Mahmoud told Voice of America that PUK had agreed with them that the packages of Baghdad, Kirkuk and Kurdistan Region would be different and had their separate solutions.

“If the Kirkuk governor had been for the PUK and could have selected it, it would not have awaited us, but the candidate should be a joint candidate through an agreement by both parties,” Mahmoud said.

The KDP spokesperson indicated that the prime minister-designate have 30 days to form his cabinet, “But there is a legal problem because parliament will enter a summer holiday next week, thus the parliament should extend the legislative season or it should hold an abnormal meeting, in which both will not be good.”

If any parties had not settled over selecting one or two candidates for ministerial positions, the best way was to form the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet and the vacant positions would fill later, KDP spokesman added.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will abide by its agreement with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), said Prime Minister designate Masrour Barzani upon his visit to Sulaimani.

Barzani headed a delegation met with PUK officials in Sulaimani on Monday, June 17.

“We have not heard that the PUK has linked the issue with the formation of the government cabinet… the issue is not only for a party and all should find a solution to it,” Barzani said after he was asked regarding the issue of Kirkuk governorship.

“We have not heard that the PUK has linked the issue with the formation of the government cabinet… the issue is not only for a party and all should find a solution to it.”

Reporter’s code: 50101