Meeting of Qubad Talabani, Deputy PM of Kurdistan Regional Government (Right) with Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (Left) on Wednesday July 2, 2019 in Erbil.
On Tuesday, Jul 2, 2019 Deputy Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government received Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq to discuss the suspended issues between Kurdistan Region and Baghdad, as well as the Kirkuk issue.
“The outstanding issues have to be resolved as soon as possible, especially those concerning budget and oil” Talabani reiterated.
Regarding the Kirkuk issue, the PM told the UN representative that “the situation of the city shall be normalized, the process of implementing article 140 should be reinitiated, and all sides shall work to strengthen the spirit of coexistence between the different ethnicities of the city,” citing the view of Jalal Talabani on treating Kirkuk “ the question of Kirkuk is as sensitive as doing a brain surgery, it must be worked on in detail, and the spirit of forgiveness and coexistence ought to be implemented.”
Moreover, Talabani addressed the necessity of ongoing reforms in the next cabinet, emphasized especially on the necessity of reorganizing the system of banking in Kurdistan, and the continuation of the reforms in Peshmarga Ministry.
Translated by: Dr. Yadasht Salih