IRAN ORDERS KURDISTAN : Continue strategic agreement with PUK

Hemin Salih – BasNews (ERBIL): 14.1.2014 – Iranian officials have told the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) delegation to continue their strategic agreement with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and to turn their back on the Gorran (Change) Movement.  The KDP delegation returned from the Iranian capital, Tehran, a few days ago where they had met with some of the country’s officials.

According to sources close to the Kurdish delegation, the talks included the mechanisms of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the PUK’s position in the new Cabinet as well as oil issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

In addition to the KDP, delegations from the PUK and the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) also visited Tehran in the past week and met with Iranian officials.

According to information obtained by BasNews, Iran has promised the KDP that if they look after the PUK’s position in the next government, in return, they will put pressure on Baghdad about the oil issue. There are still problems between parties with the new Kurdish government formation, in particular between the PUK and the Gorran Movement as both wanted the KRG Deputy Prime Minister’s post as well as the Interior Minister post.

According to sources, the PUK is desperate for the Deputy Prime Minister position so that they can fill it with Talabani’s eldest son, Qubad Talabani, the former KRG representative in Washington.

Furthermore, a KRG delegation headed by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani is expected to visit Baghdad in the next few days to solve the oil issue after Maliki threatened to cut the KRG’s 2014 budget. http://www.basnews.com/en/News/Details/Iran-to-KDP–Continue-strategic-agreement-with-PUK/10338