The Middle East Moves To Block The Kurdish Vote For Independence

Reuters: Turkey, Iran, Iraq consider counter-measures over Kurdish referendum

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey, Iran and Iraq have agreed to consider counter-measures against Kurdish northern Iraq over a planned independence referendum, Turkey’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three countries voiced concerns that the referendum would endanger the gains Iraq has made against Islamic State, and reiterated their fears over the potential for new conflicts in the region.

“In the meeting, the three ministers emphasized that the referendum will not be beneficial for the Kurds and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and agreed, in this regard, to consider taking counter-measures in coordination,” the statement said.

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WNU Editor: The rallies in the Kurdish cities are massive. It is too late to stop this .... in the minds of many Kurds they are not on the verge of having their own nation state .... they are just making it official. My biggest fear is that this will now lead to war .... a sectarian conflict that will easily engulf the countries of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

On a side note, while much of the entire world is condemning this vote, there are two countries who have not joined the chorus .... Israel's Backing of Iraqi Kurds' Independence Vote Strains Ankara Ties (VOA), and Russia becomes Iraq Kurds' top funder, quiet about independence vote (Reuters).

More News On The Middle East Moving To Block The Kurdish Vote For Independence

Pressure Mounts on Iraqi Kurds to Cancel Independence Vote -- NYT
Iraq's Kurdish government defies international calls to postpone referendum -- The National
Don’t do it - nations warn Kurds about independence vote -- Ottawa Citizen
Iran, US intensify efforts to stop Kurdish referendum -- Middle East Monitor
State Department says it 'strongly opposes' independence for Iraqi Kurds -- Business Insider
Barzani refuses request by French President to postpone Kurdish referendum -- NRT
Iraqi President discusses Kurdish referendum with UN's Kubis -- NRT
Syria's Kurds poised for vote to cement federal push -- Yahoo Singapore News
Syria's Kurds to hold historic vote in 'message' to Assad -- Reuters
Peshmerga '100 percent certain' Baghdad will fight independence -- Middle East Eye
Why is Turkey so disjointed over the Iraqi Kurds? -- Washington Post