"If there is any other solution (than the referendum), the government of Kurdistan is committed to be part of this solution, that could be an option," the Kurdish government's official responsible for external relations told AFP.

"The government of Kurdistan would be ready to accept a political agreement that would satisfy all the parties," added Falah Mustafa Bakir.

The oil hub, 255 kilometres (158 miles) north of Baghdad, is claimed by both Arabs and Kurds, and a referendum to decide its fate was to have been held last December but was delayed after UN intervention.

Kurdish leaders agreed to a six-month postponement of the vote at the recommendation of the United Nations.

Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution stipulated that a referendum on Kirkuk be held by the end of 2007 to decide whether its oil wealth should be integrated into the autonomous Kurdish region.

Kirkuk has been gripped by ethnic tension since the US-led invasion of 2003, with Arab and Turkmen residents fearful they would be marginalised if the city were handed over to the Kurds.

Under Saddam Hussein's regime, Kirkuk was the scene of a massive population upheaval with tens of thousands of Kurdish residents expelled to make way for Arab settlers.

Today it has a mixed population of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and Christians, and since 2003 Kurdish politicians have encouraged Kurds to settle there.

"Kirkuk is rightfully ours, therefore we don't need to use violence," said Bakir, who called the city "the symbol of our oppression in the past."

"If Kirkuk is important for others, it is for petrol. But for Kurds, it is for justice.

"Kirkuk is deep in the heart of the Kurds -- nobody among the Kurds is ready to make a concession on this issue," Bakir said.

"We want to recover Kirkuk peacefully by a legal process," he said, adding that the Kurdish authorities "have been very patient, very flexible."

He said it was in everyone's interest to resolve the issue.

But asked if violence could erupt should the question of Kirkuk remain unresolved Bakir replied: "If it continues like that, unsolved, yes."