“We believe the timing was good... because those Iraqi forces who are currently implementing their policies to change the demography and situation in areas that they are in right now, they had this program and this plan in mind even before the referendum.” Barzani has told Newsweek in an interview.
“They are using the referendum as a pretext to cover their plan and plot against the Kurdish people. We went ahead with the referendum in order to avoid... bloodshed, in order to avoid battles and conflict because those [Iraqi forces] who are now fighting us... want to impose a new status quo in the area. Our mistake is we should have held the referendum earlier and not later.”
Barzani, who left his post as president at the end of October and handed over his powers to the government and parliament, says that the referendum was a collective decision by all political parties and that it was in fact a success.
“So the process was successful... and I do believe this referendum has secured the future of the Kurdish people. It’s true that there has been some... obstacles... post-referendum, but... it doesn’t mean the determination of the Kurdish people was lost.”
Barzani tells Newsweek he believes that “Without the role and sacrifices of the peshmerga, ISIS would not have been rolled back and defeated, nor would Mosul have been liberated,” and that it was a big surprise for the Kurds that America allowed its weapons to be used by the Iraqi army against them.
Asked by Newsweek’s Adla Massoud if he believed the US approved the Iraqi plan to enter Kirkuk and other Kurdish-held areas, Barzani replies: “We do believe, yes, that the operation to take over Kirkuk was led by the Iranians with the knowledge of the U.S. and British officials.”
Telling NPR radio earlier this week that the Kurds will re-evaluate their relations with the United States in light of what happened in October, Barzani tells Newsweek, “But with regards to the relationship between Kurdistan and the White House... I can’t say whether we have a relationship or not.”
Barzani says that “Iraqi decisions are in the hands of Iran. The Kurds are not going to confront the Iranians nor compete with Iran.”
He also adds that it “will be decided in the future” whether the Kurdistan Region will work with Iran or not.
Barzani echoes the official Kurdish government sentiment for dialogue with Baghdad and prevention of military conflict.
“Our policy is to seek dialogue, to seek peaceful ways for conflict resolution and conflict prevention with Iraq. If the international community and the coalition... genuinely want to prevent another armed conflict, they can. But if a battle erupts, it means they gave it the green light.”
Barzani says that the control of disputed territories by Iraqi forces will not change the identity of their people and constitutional status, explaining that the Kurds withdraw from them only to prevent bloodshed.
“What’s going on in [Kurdish territories]... is just temporary because nobody can change the identity of those areas,” he says. “We are not going to recognize any forced demographic change. The identities of these areas are still Kurdish. We withdrew from many of the areas so as to prevent any kind of conflict and bloodshed. We wanted to prevent any kind of military confrontation to pave the way for dialogue.”
“We are ready to go as far as it’s possible to avoid fighting with the Iraqi army... as long as they are not... changing the [autonomous] status of Kurdistan.”
