Turkey Says Kurd Independence Vote Is Direct Security Threat
- Security council says referendum illegitimate, unacceptable
- Turkish army has been conducting drills near border this week
Syrian Kurds take part in a rally in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli in support of an independence referendum.
Photographer: Delil Souleiman/AFP via Getty ImagesTurkey sent a final warning to Iraq’s Kurdish provinces to drop plans for a referendum on independence scheduled for Monday, calling the vote a direct threat to its national security.
The National Security Council, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said after a Friday meeting that the Kurdish vote would have “terrible consequences” for the region. It said Turkey reserves its sovereign rights under international accords should the referendum go ahead. The Cabinet met later on Friday to discuss Turkey’s response. Government spokesman Bekir Bozdag said afterwards that a plan of counter-measures has been drawn up, though he declined to give details.