Turkey, Iran, Iraq one on Kurd vote

Ankara, September 21 

Turkey, Iran and Iraq have agreed to consider counter-measures against Kurdish northern Iraq over a planned independence referendum, Turkey’s foreign ministry said today.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three countries voiced concerns that the referendum would endanger gains Iraq has made against Islamic state, and reiterated worries of potential new conflicts in the region.

“At the meeting, the three ministers emphasised that the referendum will not be beneficial for the Kurds and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and agreed, in this regard, to consider taking counter-measures in coordination,” the statement said.

The statement gave no details of the possible measures but said the ministers, who were in New York attending the UN General Assembly, called on the international community to intervene.

But the Kurds say they are determined to go ahead with the vote, which, though non-binding, could trigger the process of separation in a country already divided along sectarian and ethnic lines. — Reuters