Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani said on Sunday at the Rafidain Forum that 75 percent of the political parties in the province of Kirkuk have come to an agreement on the distribution of government posts.
Sudani said Kirkuk was a positive example for Iraq and the participation of 65 percent of the province’s citizens in provincial council elections was a good message to Iraqis.
The Iraqi PM’s press office said in a statement that a joint agenda must be prepared within two weeks to appoint the governor of Kirkuk.
Sudani met with the winning political parties in Kirkuk on Sunday, the press office said.
“A joint agenda should be prepared within two weeks to resolve the issues between the political forces and speed up the appointment of the new governor and the speaker of the provincial council,” the statement said.
Speaking on the withdrawal of the international coalition, the prime minister said the presence of the coalition was due to the threat of the Islamic State (ISIS). “Now that ISIS is no longer a threat to the country, the mission of the coalition is over,” he said.
“The end of the coalition’s mission does not mean the breakdown of our relations and their work will end on the schedule we agree on,” Sudani added.
He also said Iraq’s relations with Turkey are “important and have improved.” The security of Iraq, Iran and Turkey is inseparable,” he stated.
The fifth round of the Rafidain Center for Dialogue Forum began in Baghdad on Sunday evening with the participation of more than 1,000 political and academic figures from 35 countries.
The meeting will continue from March 3 to 5 and will include 11 meetings and six special interviews with political and international figures from around the world and the country.
The leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani, will participate in a special panel to discuss the political situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on the second day of the forum.
