Kurdish leader Barzani welcomed call for dialogue

BAGHDAD - 29 September 2017: Iraq's Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani is ready to set for dialogue and accepts freeze of the results of an independence referendum for two years, a statement by the Iraqi vice president's office said on Thursday.

In a statement, aired by Al Sumaria TV, the office said Barzani announced his support for a dialogue initiative in a message received by Vice President Iyad Allawi.

According to Allawi, the Kurdish leader said he is ready to start dialogue to avoid the de facto policy.

Earlier, the vice president proposed a national initiative to resolve the crisis between Baghdad and Irbil.

Under the initiative, he called on Barzani to freeze results of the referendum during a constructive transitional phase in which a constructive national dialogue will be held to deal with all aspects of the dispute.