According to the SNN news site, Bafel Talabani, the co-chair of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) expressed his opposition to the establishment of two offices in the Kurdistan Region, and stressed that he strongly opposes such a thing.

He went on to say that the PUK has a plan to meet with political parties, and that the Political Bureau and the Leadership Council of the PUK are aware of all meetings of joint party leaders.

On the efforts and requests that are being made by the PUK for direct Baghdad payment of salaries to employees of the Kurdistan Region, and in particular to Sulaimani, Talabani said he opposes such a move and that the Kurdistan Region should not easily hand over everything to Baghdad.

Regarding the situation in Kirkuk, he said that there is now a military government in Kirkuk and that after the early Iraqi elections, the PUK will work with the political parties in the Kurdish region to elect a Kurdish governor in Kirkuk.

He also stressed that the PUK is not aware of all oil activities in the Kurdistan Region and is not aware of the region's 50-year oil contract with Turkey.

The joint head of the PUK also said that the solution to the current economic crisis in the Kurdish region for the time being is in Baghdad.

Xendan news site reported that Talabani also emphasized that the PUK team in the regional government is free to make its own decisions, and that criticism from the party was to make things better.

The PUK co-leader went to add that that there is Mafia everywhere in the Kurdistan Region, but the PUK arrests all those accused of being involved in the Mafia and smuggling at border crossings.

Regarding the possibility of a civil war in the Kurdistan Region with the PKK, Talabani stressed that such a war is unlikely, and that the PUK is against a Kurd- Kurd war, and clearly against the PKK.

Reporter's code: 50101