Kurdistan referendum form to have one question: Barzani’s senior assistant

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region will hold a referendum in 2017, and the form will address one question, according to a Kurdish official on Sunday.

Delegates from the two leading Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), met in Erbil with the participation of the Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani.

One of the main topics discussed at the meeting was the preparations and practical steps for holding an independence referendum.

Following the meeting, both parties released a statement, informing a joint high committee from the KDP and PUK would discuss the referendum with other Kurdish political parties.

The report added the committee would be responsible for setting the timing and mechanism for the matter as well as engaging in dialogue with Baghdad.

In the meeting, the parties discussed the form of the independence referendum.

“Both sides were in agreement that the process of holding a referendum [would] not be complicated,” Hoshyar Zebari, who is a member of the KDP politburo, told Kurdistan24

“It does not need the Parliament’s decision or special law,” he continued. “The government [Kurdistan Regional Government] can decide on holding the referendum.”

The mechanism is simple, and it consists of one question related to independence, according to Zebari.

“KDP/PUK decided that there will be [one] question to our people for the referendum in Kurdistan, are you for an independent Kurdistan? YES or NO,” Hemin Hawrami, the senior assistant to President Barzani tweeted.

Kurdistan24 learned the referendum would also include the disputed territories which are related to Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution.

Additionally, Zebari explained holding a referendum does not mean declaring independence. “The result of the referendum will be important evidence for the Kurds that calls for independence,” he said.

Zebari, who served as the Foreign Minister of Iraq from 2003 until 2014, told Kurdistan24 although Kurds have talked with superpowers, the case of the referendum and declaring independence was not taken seriously.

Independence has been the long-awaited dream and aspiration of Kurds around the world, who are often labeled the largest nation—over 40 million people—without a sovereign state.

President Barzani has been leading and pushing forward the case for independence.

He stated there was no real partnership in Iraq, accusing the federal government of having a strict “centralized mentality.”

“It is the right of the people of the Kurdistan Region to decide on their future,” President Barzani repeatedly mentioned in the past.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany