope that the recent ruling of the Federal Supreme Court does not stymie ongoing negotiations on the budget. We wish instead that both Baghdad and Erbil remain incentivized to reach a lasting arrangement so as to move away from constant crisis management,” she said.

Hennis-Plasschaert added that although the new Iraqi federal government’s program has shown commitment towards resolving Erbil-Baghdad issues, and several high-level visits have been conducted by both sides, a “structured dialogue” is still missing and they are yet to achieve “concrete agreements.”

Sudani’s cabinet

The UNAMI chief lauded the efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s cabinet to tackle the pressing challenges facing Iraq during its first three months in office, expressing hope that the new government structurally addresses these problems in hope of finally lifting the country out of its “recurring cycles of instability and fragility.”

The special representative also addressed the steps taken by Baghdad to retrieve the country’s stolen funds and investigate corruption allegations, stressing the need to ensure accountability for all.

An investigation by the Iraqi finance ministry in October concluded that $2.5 billion in tax funds were stolen from the General Commission of Taxes’ account at Baghdad's Rafidain Bank between September 2021 and August 2022, during the tenure of former finance minister Ali Allawi.

Sudani has repeatedly stated that retrieving the stolen money was a top priority for his cabinet, vowing to hold the perpetrators accountable.

“If Iraq is to build a system that serves the need of society instead of serving a closed community of collusion, then ensuring accountability across the spectrum, is absolutely essential. This means giving no respite to those who extract state resources for private and/or other interests,” said Hennis-Plasschaert.

One of the case’s main suspects, Noor Zuhair Jassim, was released on bail in late November to facilitate the payment of over $1.1 billion -which he had admitted to embezzling- within two weeks. Nearly two months later, only $216 million of the stolen tax funds has been announced retrieved.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/02022023