On September 15, the White House’s Office of the Press Secretary released a statement revealing an official attitude of the United States towards an Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum that is scheduled for September 25.
The United States called on the Kurdistan Regional Government to postpone the referendum and added that “the referendum is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas”.
“The United States does not support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s intention to hold a referendum later this month. The United States has repeatedly emphasized to the leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government that the referendum is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas. Holding the referendum in disputed areas is particularly provocative and destabilizing. We therefore call on the Kurdistan Regional Government to call off the referendum and enter into serious and sustained dialogue with Baghdad, which the United States has repeatedly indicated it is prepared to facilitate,” the statement reads.
Earlier on September 15, the Kurdistan Region Parliament voted to hold the independence referendum later this month.
