Officials from both parties met in Erbil on Monday (July 16) for talks on a joint negotiation strategy ahead of a visit to Baghdad during the government formation period, NRT reported.

The two parties had previously agreed to the broad outlines of a joint plan.

PUK Spokesman Saadi Ahmed Pira said issues addressed in their plan will include the Peshmerga and its position within the Iraqi defense system, the status of the disputed areas, and the return of Peshmerga forces to the disputed areas, as well as oil and gas.

“We also would like the other parties to join the KDP-PUK roadmap for talks between Baghdad and the Region,” he added in a joint press conference with KDP spokesman Mahmoud Mohammed.

The KDP spokesman added that they are ready to meet with opposition parties in the Region in an attempt to find solutions for the issues.

“We as Kurds should be careful of who becomes the Prime Minister of Iraq and we should not allow the distraction of Kurds.”

The meeting comes after the May 12 parliamentary election, in which the pair won a majority of the seats in the Kurdistan Region for Iraq’s parliament by securing 43 seats together.

Reporter’s code: 50101