AP Interview: Crisis worries Iraqi Kurdish leader

IRBIL, Iraq – The president of Iraq's self-ruled Kurdish region says time is running out for the government to decide on a power-sharing agreement and end the crisis roiling the country.

Massoud Barzani told The Associated Press on Wednesday that one possible alternative is a political revolt. But he did not predict whether Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would be ousted from power.

Barzani says opposition parties have run out of patience after feeling sidelined in al-Maliki's Shiite-led government.

He says the impasse must be resolved before local Iraqi Kurdish elections are held in September.

If they are not, he says it's possible Iraqi Kurds may then vote on whether they want to live under what Barzani called a Baghdad-controlled dictatorship.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — The president of Iraqi's self-ruled Kurdish region says time is running out for the government to decide on a power-sharing agreement and end the crisis roiling Iraq.

Massoud Barzani told The Associated Press on Wednesday that one possible alternative is a political revolt. But he did not predict whether Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would be ousted from power.

Barzani says opposition parties have run out of patience after feeling sidelined in al-Maliki's Shiite-led government.

He says the impasse must be resolved before local Iraqi Kurdish elections are held in September.

If they are not, he said it's possible Iraqi Kurds may then vote on whether they want to live under what Barzani called a Baghdad-controlled dictatorship.