PUK co-president discusses Iraqi governemnt formation with US officials

<p style="text-align: left;">State Department officials spoke by phone with Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Co-President Lahur Sheikh Jangi on Saturday, April 11, about the participation of the Kurdish bloc in the formation of the new government in Baghdad.

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Iraq Affairs David Copley and Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood spoke with Sheikh Jangi about the recent decision by Iraqi President Barham Salih to charge Mustafa al-Kadhmi with forming the next government, NRT reported.

The US officials said that &ldquo;the Kurds must participate in the formation of the new government and the constitutional rights of Kurds and Iraqis must be represented,&rdquo; the PUK co-leader said in a statement.

Al-Kadhimi formally became prime minister-designate last week after Adan al-Zurfi stood aside when it became clear that Iraq&rsquo;s political factions were coalescing around the former. Senior figures in both the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have said that they support al-Kadhimi.

Iraq&rsquo;s political system relies on coordination and balance between the Shi&rsquo;ite, Sunni, and Kurdish blocs, a legacy of the US occupation. In order for al-Kadhimi to form a government, he must survive a vote of confidence in the Council of Representatives.

In the coming months, the US and Iraq will begin a strategic dialogue to hammer out a wide range of security, political, and economic issues. Although they will be led by Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale, both Copley and Hood will play an important role. Hood is a former Deputy Chief of Mission in Iraq.

The US diplomats and Sheikh Jangi also discussed security issues and the threat posed by the resurgence of Islamic State. Given a recent increase in attacks, they agreed to intensified cooperation to fight the militant group, according to the PUK statement.

They also discussed the global coronavirus pandemic, the US response, and cooperative efforts to prevent its spread.

Reporter&rsquo;s code: 50101

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