Al-Hayat:

Gaps Widening among Kurdish Parties, Barzani Likely to Remain Lonely in Referendum

Rasa - The Arabic language al-Hayat daily said rifts are widening between the main Kurdish parties over the Monday referendum, and KRG President Masoud Barzani's party might be eventually left alone.

News ID: 432649

Date: 24 September 2017 - 20:16

RNA - According to the newspaper, the Kurds lost the opportunity for talks with Baghdad, and a number of senior members of the National Unity party announced that they had agreed with an alternative plan and voiced their opposition to the referendum.

It added that in case of continued differences among the Kurdish parties (the two parties affiliated to Barzani and former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani) on the referendum, Barzani's party will remain alone in the Monday voting.

This scenario means a big failure for Barzani's attempts to hold the referendum under the conditions that all parties in Soleimaniyeh (the National Unity, Change and Islamist forces) will possibly dismiss the results of the referendum.

The referendum has been scheduled for Monday in defiance of the central government in Baghdad, which says the referendum is unconstitutional and which has called on the Kurdish leadership to drop the plan.

As the referendum nears, Kurdish flags have been hoisted on buildings and flying out of car windows in Iraqi Kurdistan. Billboards have also been set up with pro-independence messages.

Iran, Iraq, and Turkey have jointly voiced concerns about the Kurdish independence vote, warning that it could fan the flames of tensions in the Middle East.

The UN Security Council also unanimously issued a statement on Thursday voicing alarm over “the potentially destabilizing impact” of the plebiscite. The 15-member council urged “dialogue and compromise” to address the differences between Baghdad and the Kurdish authorities.

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