Kurdistan Referendum delegation to visit neighboring and Western countries

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Referendum Council reaffirmed the date for holding the independence referendum while preparing delegations for dialogues with neighboring and Western countries.

On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani chaired a meeting of the Kurdistan Referendum Council and spoke with the Kurdish delegation that recently visited Baghdad for negotiations.

In a statement released following the meeting, the Referendum Council discussed the visit of the US Secretary of Defense to Erbil, regional and international responses to the referendum and Kurdistan delegation's visit to Baghdad.

The officials agreed that the Referendum Council should prepare to form and send delegations for dialogues with countries that are concerned about the referendum or its timing.

“Referendum Council fully believes in real partnership with Kurdistan’s religious and ethnic components and guarantees to protect and fulfill their rights,” the statement said.

The council insists that the referendum means implementing the natural right of people of Kurdistan to determine their future.

It reiterated that referendum will not have any negative effects on the war against the Islamic State (IS) and the people of Kurdistan will remain at the forefront of fighting terror, the statement added.

The meeting agreed on expediting the process so the independence referendum will be held on time, encouraging the media and the political parties to cooperate in supporting the process.

Editing by Ava Homa