Abadi’s office: U.S. Tillerson reiterated rejection of Kurdistan independence

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Baghdad said the United States reiterated Saturday its opposition to Kurdistan independence referendum and its support for the central government in the current political crisis as the autonomous region presses secession.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s office said he received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in which the latter reaffirmed his country’s stance of rejecting the independence referendum slated by Kurdistan Region’s government for Monday, 25th.

Tillerson was quoted saying the U.S. support for all efforts by the Iraqi government to preserve Iraq’s unity.

Abadi, on his part, reiterated the “unconstitutionality” of the planned vote, and stressed on “taking all legal measures needed for the protection of social security and peace,” as quoted by his office.

The call comes hours after Kurdistan’s referendum council stressed that the vote would proceed as planned, dismissing news reports that the region’s ruling partners were mulling a postponement yielding to international pressures.

Kurdish authorities have recurrently expressed determination to proceed with the vote, saying futile negotiations with Baghdad on matters of dispute left no other choice for the region but to seek secession. Besides Baghdad and the United States, the referendum has also drawn disapproval from regional and world powers, most notably the United Nations, the European Union, Iran and Turkey.

Kurdistan Independence

Kurdistan gained actual autonomous governance based on the 2005 constitution, but is still considered a part of Iraq. The region was created in 1970 based on an agreement with the Iraqi government, ending years of conflicts.

Baghdad and Erbil have for long disputed sovereignty over a number of regions, most notably the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, besides contending over petroleum exports’ revenues from those regions.