Iraqi Kurds will hold a referendum on independence
MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. The referendum on the independence of the Kurdish Autonomous region of Iraq will take place on Monday, despite calls by the international community and the Central government in Baghdad to move, or better yet, cancel the plebiscite.
At a press conference on Sunday with representatives of a dozen of the world’s media the head of Iraqi Kurdistan Massoud Barzani once again made it clear that the referendum will be held on time.
The referendum
As stated in the independent electoral Commission for elections and referendum of the Iraqi Kurdistan, polling stations will open on Monday at 08:00 and end at 18:00 (coincides with Moscow). The question posed for the referendum is: “do You want to the Kurdistan region and Kurdish areas outside it become an independent state?”.
The Bulletin is presented in four languages: Kurdish, Arabic, Turkmen and Assyrian. You need to answer “Yes” or “no”. To participate signed up 5.2 million people, has the right to vote any resident of the region aged 18 years.
A plebiscite will be held in the provinces comprising the Iraqi Kurdistan — Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dahuk, and in those areas the status of which is considered controversial, as the province of Kirkuk, the Northern oil capital of Iraq.
The status of the last de facto under the control of Erbil, repeatedly became the reason of disagreements between the Federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdish leadership. Security at the time of the vote will provide Kurdish paramilitaries “Peshmerga” and the local police force.
Plans for the future
Members of the Supreme Council for the referendum was voiced by the Kurdish leadership if the majority vote for independence from Baghdad. The document guarantees the national, political, religious, cultural and administrative rights of all citizens in the region, ethnic and religious groups. As official will be accepted in the Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian, Armenian and the language of the ethnic Turkomans.
The draft rights of religious and ethnic groups in the state of Kurdistan also stipulates that they will have a “full representation” in state institutions, “will become real partners in the government of the independent state”, and in the framework of a Federal system, in particular, Arabs, Yazidis and Turkomans will be expected to manage their regions. The document will be submitted for consideration at the next session of the Kurdish Parliament.
The position of the Kurds
Dot the “I” in the referendum question placed Barzani, to convene a press-conference with participation of representatives of foreign media. The Kurdish politician, answering the questions asked in English, Arabic and Kurdish, drew attention to the fact that the decision on the referendum is long overdue and is due to the failure of negotiations with Baghdad and the loss of confidence in the Central government.
As stressed Barzani, despite pressure from the international community, the referendum will be held as scheduled.
Upon completion of the plebiscite Erbil is ready for dialogue with Baghdad on all issues, no matter how long it takes. At the same time, military cooperation between Kurdish militias and the Iraqi army in the fight against terrorism will remain the same, assured Barzani. He also said he did not expect any armed conflict with Baghdad. In contrast, Iraqi Kurds are set to build good relations with Baghdad and neighbouring countries.