Iraq's Kurds Push for Independence Referendum
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The president of Iraq's Kurdistan region asked his parliament to prepare for a referendum on independence.
Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), called on parliament to form an independent electoral commission that would start organising a referendum on independence for the semi-autonomous region.
Barzani's latest call is expected to anger Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, who is struggling to keep a grip on the country.
On Friday, Barzani issued a defiant statement to Baghdad that there was no going back on autonomous Kurdish rule in the oil city of Kirkuk, Al Jazeera reported.
The US has urged Barzani to stick with Baghdad, though Barzani said during a meeting last month with John Kerry, US secretary of state, that it was "very difficult" to imagine Iraq staying together.
The Kurdish region has long been at odds with Iraq's federal government on numerous issues, especially over what Kurdish politicians say are delayed and insufficient budget payments to the region.
But the issue is significantly complicated by the Kurds' control of Kirkuk and a chunk of other northern territory that they want to absorb, over the Maliki government's strong objections.
Speaking on Wednesday, Maliki accused the Kurds of "exploiting current events in order to impose a reality" and called the latest moves unacceptable.
