Nechirvan Barzani plans trip to Baghdad

21-08-2009
Nechirvan Barzani plans trip to Baghdad
http://rudaw.net/details.aspx?lang=English&page=articles&c=home&id=11362

Erbil - The current Kurdish Premier Nechirvan Barzani is planning a high-level delegation amidst rumours he could become the new Iraqi deputy prime minister. Nechirvan Barzani will visit Bahdad, after the Iraqi premier Nouri al-Maliki will return from Syria. Awsat al-Iraq reports they will discuss disputes between the government in Baghdad and Erbil.

Also the Kurdish FM Falah Mustafa Bakir will travel with Nechirvan Barzani to speak about security issues, Peshmerga-troops, disputed regions and oil rights.

On Thursday Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki approved the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih and it was announced that Salih would form the new Kurdish government.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) won the absolute majority in Parliament during the elections on 25 July. According to the agreement between the two parties, the Prime Ministry will be given to the KDP. Therefore, the agreement suggests that Salih will be the new prime minister.

Salih will replace KDP member Nechirvan Barzani.The new Parliamentary Speaker Kemal Kerkuki told Rudaw that if Nechirvan Barzani would be a very good Iraqi vice-premier, if Barham Salih would become the new PM. “It’s a very good matter, because we need a powerful person in Baghdad.”