Pressure growing over
Baghdad issues threats as nations express their opposition to bid for independence
Baghdad has heaped pressure on Iraq’s Kurds, demanding they cancel their overwhelming vote for independence while Parliament urged the Iraqi central Government to send troops to take control of vital oil fields held by Kurdish forces.
Stepping up efforts to isolate auto- nomous Kurdish-held northern Iraq, whose people endorsed secession in a referendum on Tuesday that angered neighbouring countries, Baghdad demanded that foreign governments close their diplomatic missions in the Kurdish capital Erbil.
Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani announced on Wednesday that the “yes” vote had won.
Final results released yesterday showed nearly 93 per cent in favour of independence, and 7.3 per cent against. More than 3.3 million people, or 72 per cent of eligible voters, took part in Tuesday’s ballot, according to the electoral commission.
The referendum has stirred fears of a new regional conflict. An Iraqi armed forces delegation headed to neighbouring Iran to co-ordinate military efforts, apparently as part of retaliatory measures taken by the Government in Baghdad.
Iran and Turkey also oppose any move toward Kurdish secession and their armies have started joint exercises near their borders with Iraqi Kurdistan in recent days. Iraq and Turkey have also held joint drills.
Foreign airlines began suspending flights to Kurdish airports after the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority said yesterday that international flights to Erbil and Sulaimaniya would be suspended.
Kurdish authorities rejected Baghdad’s demands that they should annul the referendum as a condition for dialogue and hand over control