Barzani Says Kurds Could Consider Delay of Referendum with Guarantees: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - President of Iraqi Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani said a postponement to the referendum could be considered if the Iraqi government and the international community guaranteed the results of the referendum would be admitted.
Barzani said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat, published on Wednesday (August 30) that this was just an opinion and the High Referendum Council will make the decision on the referendum.
Barzani asked whether the Iraqi government and the international community would admit the results of the referendum if it were postponed to September 25, 2018.
“Such an alternative could be studied if they were ready to give such guarantee,” Barzani added. “Such guarantees should be first from the Iraqi government and the Iraqi parliament, and then with the guarantee of the United States and the international coalition as well as European Union and the United Nations.”
Barzani said regarding the prospect of a majority “No” vote in the referendum that he would respect the will of the people if they rejected the referendum on independence, NRT reported.
The Kurdistan Region declared on June 7 a plan to hold a referendum on the region’s independence this year on September 25. The announcement came following a meeting between the region’s political parties, not including the Change Movement (Gorran) and Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG).
