PUK delegation meets with Iraqi premier Adil Abdul-Mahdi
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A high-level Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) delegation is meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad on Thursday, confirmed an official.
The PUK delegation is headed by the party's acting leader Kosrat Rasul and accompanied by senior members from the politburo.
In Baghdad, the PUK delegation participated in the Consultation Forum of the Iraqi Political Leaders — organized by Iraqi President Barham Salih who is a PUK Politburo member — with other Kurdish and Iraqi parties on Wednesday.
The meeting took place at the Salam Presidential Palace in Baghdad overseen by Salih. It is focused on the latest political and security developments in the war against terrorism in Iraq. It is also focusing on the implementation of the government agenda and programs, according to a tweet from Lukman Fayli, spokesperson for Salih.
The sticking point between the PUK and the Iraqi government at this stage is the question of the post of Iraqi justice minister as the party claims the post is its share.
The KDP, however, rejects the PUK bid believing a neutral Kurdish figure should assume the post.
The PUK possesses 18 seats in the Iraqi legislature while the KDP has 25.
The KDP-PUK tensions soared over the post of the Iraqi president as the former claimed they should take the post because of their electoral success. The latter argued it should be held by a PUK member as has traditionally been the case.
Salih eventually won the post after leaving his fledgling Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) and returning to the PUK
This is a developing story...