Baghdad: Iraqi newspapers on Tuesday highlighted the significant visit of a Coordination Framework delegation to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, focusing on upcoming constitutional entitlements, particularly the election of the President of the Republic.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, published by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, the delegation held talks in Erbil with Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani. The discussions centered on constitutional deadlines, with an emphasis on the presidential election. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Media Office revealed that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani met Barzani in Erbil, accompanied by the Coordination Framework delegation, which included Badr Organization Secretary-General Hadi Al-Amiri, Head of Al-Asas Coalition Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, and the Framework’s Secretary-General Abbas Radi. The meeting underscored the presidential election as a crucial step toward government formation in alignment with parliamentary election outcomes.
The sta
tement further detailed that regional developments, particularly the situation in Syria, were reviewed, emphasizing the importance of unifying Iraq’s national political discourse to protect the country’s higher interests. In Sulaymaniyah, Al-Sudani also engaged with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leader Bafel Talabani, with the same delegation in attendance. The dialogue covered national and regional issues, highlighting the necessity to finalize the presidency and complete constitutional processes to establish a government reflecting the aspirations of all Iraqis while continuing reform, reconstruction, and development efforts.
Al-Sabah newspaper reported that the Coordination Framework has set a 48-hour deadline for the main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), to resolve their differences over the presidential post, as stated by Aqeel Al-Rudaini, the official spokesman for the Al-Nasr Coalition. Al-Rudaini conveyed to the newspaper that the Coordi
nation Framework delegation played a pivotal role in narrowing the gap between the Kurdish parties concerning the presidential election. He noted the meetings produced positive signs from the Kurdish side toward resolving the political deadlock and progressing with constitutional entitlements within legal frameworks.
The delegation returned to Baghdad on Monday evening after conducting significant meetings with Kurdish leaders in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Informed sources indicated that the discussions yielded positive outcomes, establishing consensus foundations between the two parties on the presidential election mechanism, helping to avoid political escalation and ensure constitutional adherence.
In a separate account by Al-Zaman newspaper, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s talks with KDP leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil were highlighted, focusing on constitutional deadlines, particularly the presidential election, to complete government formation in line with parliamentary results. The talk
s also covered regional developments and the necessity to unify Iraq’s national political discourse for safeguarding the country’s higher interests.
Additionally, KDP lawmaker Ashwaq Al-Jaf disclosed that the Coordination Framework delegation addressed three main topics during its Kurdistan Region visit: electing the President of the Republic, nominating a prime ministerial candidate, and discussing sensitive regional developments. She mentioned that the KDP emphasized keeping Iraq out of regional conflicts and pursuing the presidency to enhance decision-making and coordination among all components, recalling the influential coordination era between Masoud Barzani and the late Jalal Talabani.