The leaders of two rival Kurdish groups which control northern Iraq are participating in a conference in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, aimed at strengthening dialogue between Arabs and Kurds.

The two groups are represented by Sami Abdul-Rahman, deputy leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Jalal Talabani.

The two factions, which have fought each other for dominance in recent years, agreed a ceasefire in November.

It's expected their conflict will be discussed at the Cairo meeting, which the Iraqi government has described as an interference in its internal affairs.