KDP: PUK cannot have interior ministry

22.04.2014 – BasNews, Erbil – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is adamant that it will not give the Ministry of Interior to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Instead, it suggests the PUK take the Vice Presidency.  

In a meeting with KDP supporters, President Massoud Barzani – head of the KDP – explained that the KDP will keep the Ministry of Interior and give the PUK the Vice President post, which entails deputy head of all military forces (Peshmerga). President Barzani also stressed the need to form a Kurdish government before the Iraqi parliamentary elections take place on April 30th and that the Kurdish region is waiting on the results of the Iraqi elections to announce a key decision.

Members of the KDP who have asked to remain anonymous have told BasNews that the KDP is pushing to get all parties involved in the new Kurdish Government but that this does not mean that the KDP will give up its rights, especially since it won 38 seats in parliament. Parliamentary elections were held seven months ago in the Kurdistan Region, but parties have yet to reach a final agreement on the cabinet formation.