Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi yesterday demanded that Kurdish authorities “cancel” the outcome of the independence referendum in northern Iraq, as a condition for dialogue to resolve an escalating crisis.
In a speech to parliament, Abadi renewed his ultimatum to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Masoud Barzani to hand over control of international airports by tomorrow or face a ban on direct international flights to the Kurdish region.
People in northern Iraq voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence in Monday’s non-binding referendum.
Photo: Reuters
Any idea of secession is bitterly opposed by the governments in Baghdad, Turkey and Iran. The US pressed Kurdish leaders to call off the poll.
“We won’t have a dialogue about the referendum outcome,” Abadi told parliament. “If they want to start talks, they must cancel the referendum and its outcome.”
His demand was rejected by KRG Transport Minister Mowlud Murad, who told a news conference in the Kurdish capital, Erbil, that keeping control of airports and maintaining direct international flights to Erbil was necessary for the fight against Islamic State militants.
Kurdish leaders say the referendum was held to give them a mandate to negotiate the peaceful secession of their region with Baghdad and Iraq’s powerful neighbors Iran and Turkey.
Murad expressed the hope that the crisis could be resolved by tomorrow, saying it would damage Kurdistan’s economy.
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority yesterday sent a notice to foreign airlines telling them international flights to Erbil and Sulaimaniya in the Kurdish region would be suspended tomorrow at 3pm and only domestic flights allowed.
The Iraqi parliament also asked al-Abadi to send troops to the Kurdish-held region of Kirkuk and take control of its oilfields.
Kurdish Pehsmerga fighters took control of Kirkuk, a multiethnic region, in 2014 when the Iraqi army fled in the face of Islamic State militants who overran about a third of Iraq.
The Kurdish move prevented the oilfields from falling into the militants’ hands.
The area, historically claimed by the Kurds, is also home to Turkmen and Arab communities. The KRG included it in the independence referendum held on Monday.
“The government has to bring back the oilfields of Kirkuk under the control of the oil ministry,” said the resolution voted by parliament in Baghdad, seen by Reuters.
It called on al-Abadi to “issue orders for the security forces to deploy in the disputed areas, including Kirkuk.”
KRG authorities put the turnout for the independence referendum at more than 70 percent, but many voters reported irregularities, including cases of individuals voting multiple times and without proper registration.
Official results were expected to be released yesterday.
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