Residents of Iraqi Kurdistan voted in a referendum for independence. Baghdad in response to the threatened military operation
In Iraqi Kurdistan held a referendum on independence. With a turnout of 80% for independence from Baghdad voted, according to preliminary data, 72% of voters. The referendum was held not only Kurdish autonomy, but also in the disputed territories that Kurds consider their own and which could take in the fight against “Islamic state”.
It is also important that, having received control over these territories, the Kurds have concentrated in their hands about a third of Iraq’s oil reserves. Baghdad the referendum results are not recognized. On request “Medusa” orientalist Marianna Belenkaya says that means a referendum on the independence of Kurds in Iraq.
The actual independence of the Iraqi Kurds in 1991. At the end of the First world war the territory on which they lived, the Kurds were divided between Turkey, Iraq and Syria.
In Iraq, Kurdish Autonomous region has appeared only in 1970.
It includes three provinces — about half the historical territories of Iraqi Kurdistan. Outside of autonomy appeared Kirkuk is one of the most oil-rich provinces of Iraq. While controlled by the Kurdish territories still have significant oil reserves.
In the late 1970s — early 1980s, Saddam Hussein pursued in the Kurdish areas the policy of arabization.
Including against the Kurds, used chemical weapons, hundreds of thousands of people were executed. In 1991, the UN security Council declared the Kurdish areas of Northern Iraq the security zone, actually brought them from the jurisdiction of Baghdad.
After the overthrow of Hussein, Iraqi Kurdistan de jure came under the control of Baghdad: the Kurds lacked political and financial resources to the Declaration of independence.
In addition, they wanted to retain not only the three provinces, but under the control of the Iraqi territory, which they regarded as their. For 2000 years the Erbil — capital of Iraqi Kurdistan and Baghdad unsuccessfully sought a compromise on this issue.
The reason for the recent conflict between Baghdad and Erbil has become a dispute over oil revenues. Kurds passed the Baghdad at least 250 thousand barrels of oil per day, instead of receiving 17% of Iraq’s budget.
In 2014, Baghdad has demanded to increase the supply, and when this did not happen due to cutbacks.
In addition, Baghdad has accused the Kurds in the poaching oil foreign companies and cooperation with them to bypass the Central authorities. The oil reserves in the Kurdish controlled areas is estimated at 45 billion barrels. About a third of all oil reserves of Iraq.
From open confrontation, the parties saved the emergence of the “Islamic state”. In the summer of 2014, the terrorists occupied the territory around Mosul and closer to Kirkuk.
In the fight against ISIS, Kurdish military forces proved more effective Iraqi armed forces. At the same time they’ve captured and all of the disputed territories, especially Kirkuk.
This position they decided to use to solve the question of independence — once in Northern Iraq stopped fighting, it was announced the holding of a referendum, including in the disputed territories.
For independence from Baghdad voted 72% of the residents of Iraqi Kurdistan. The referendum does not mean independence.
For the Kurds, the referendum was to become the next leverage in the dialogue with Baghdad, but after the vote, the Iraqi government refused any dialogue with the Kurds. Moreover, in Baghdad do not rule out a military solution to the conflict. On the eve of a referendum the Iraqi government demanded from Erbil to pass under their control all border terminals and airports. At the request of the Baghdad air links with Iraqi Kurdistan closed the Tehran.