The parties have repeatedly stated since at least April 22 that they will hold a meeting to settle their differences, but several scheduled talks have been called off as new and varied controversies have arisen.

Mirkhan told a KDP-affiliated media outlet on Wednesday that, by Sunday, the parties would probably agree to a date sometime next week, pushing the timing of the meeting into June.

Despite that apparent lack of urgency, the KDP official said that the meeting was of “significant importance,” NRT reported.

“The meeting is a must and it is not granted that all the problems will be immediately solved because we have a lot that we differ about,” Mirkhan said.

The KDP official further stressed that the media war must be put to an end and that the parties should not let their political opinions enter governmental matters.

His comments follow a similar statement from PUK General Leadership Council member Beston Saburawi on Tuesday that no date for the meeting has been set.

Secretary of the KDP Politburo Fazil Mirani said last week that he expected the two parties to meet following the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which ended on Tuesday.

Tension between the two parties increased over the spring, exacerbated by accusations of spying, the deployment of Peshmerga units to Zini Warte, plans for administrative decentralization, and a contentious vote in the Kurdistan Parliament backed by the KDP to strip an opposition lawmaker of his immunity.

Reporter’s code: 50101