03-12-2009
Erbil – After the Change list won 25 parliamentary seats in the Iraqi Kurdistan in the elections of July, the relationship between the ruling KDP party and opposition movement Change have been improving.
The senior Change list leader Mohammed Tofiq consider this improvements as good, while the PUK official Ehmad Ahmed, said this is against the strategic agreement of the ruling parties KDP led by Barzani and PUK led by Talabani.
The ex-Prime Minister and high KDP official Nechirvan Barzani said recently in an interview with the KNN satellite channel owned by the Change movement, that relations are necessary. “If we like or not, the Change movement was able to win 25 parliamentary seats, and this is not a small number. Our dealing with this party must be realistic and we must work with them. I will do my best to create a good relationship not only between KDP and Change movement, but also between PUK and Change movement and all the other parties”. Gorran positive
Muhammad Tofiq Rahim, the second leader of the Change movement, evaluated this step and said that for the first time, the KDP looks more serious to the Change list than the Pattriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). “We see this step of Nechirvan Barzani and KDP as a very positive one, and this was obvious in the interview of Nechirvan Barzani, despite of the importance of the other parts of his interview”. The Change list official denied there were meetings between the Change list leader Nawshirwan Mustafa and Nechirvan Barzani, but he said the interview was a good step. “I think that the PUK must look to the KDP and other political parties and should deal positively with the Change movement, they must compete with them as a movement in a democratic and good way”.
Islamic Union stays critical
Hiwa Mirza Sabir of the Islamic Union of Kurdistan (IUK), an Islamic party, says the KDP is seeking contacts with opposition groups due to self-interest, but the IUK is still positive about Nechirvan Barzani. “We cannot deny that Nechirvan Barzani was always open for a dialogue with other parties. Also when our offices were attacked in 2005 [in Duhok].” In 2005 the party offices of the Islamic party were attacked in the Duhok province, after the IUK announced it would split from the Kurdistan alliance. “We were helped then by Nechirvan Barzani and that’s why we are always open for dialogue democracy”. PUK-KDP alliance stays
Salam Abdullah, a senior KDP official in t he city of Sulaimani considers the opening towards the Kurdish opposition group as normal. “If we see ourselves as a democratic party and agree with the Change list to participate in the elections, we also must agree with their participation in the parliament as an opposition group”.
The KDP official also said it’s normal that the KDP approaches other parties. “This doesn’t mean that it will separate from others. The Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union will have one list and will rule within one government. This will continue and I hope there are no speculations about a split.” (Photo: Change list official Mohammed Tofiq).
© Rudaw
The senior Change list leader Mohammed Tofiq consider this improvements as good, while the PUK official Ehmad Ahmed, said this is against the strategic agreement of the ruling parties KDP led by Barzani and PUK led by Talabani.
The ex-Prime Minister and high KDP official Nechirvan Barzani said recently in an interview with the KNN satellite channel owned by the Change movement, that relations are necessary. “If we like or not, the Change movement was able to win 25 parliamentary seats, and this is not a small number. Our dealing with this party must be realistic and we must work with them. I will do my best to create a good relationship not only between KDP and Change movement, but also between PUK and Change movement and all the other parties”. Gorran positive
Muhammad Tofiq Rahim, the second leader of the Change movement, evaluated this step and said that for the first time, the KDP looks more serious to the Change list than the Pattriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). “We see this step of Nechirvan Barzani and KDP as a very positive one, and this was obvious in the interview of Nechirvan Barzani, despite of the importance of the other parts of his interview”. The Change list official denied there were meetings between the Change list leader Nawshirwan Mustafa and Nechirvan Barzani, but he said the interview was a good step. “I think that the PUK must look to the KDP and other political parties and should deal positively with the Change movement, they must compete with them as a movement in a democratic and good way”.
Islamic Union stays critical
Hiwa Mirza Sabir of the Islamic Union of Kurdistan (IUK), an Islamic party, says the KDP is seeking contacts with opposition groups due to self-interest, but the IUK is still positive about Nechirvan Barzani. “We cannot deny that Nechirvan Barzani was always open for a dialogue with other parties. Also when our offices were attacked in 2005 [in Duhok].” In 2005 the party offices of the Islamic party were attacked in the Duhok province, after the IUK announced it would split from the Kurdistan alliance. “We were helped then by Nechirvan Barzani and that’s why we are always open for dialogue democracy”. PUK-KDP alliance stays
Salam Abdullah, a senior KDP official in t he city of Sulaimani considers the opening towards the Kurdish opposition group as normal. “If we see ourselves as a democratic party and agree with the Change list to participate in the elections, we also must agree with their participation in the parliament as an opposition group”.
The KDP official also said it’s normal that the KDP approaches other parties. “This doesn’t mean that it will separate from others. The Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union will have one list and will rule within one government. This will continue and I hope there are no speculations about a split.” (Photo: Change list official Mohammed Tofiq).
© Rudaw
