ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Leaders of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, joined by scores more from neighboring countries and beyond, gathered at a forum in Duhok city on Friday, reiterating their calls for a swift formation of the next cabinet in the Kurdistan Region.
In attendance of Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, KDP President Masoud Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, several regional leaders, and over 120 academists from 40 countries around the world, the fifth Middle East Peace & Security Forum (MEPS) titled 'The Paradox of Peace in the Middle East’ began in Duhok.
The two-day forum is set to “address the most pressing challenges to regional and international security.”
Addressing attendants at the MEPS forum, Iraqi President Rashid called on the political parties of the Kurdistan Region to ramp up efforts to form “a strong government to serve the people of Kurdistan,” while adding only “ordinary people will pay the price” of rivalries between the political parties
“I am calling on all the parties that won seats in the Kurdistan parliament to speed up their efforts through dialogue and meetings to form a new government,” Rashid said.
The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections on October 20, following a two-year delay, in which the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) emerged as the clear victor, scoring over 400,000 votes more than its nearest competitor, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
KDP President Masoud Barzani, for his part, said that government formation talks will commence after the announcement of the final results of the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections by the Iraqi electoral body in the next few days.
"Talks will start between all the parties for the parliament to start work as soon as possible, and other steps to follow. I hope you will all support us to have one Region, one parliament, one government, and one Peshmerga force in the future”
In the opening speech of the fifth MEPS forum, Kurdistan Region PM Masrour Barzani wished for "constructive discussions and exchange of views of leaders” during the conference while congratulating the people of the Kurdistan Region for the success of the October 20 election, which was held at a time the region was going through “turmoil".
In the October 20 vote, the KDP emerged as the largest bloc in the parliament after grabbing 39 seats, followed by the PUK’s 23 in the second place.
The third place went to the New Generation with 15 seats, followed by the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) with seven seats, the Halwest (Stance) Movement with four seats, the Kurdistan Justice Group with three seats, the People’s Front with two seats, the Change Movement (Gorran) and the Kurdistan Coalition each grabbed one seat.
Some parties have already announced their opposition, including the KIU, Komal, and Halwest Movement. The New Generation’s stance, however, has remained ambiguous.
To bring all the parties closer together, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani visited the Kurdistan Region last week, holding meetings with almost all the political parties who gained seats in the Kurdish legislature, urging a quick formation of the Region’s next cabinet.
The international community, including the US and Western countries, have on several occasions called on the Kurdish leadership to swiftly form the next government.
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