Iraqi Prime Minister: Kurdistan Region Should Not Hold Independence Referendum

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, urged the Kurdistan Region not to hold a referendum on independence, stating that such an action would not benefit the region or Iraq. Masoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region, had said last week that the time for a 'non-binding' referendum on independence from Iraq had come. This comes as the Kurdistan Region faces significant political, economic, and security challenges. According to Reuters, al-Abadi stated during a press conference in Berlin on February 11 that he asks the officials of the Kurdistan Region not to hold the independence referendum. He added that as long as they do not want to abide by its results, what is the purpose of holding a referendum? The report mentions that the turmoil resulting from the capture of large areas of Iraq and Syria since 1993 has led the Kurds to strive harder for their dream of independence. After meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Iraqi Prime Minister emphasized that Kurdistan is part of Iraq and hopes it remains so, stating that the disintegration of the country is not in anyone's interest. In recent years, the Kurds of Iraq have attempted to strengthen their autonomous status; thus, they have taken steps to lay pipelines for independent oil exports via Turkey. These actions intensified especially after tensions with the Baghdad government over power-sharing and oil revenues. Historically, regional countries oppose Kurdish independence as Kurds are significant minorities in Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. American officials have repeatedly stated that they want the Kurds to remain part of Iraq. Angela Merkel also expressed on Thursday that she does not want to see Iraq's integrity threatened, adding, 'Our achievements in supporting the Kurds and the Peshmerga forces (in the fight against the Islamic State) are clear.' Some believe that calls for independence from certain officials in the Kurdistan Region are an effort to divert the Kurds' attention from internal problems and rally them behind Barzani, whose presidency ended a few months ago.