Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter IS Brett McGurk “has made clear to KRG officials who asked about the timing of elections that the issue is up to the leaders of the Kurdistan Region and its parliament taking into account all of the circumstances in the Region and in Iraq,” said Michael Lavallee, a State Department spokesperson, when reached for comment by email.
The issue of delaying the election for the Region’s parliament, currently scheduled for September 30, has become a controversial topic in recent days.
Earlier on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani told reporters at the opening ceremony of a new terminal at Sulaimani International Airport that all Kurdish political parties want the Kurdistan parliamentary election to be postponed, but no one dares to say so publicly.
“The results for the Iraqi parliamentary election have yet to be announced and the Kurds must be united before they go to Baghdad. We should not engage in conflict ahead of the elections,” Lahur Talabani told reporters on Sunday.
“I am for the postponement of the election, which could be scheduled for another time, since our nation needs unity in Baghdad and to prevent further disarray,” he added.
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