BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi President Jalal Talabani discussed on Thursday with Head of the Iraqi National Congress Ahmad al-Jalabi the political developments and ways to diffuse the current crisis in the country.

 

 

"Talabani and al-Jalabi underlined also the importance of solving the current crisis in accordance to the constitution and agreements among all blocs," a presidential statement said and received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

 

 

Tensions have been running high in areas of northern Iraq that the Kurdish region wants to incorporate over the strong objections of Baghdad.

 

 

Parliament speaker Usama al-Nujaifi has been pushing to resolve the crisis, which he has warned could lead to civil war.

 

 

He has been holding talks since Wednesday with political leaders in Baghdad and Kurdistan, and announced that a "technical and military meeting" on the crisis was to be held on Monday in Baghdad.

 

 

Barzani, nephew of the Kurdish region's president, said a high-level Kurdish delegation would travel to Baghdad on Tuesday with the aim of reaching an agreement, and expressed hope that Nuajifi's efforts would yield results.

 

 

The unresolved row over territory poses the biggest threat to Iraq's long-term stability, diplomats and officials say.
Ties between the two sides are also marred by disputes over oil and power-sharing.

 

 

 

SH (TI)/SR