ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim warned on Saturday that "security" measures are an option because of the Kurdistan Region's independence referendum which he described as "adventurism." The country’s parliament is scheduled to convene later today to consider its security council’s advice.
Reporters in Kirsehir asked whether cross-border operations were an option. Yildirim replied "of course, security, economic and political options."
Yildirim added “this is a matter of timing, developing conditions will determine this.”
He also slammed self-determinative vote as "adventurism” and reiterated the Turkish stance of it being "the wrong decision."
"With our 80 million citizens and the 780,000 square kilometers of our homeland, we will never tolerate any adventurism for our country's security or the welfare of our nation," Binali Yildirim told reporters in the central Anatolian province of Kirsehir.
Turkey’s National Security Council met on Friday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presiding. After their meeting, the council issued a statement saying the referendum is “threatening Turkey’s national security,” according to Hurriyet Daily News.
"As a neighboring country, Turkey has given the necessary warning in a friendly way since the beginning. But we see that these warnings have not been heeded," Yildirim added on Saturday.
Following the security council’s recommendations, Turkey’s parliament is to convene for an “extraordinary meeting” on Saturday.
E-voting for the referendum for those abroad began on Saturday. More than 5 million people in total are eligible to vote, according to Kurdistan’s electoral commission.
Yildirim also warned that those who made the decision would pay the price.
Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, stressed in a speech at the last official referendum rally on Friday that Kurdistan is not a threat to its neighbours, as has been demonstrated over the past 25 years, but warned the Peshmerga would not allow anyone to feel “comfortable” and invade Kurdistan.
The Turkish military began a military drill on its border with the Kurdistan Region on Monday.
“Either we live a life of subordination, or a free life,” Barzani said. And if they must die to achieve freedom, they will “die with honour.”
Addressing Turkey and Iran, Barzani said, “You have punished us for 100 years. Are you not tired yet?”
Barzani told the estimated 40,000 attendees who packed Erbil’s soccer stadium that “if you want to go back to punishment, come punish me, and leave the people of Kurdistan.”
He directed the Peshmerga to be prepared to “pay whatever cost” necessary to protect Kurdistan.
The Iraqi army’s chief of staff Othman al-Ghanmi is also meeting officials in Turkey on Saturday.
Barzani added that Erbil is open to have serious and friendly talks with Baghdad after the September 25 vote, but it is now too late to postpone the vote.
“We no longer can live with Baghdad,” he said.
