President Barzani meets deadlocked political parties

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani is holding a meeting Tuesday with several Kurdish political parties that did not participate in the last five meetings that were held to solve the current impasse over the disputed presidency of the Kurdistan region.

Ayden Marouf, head executive bureau of the Iraqi Turkmen Front party, confirmed the information to Rudaw without providing additional details. 

Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has asked for an extension to his presidency, citing the war with ISIS and the grinding economic crisis. The iconic Kurdish leader has been president since 2005, an extension would be his second since 2013.

The issue has polarized political parties in the region's already factional parliament.

The five main politcal parties held five meetings this month trying to reach a consensus on the issue of the presidency.

On Wednesday, deadlocked political parties agreed on 13 points regarding the presidency of the Kurdistan region.

The out come of the meeting was described as very positive by Fuad Hussein, Barzani’s chief of staff, in a televised press conference.