Sources: KDP-PUK meeting on KRG formation postponed over members' absence

Shafaq News/ The postponement of Saturday’s technical meeting between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), to form the 10th Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet, was linked to “outstanding financial disputes” between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, according to sources.

The meeting, which was set to be the fifth round of technical discussions between the two parties, has been postponed due to the absence of key members from both committees, who are currently in Baghdad as part of the government delegation negotiating Kurdistan’s financial entitlements, particularly the ongoing public sector salary crisis, sources told Shafaq News.

According to the sources, the technical discussions aimed to finalize a draft agreement to be submitted to both parties’ leaderships in pursuit of a comprehensive political deal. However, the absence of crucial committee members from both sides resulted in the postponement.

The PUK’s technical delegation includes Rewaz Faeq, Shalawla Sheikh Salah, and Amanj Raheem, with Raheem currently in Baghdad, while the KDP’s technical committee consists of Pishtiwan Sadiq, Dilshad Shahab, and Umed Sabah, with Sabah also in Baghdad. Raheem and Sabah’s absence prevented the meeting from proceeding as planned.

The technical discussions are expected to be rescheduled once the government delegation returns from Baghdad, as both parties continue efforts to bridge political differences and resolve outstanding issues.

Reaching a swift agreement between the two ruling parties of Kurdistan and forming its 10^th cabinet remains complicated due to ongoing political disagreements between the KDP and PUK, with repeated delays in negotiations further adding to the challenges – in addition to financial disputes between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, according to political analysts.