National Security Advisor:

Iraq Not to Recognize Results of Referendum in Kurdistan Region

TEHRAN (defapress)- Iraqi National Security Advisor Falah al-Fayaz underlined that the country will not recognize the results of an independence referendum that is said to be held in the Kurdistan region soon, adding that such a move is only meant to please Israel.

News ID: 65706

Date: 23 August 2017 - 17:50

"It is an illegal action and we will not recognize its results," Fayaz said in an interview with the Arabic service of Sputnik news agency on Wednesday.

Warning that an independence referendum will yield negative consequences for Iraq, he said, "All international parties are opposed to referendum and separatism, but Israel."

"We have told our brothers in the Iraqi Kurdistan region that it is not a digested step and will lead to new conflicts," Fayaz added.

His remarks came after the Iraqi Vice-President, Nouri al-Maliki, warned of the consequences of a referendum on independence in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, stressing that it will first harm the Kurds.

"Referendum in the Kurdistan region is a big and serious mistake and the Kurds will be harmed more than others," Maliki said late in July.

"Referendum in Kurdistan region is illegal and will violate the constitution of integrated Iraq," he added.

Warning that certain figures want to seize the opportunity to introduce themselves as saviors of the Kurdish people, Maliki said, "Principally, the referendum will have no good benefit and will instead add to problems."

Also, last month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi also underscored serious opposition to Kurdistan region's bid to arrange a referendum for independence, describing it as illegal and a big mistake.

"The referendum for independence of the (Kurdistan) region is a very big mistake which is not legal and will bear no positive results and instead will add to the existing problems and therefore, we are strongly opposed to it," al-Abadi said.

Stressing that the Iraqi officials should move in line with people's interests, he said that "separating from Iraq's integrated government will not be to the benefit of our Kurdish citizens".

Al-Abadi underlined that there is no opposition to the federalization of Iraq based on the constitution, and doubted if even one single problem of Kurdistan would be solved through separation from the central government.

Also, in July, Iraq's former National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie warned of the dire consequences of arranging a referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, and said only Israel and Saudi Arabia agree with this plan.

"All the world states, from the EU and the US to the Middle-East countries, oppose the referendum for independence in the Kurdistan region and only Saudi Arabia and Israel have agreed with it to be used as a pressure leverage against Baghdad," al-Rubaie, now a senior Iraqi parliamentarian, was quoted as saying by al-Mayadeen news channel.

Also, last month, Head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) Ammar al-Hakim underlined the necessity for unity among all Iraqi groups and people, and said he sees a referendum for independence in the Kurdistan region as a harmful blow to the entire nation.

"I believe that Iraq's unity is of vital importance because first it has been stated in the country's Constitution and second, the Iraqis' interests depend on this unity and the consequences of distorting this unity will not be limited to a specific region and will start a domino," Hakim told FNA.

"In such conditions, we will endeavor to convince our partners in the Kurdistan region that this decision will harm Kurdistan and the entire Iraq because our power lies in our unity," he added.

Hakim said that he and his colleagues have consulted with certain regional and world states to dissuade the Kurdish officials from holding the referendum, warning that Iraq's welfare and success will be endangered be the move.