The Kurdistan Observer
Jan 16, 2001

Jalal Talabani, the Secretary General of The PUK party , has just appointed Dr. Barham
Salih as the new Prime Minister for the PUK-controlled region in southern (Iraqi)Kurdistan
yesterday, a PUK official informed the KO today.

Salar Doski, a PUK representative in Canada, said that Dr. Salih was asked by Talabani
yesterday to form a new cabinet after the resignation of the former prime minister, Mr.
Kusrat Rasol, on Jan 14.

The PUK official also added that the PUK leader has asked all PUK media outlets to stop the
negative media campaign against the KDP and to use all efforts of PUK media for the
purpose of strengthening the foundation of peace, understanding, and coexistence between
the two major political parties in Southern Kurdistan, the PUK and KDP.

Many experts of the PUK-KDP conflict believe that with the Salih appoitment, relations
between the rival Kurdish parties will improve.

Dr. Salih is a leading member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and has served as the
director of the PUK bureau of international relations.

(The Kurdistan observer had conducted an interview with Dr. Salih on September 2, 1998)
To read the interview, please click on the following link
http://members.wbs.net/homepages/k/u/r/kurdistanobserver/Interview-Barham-Salih.htm

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The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com