In his speech at 2nd congress, Talabani put the blame for the infighting between the two
rival parties which caused thousands of lives squarely on the leadership of the PUK and
KDP.

Sources have disclosed that Mr. Talabani who is working very hard to improve relation with
the KDP, doubt it will bring a complete peace statement to southern (Iraqi) Kurdistan.

According to Middle East Report, published Jan 23, 2001, “ Talabani does not seem able to
forge the kind of understandings Barzani has reached with his neighbors, mainly because of
bitter competition between Iran and Turkey inside Kurdistan. Talabani visited Turkey less
than two months before his December attacks on the PKK, which were probably a desperate
attempt to break his unilateral dependence on Iran.

The PUK leader aimed to show Ankara that he is a reliable ally against the PKK. The PUK
defeat that prompted the Turkish intervention highlights Talabani's predicament.

Talabani's aborted attempt to gain leverage vis-a-vis the KDP and the regional powers has
left him with no option but to court his rival Barzani in hopes of reaching some agreement
on KDP-PUK power sharing in a reunified, autonomous Kurdistan within Iraq.”