Arab Analyst:

Referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan to Gift Insecurity, War to Region

Rasa - Abdel Bari Atwan, the editor-in-chief of Rai al-Youm newspaper, referred to the regional and international opposition to the referendum in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, warning that the region should be waiting for war after the Monday voting.

News ID: 432698

Date: 26 September 2017 - 19:59

RNA - "The next stage after the referendum is ambiguous. Many signs say that it will be hard. Given the reaction of the neighboring states, some of them considered the referendum as a declaration of war, the next stage may start with war and insecurity and the Kurds will likely turn into the most obvious firewood of this war," Atwan wrote on Tuesday.

Noting that President of the Iraqi Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani has chosen a wrong time for holding the referendum, he said the KRG move was so wrong strategically that it united the Arab neighbors, Iran and the Turks against Kurdistan.

He said that the biggest blow will be hit when Turkey closes its oil pipeline to the Kurdistan region which will cut the Kurds' most important source of revenue.

"Israel will likely be the only side that will recognize Kurdistan as a country which will be encircled with the four regional powers of Iran, Turkey, Syria and Iraq," Atwan added.

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

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.

847/940