MASOUD BARZANI SAYS ELECTION BEST SOLUTION FOR POLITICAL CRISIS IN KURDISTAN

ERBIL – The head of Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani on Saturday (December 2) said holding elections is a best means to get past political crisis in the Kurdistan Region.

"The current situation is temporary and we will overcome it, it will not last forever," Barzani said during a meeting with his party members in Erbil.

Relations between Erbil and the central government have hit their lowest point after Baghdad took economic and military retaliation measures against the Kurdish independence referendum – led by Masoud Barzani.

Barzani further referred to dialogue as another means to mend tensions between Erbil and Baghdad, but warned against attempts to “break the will of Kurdistan people.”

“The Kurdistan Region has its doors open for dialogue with Baghdad because dialogue is the best solution, but this does not mean that we accept the policy of the status quo by force and treachery," said Barzani.

The Kurdistan Region held an independence referendum on Sept. 25 in defiance of Baghdad despite threats to block it from Iraq, Iran and Turkey, the region's main links to the outside world.

Since the referendum, Baghdad has taken economic and military measures, shutting the region’s border points and seizing large swathes of territory disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.

In mid-October, Iraqi forces along with Hashid al-Shaabi launched an operation to take control of the disputed areas from the Kurdistan forces in the wake of the Kurdish referendum on independence.