SULAIMANI,— Bafel Jalal Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), has been elected president of the Social Democratic Alliance in the Arab World, according to officials at the organization’s annual conference. “Our Alliance cannot be a talking shop. It must be a platform for practical cooperation,” he said, urging coordination among members on shared programs for youth, equality, and economic justice. The Social Democratic Alliance conference opened last Wednesday, drawing leaders from 21 countries. Organizers said the aim was to strengthen ties among social democratic parties, deepen cooperation between progressive Arab and Kurdish movements, and promote democratic governance, policy development, and human rights.