Barzani: International community won’t guarantee Baghdad’s willingness for independence talks

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Following a visit to Iraq, the United Kingdom’s Defense Minister arrived in the Kurdistan Region to discuss the independence referendum with senior officials.

Michael Fallon, the UK Secretary of Defense, arrived in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, where he was received by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani at the Erbil International Airport.

Fallon also met with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani to discuss the relations between Erbil and Baghdad as well as the Region’s independence referendum.

The Secretary of Defense praised the historical relations between Britain and the people of Kurdistan and reiterated the UK’s continued efforts to develop such relations, a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency said.

Fallon also pointed to Britain’s military assistance to the Peshmerga forces in their fight against the Islamic State (IS), the report added.

According to the statement, Fallon called on the Kurdistan Region to postpone the referendum and initiate dialogue with Baghdad under the supervision of the international community.

President Barzani briefed the UK delegation on the reasons leading the Kurdistan Region’s political parties to hold the referendum.

The President explained the Kurds had warned Baghdad many times that continued violation of the constitution and partnership principles would encourage Kurdistan to seek independence. 

“If we cannot become good partners within Iraq, then let us be great neighbors,” the President stated, pointing to the experiences with Baghdad in the past which failed.

“Referendum and dialogue are means toward independence,” President Barzani said.

“The proposed alternatives insisted by the international community on dialogue before the referendum does not guarantee Baghdad’s willingness to begin negotiations on independence,” he added.

President Barzani also stated that “the Kurdistan Region will happily negotiate with Baghdad after the referendum.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany