ERBIL, Iraq — Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the city of Sulaimaniyah on July 18 for a meeting with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Movement for Change (Gorran) in his capacity as the head of the State of Law Coalition and the secretary-general of the Dawa Party. The visit has raised much controversy as to whether it would further deepen internal political differences in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Maliki visited the city to bless the recent alliance between the PUK and Gorran.

Upon his arrival in Sulaimaniyah, Maliki met with PUK Secretary-General Jalal Talabani and then visited the party's political bureau before heading to Gorran's offices.

The leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) cautiously welcomed Maliki's visit, although there was some criticism that Maliki was not clear about his intentions. Nechirvan Idris Barzani, KDP deputy president and prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), said his party would receive Maliki if he decided to visit Erbil. However, he had previously criticized the former prime minister, saying, "Had he had good intentions, he would have asked to visit Erbil as well, but we do not know what his intentions are."