Cairo, Dhu-AlHijjah 19, 1438, Sep 10, 2017, SPA -- Arab League Chief Ahmed Abulgheit on Sunday urged Iraqi government and Kurdistan regional officials to hold urgent "frank and open" discussions over the loss of confidence in the wake of Kurdish plans to secede from Iraq. The secretary-general's remarks came in a statement after one-day talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi in Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Irbil. Abulgheit discussed the implications of the Kurdistan regional government's planned independence September 25 referendum to Arab national security, saying the plans could have "negative results" that threaten the stability and security of the wider region. Any dialogue should stem from the principle of Iraqi unity and serious and committed efforts aimed at bolstering the concept of a "strong and stable, democratic federal nation," said Abulgheit. He also stressed the importance of ensuring security, the rule of law and equal rights for the Iraqi people, while recognizing that the Kurds are a crucial component of the Iraqi society. --SPA 21:15 LOCAL TIME 18:15 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w484584