Kurdistan

Turkey warns Kurdistan will pay a ‘price’ if referendum goes ahead

By Rudaw 14/9/2017

Kurds rallied in support of the independence referendum Wednesday evening at Erbil’s Shanidar Park. Photo: Hezhar Jawhar/Rudaw

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Region will pay a “price” if it persists in holding the referendum on independence, Turkey’s foreign ministry warned in a statement on Thursday.

“There will most certainly be a price to pay” if Kurdistan insists on going ahead with the September 25 vote, read the statement, without elaborating.

The ministry welcomed the Iraqi parliament decision on Tuesday to reject the referendum as unconstitutional and supports the clear statement for Iraqi political unity and territorial integrity.

Turkey is alarmed by the “increasingly emotional statements” from the Kurdish leadership and insistence on holding the vote, despite international objections, the statement read.

The ministry asked the Kurdistan government to act wisely and give up its wrong approach and offered its support to strengthen relations between Erbil and Baghdad.

Turkey is a key trade partner for the Kurdistan Region, importantly providing an outlet for the Region’s oil via a pipeline to its Ceyhan port. Ankara has strongly opposed the independence referendum and urged Iraqi unity.

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3 Baz | 14/9/2017

The only price which is to pay are the dozens of dead terrorist turk soldiers and police officers in northern Kurdistan. The oppressors still think they can scare us with the same words as usual. The referendum will be held and the independence will come! Nobody can stop us anymore. If it is necessary all brave daughters and sons of the Kurdish nation are ready to give their souls for this sacred cause!

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1 Muraz Adzhoev | 14/9/2017

Turkey has to recognize independent Southern Kurdistan and establish good, friendly and mutually advantageous bilateral political, diplomatic and economic relations with its new neighbor-country or to pay a "great price" for aggressiveness and forceful interference into sovereign affairs of Southern Kurdistan. Turkey should better think twice and very carefully about its own sovereignty and territotrial integrity in currntly existing geopolitical circumstances and ongoing regional situation. The upcoming self-determination referendum on reintegration and independence of Southern Kurdistan from deadly failed and hostile Iraqi Arab federation is absolutely legal and justified and the whole world has been waiting for its historic results to be officially announced. Southern Kurdistan is already there. If Ankara wants war against Southern Kurdistan, then Turkey must be prepared to see reintegration of Greater Kurdistan

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2 Kajik | 14/9/2017

With 20 million Kurds in Turkey. It's not far fetched to say: so will you my dear college, if you continue with these threats. Turkish government expects the international community to respect their referendum, but threatens us with "prices to be paid" if we go ahead with our referendum. My question is: can you afford another economical disaster by cutting your export into Kurdistan and by that also Iraq? Can you afford to be excluded in rebuilding of Iraq? Can you afford international pressure, by halting oil and gas exports? Can you afford bankrupting all Turkish companies in Kurdistan? Do you think the Iraqi militia will respect your border? Do you have the military capabilities after half of your military force is either in jail or fired? Your only friend in the Middle East is sanctioned Qatar. Your only friend in Europe is? Your only friend in East is? Your only friend in West is? With no friend left in the world, an economy that if going down the drain and no military capability left, maybe respecting your fellow "Sunni" neighbor, would be an wiser choice.

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1 View | 14/9/2017

The Referendum is THE RIGHT of Kurdish people! That is it! Warned? Mr Erdog and his Mummies should respect the right of Kurdish people everywhere! The only country and brothers Mr Erdog have is Muslim Brotherhood and Devlet (=country) Bahceli. Stick to them and let Kurdish "brothers" and other countries solve theirs.

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1 Argushi, USA | 14/9/2017

Turkey does not have any rights to decide the future of kurds and kurdistan.

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Tags : referendum, Kurdistan-Turkey relations, Turkey foreign ministry

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