Kurdistan
KDP leader Masoud Barzani (right) received British ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hitchen in Erbil on November 6, 2024. Photo: Barzani's office
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) will not exclude any party in formation talks for the next government, President Masoud Barzani stressed on Wednesday in a meeting with outgoing British Ambassador to Iraq Stephen Hitchen.
While meeting Hitchen in Erbil, the Kurdish leader discussed a range of topics including the Kurdistan Region’s long-awaited parliamentary elections held on October 20.
“President Barzani emphasized that the KDP will not veto anyone during the government formation [process], and the talks should be held in the framework of one region, one parliament, one government and one Peshmerga force,” Barzani’s office said in a statement.
The KDP won 39 seats in the 100-seat legislature, maintaining its position as the largest political party in the Region. Its closest contender, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), earned 23 seats, and the New Generation Movement took 15.
Tensions between KDP and PUK heightened during campaigning with tit-for-tat exchanges. The PUK leader’s main slogan was to “destroy” the KDP-led government, while the latter led with the slogan of “You cannot.”
Several political parties have denounced the election results, alleging fraud and manipulation, questioning the reliability of the electronic voting machines and biometric process.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani called on political parties to move past wrangling over election results during a speech at the MERI Forum last week.
“The election is now over; we have carried it out, and we cannot continue to remain in the election environment and stand against each other. What awaits us is far bigger than what has passed,” he said.
Hitchen was appointed as the UK's top envoy to Iraq in July 2023. Last month, the United Kingdom named Irfan Siddiq as the next ambassador to Baghdad, with Hitchen being transferred to another post. Siddiq served as the deputy head of the British mission in Baghdad from 2010 to 2011.
Iraq and the United Kingdom share strong relations in the fields of military and security, including their and signed a Strategic Partnership in 2021, aimed at increasing cooperation in economy, education, culture, and other sectors.
The Kurdistan Region and Britain enjoy strong relations across many sectors including security, trade, culture, and education.
Britain has helped train the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga during the war on the Islamic State (ISIS) and has supported Peshmerga ministry reforms.
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