ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdish and Iraqi parties are expected to hold a series of meetings on the shape and style of the next Baghdad government. The biggest Kurdish parties are now trying to agree a united position to maximize their bargaining power in future talks.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), traditionally the two largest Kurdish parties, which together secured 43 seats in the May 12 Iraqi parliamentary elections, are set to enter into talks with a joint agenda. A committee comprising officials from both parties has been established to agree their common position.

Shwan Mohammed, head of the KDP office in Baghdad, told Rudaw “we want the Kurdistan Region to be treated within the context of the Iraqi constitution”.

In early discussions with Iraqi parties, the KDP had stressed the need to protect “consensus, balance and partnership”.

Mohammed said the party had not yet put forward “the Kurdish demands”.

“We do not have conditions to talk, but points to discuss,” he added.

There are many issues impending talks between Erbil and Baghdad, culminated over the past four years, which remain unresolved.

Talks with Iraqi parties will no doubt include the issue of allowing the Peshmerga to return to the disputed territories, such as Kirkuk. The Peshmerga withdrew from the city on October 16, 2017, just two weeks after Kurds voted for independence from Iraq in a referendum which included the disputed city, sparking anger in Baghdad, Ankara, Tehran, and beyond.

Kurds will also likely discuss the appointment of a Kurd to the post of Kirkuk governor. Baghdad removed Najmaldin Karim when its forces took control of the city and replaced him with an Arab – Rakan Saed al-Jabouri.

The implementation of Article 140 is the crux of the Erbil-Baghdad impasse. Kurds will once again highlight this and demand the constitutional clause is enacted, allowing a referendum to settle the territorial dispute.

Oil and gas policy, the budget, and the independence of the Peshmerga are also likely to be up for discussion.

Saadi Ahmed Pira, the PUK’s spokesperson, confirmed the party would have a single package with the KDP for talks in Baghdad.

He hopes other Kurdish parties that won seats in Baghdad will join them.

“We will sit with them, too,” he said.

The Change Movement (Goran), the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), the Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal), and the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), which combined secured 15 seats, have disputed the May 12 election results, ordering a full manual recount of votes. They accuse the KDP and PUK of rigging the election.

The KDP and PUK have fiercely denied the accusations.

An advisor to the president of Iraq says Shiites have never been as divided as they are now. The five Shiite parties – Sayirun, Fatih, Nasr, State of Law, and the Hikma Front – are split on the shape of Iraq’s next government. The Kurds can take advantage of these rivalries.

“I do believe from 2003 to now, the Shiites situation has never been as uncertain as now as they suffer unstable relations among them. The Shiites are five factions with each having own points of views regarding realities on the ground,” the advisor said.

He believed Kurds can “play a very instrumental role if they are united and have coordinations, particularly the KDP and PUK, and if other parties joint that would become much, much better.”

The Iraqi Federal Court has not yet accepted the elections results, as the elections commission is busy manually recounting the disputed votes across Iraq, after many parties rejected the results alleging widespread fraud.

Rudaw