U.S. Against Kurds Holding Referendum in September, Envoy Says
- Independence vote held in near future would be destabilizing
- U.S. envoy met with Iraqi, Kurd leaders in Baghdad last week
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A referendum on independence in Iraq’s semi-autonomous and oil-rich Kurdish region should not take place in September as planned because it would be destabilizing at time when the fight against Islamic State isn’t yet won, the U.S. envoy to the coalition confronting the extremist group said.
“Having a referendum on such a fast timeline, particularly in disputed areas, would be, we think, significantly destabilizing and we’ve made those views very clear,” said Brett McGurk, who spoke to Iraqi and Kurdish leaders about the issue in Baghdad last week.