Iraqi Kurds seek international backing for independence

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Iraqi Kurds seek international backing for independence bid

The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) president met with diplomatic representatives of 36 countries in Arbil to tell them about Kurdish plans to hold a referendum over whether to declare independence and said Kurds will choose a path of dialogue with Baghdad in their bid, a statement from KRG said on Wednesday.

In the first week of 2016 KRG President Massoud Barzani launched a lobbying campaign to seek international backing for Kurds' long-sought dream of an independent Kurdistan. To that aim, he spoke with diplomats from 36 countries about the decision to hold an referendum on independence, which was delayed in 2014 when the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) advanced deep into northern Iraq, capturing Mosul.

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Foreign Affairs Representative of the KRG Fellah Moustafa said Barzani had informed foreign diplomats about the Kurdish plans.

“Holding a referendum and implementing the outcome of that referendum are two different things. A referendum to give the Kurdish people a choice is a natural right," Moustafa said.

"We will discuss with the Baghdad authorities the future of our relations and settle some issues democratically through dialogue."

In the meeting of diplomats, Barzani discussed the ongoing fight against ISIL, the security situation, the conditions under which refugees live in northern Iraq and the regional economy.

Barzani underlined that people in the region should determine their own future.

"For us, a referendum should be held to give people a chance to decide their own future, and everybody should respect the outcome," the Kurdish leader said.

In a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) meeting on Dec. 20, Barzani instructed party officials to work on the preparations for a referendum.

The Iraqi central government adamantly refuses such a move and says it is determined to prevent any drive for secession from Iraq. The Kurdish bid has also become a source for concern for its neighboring countries, such as Turkey and Iran, which have a considerable Kurdish population and fear that an independent Kurdistan may fuel separatist sentiments among their restive Kurds.

While Ankara has some reservations about such a move, those hesitations have not prevented Turkish authorities from nurturing closer and stronger ties with Barzani's KRG, and Ankara has not displayed as strong objections as it had in the past.

http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_ir ... 08989.html