DPM Talabani to U.S. Senate Delegation: Elections' Delay Harms Kurdistan Region

Qubad Talabani's media

Kurdistan Region's Deputy PM Qubad Talabani and U.S. Senator Ted Budd.

Qubad Talabani, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, welcomed a delegation from the United States (U.S.) Senate, which included Senator Ted Budd, Senator Joni Ernst, and their accompanying team.

The meeting was held on Saturday, May 4, 2024, and was attended by the US Ambassador to Iraq and the U.S. Consul General in the Kurdistan Region. The Senate delegation reaffirmed the United States' support for the Kurdistan Region, emphasising that their visit demonstrates the country's commitment to maintaining strong ties with the region.

DPM Talabani thanked the United States for its support and assistance to the Kurdistan Region, particularly in combating terrorism and implementing Peshmerga reforms.

The meeting deliberated on the security situation in Kurdistan, Iraq, and the surrounding region. Both parties acknowledged the significance and indispensability of coordination among the Peshmerga forces, Iraqi forces, and coalition forces in order to effectively counter the threat of terrorism, as terrorism continues to pose a grave danger to the security of Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the wider region.

During another segment of the discussion, the internal affairs of the Kurdistan Region and the matter of the Kurdistan parliamentary elections were deliberated upon. DPM Talabani elucidated his stance, as well as that of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), to the visiting delegation. He firmly stated: "We oppose any attempts to delay the elections, as doing so would inflict significant harm upon the legitimacy of the Kurdistan Region's institutions and jeopardise the democratic progression within the Kurdistan Region."
 
The Deputy Prime Minister also stated that there has been development in relations between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, namely over the budget and salaries of the Kurdistan Region. 

"We are exerting maximum effort to effectively address and resolve this and other unresolved matters," he stated.

 

PUKMEDIA