KDP spokesperson on the presidency dispute: they have their candidate, we have ours

Shafaq News/ The two leading Kurdish parties in Iraq, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), have failed to agree on a mutual candidate for the presidency, KDP spokesperson Mahmoud Mohammed said on Monday.

Mohammed's remarks came during the memorial service of the KDP representative in Turkey, Omar Mirani, earlier today.

"Despite the differences, we all should sit down and work out solutions to address them," he said, "the Kurdistan Democratic Party, via its negotiations committee, is in touch with all the parties."

"So far, we have not agreed on a mutual candidate for the presidency. They have their candidate, and we have ours," Mohammed said, "but talks are underway between the Kurdistani and Iraqi political forces."

Mohammed said that the KDP chief Masoud Barzani has auspiced many rounds of extensive talks since the election last year, "yet, the political forces failed to find a common language to address the crisis."