UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS FROM PM YILDIRIM
By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun, Sinan Uslu and Baris Gundogan
ANKARA (AA) – Prime Minister Binali Yildirim Friday called on Kurdish Regional Government’s (KRG) President Masoud Barzani to abandon a planned independence referendum in northern Iraq.
Taking journalists’ questions in capital Ankara after his visit to Turk-Is trade union headquarters, Yildirim said “I want to make a call here. It is not over yet for Barzani to give up on this ambition of his.”
“This referendum, which is opposed by the whole world and is illegal to international law, will not bring happiness to our Kurdish brothers in the region,” Yildirim said.
Yildirim said there is a problem between KRG and Iraqi government regarding the application of constitutional rights and there is a complaint that Iraqi government does not respond to regional expectations.
He said they offered to solve this dispute, however, there was not a positive response.
Yildirim also said that inclusion of Kirkuk to the referendum is another catastrophe because the demographic structure of the city has been changed with some fait accompli.
He said that originally, 70 percent of Kirkuk’s population is consisted of Turkmens.
“Therefore, because the demographic structure was changed, a referendum there will be a referendum that would be done by asking to wrong people. This is a totally unlawful situation,” Yildirim stressed.
He added that the referendum is a national security issue for Turkey.
“Turkey will not hesitate and is determined to use its rights coming from international, national and bilateral treaties regarding its own national security,” Yildirim said.
The non-binding referendum will see residents of Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Iraq vote on full independence from Baghdad.
The U.S. and UN have also spoken out against the poll, saying it would distract from operations against Daesh and lead to greater regional instability.
Baghdad has threatened to intervene militarily if the vote results in violence. KRG President Masoud Barzani has said a Yes vote would not initiate a declaration of independence but would led to negotiations with the Iraqi government.
