Kurds face reprisals over ‘yes’ vote for independence

KURDISTAN’S neighbours threatened it with air embargoes and economic blockades yesterday as they piled pressure on the region a day after it held a controversial referendum on independence from Iraq.

Haider al-abadi, Iraq’s prime minister, last night ordered the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to hand over control of their airports to federal authorities by Friday or face an international flight ban.

The Kurds have ruled an autonomous enclave within Iraq since the 2003 Us-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, but Baghdad maintains control of its air space.

Iraq considers the vote unconstitutional, especially as it was held not only within the Kurdish region itself but also on disputed territory held by Kurds elsewhere in northern Iraq.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president who fears the referendum will galvanise Turkey’s own sizeable Kurdish minority, warned Iraqi Kurds would go hungry if Ankara decided to go ahead and impose sanctions.

Kurdistan relies heavily on Turkey, which is its main trading partner and hosts the pipeline through which up to 600,000 barrels of oil are exported every day. “This referendum decision, which has been taken without any consultation, is treachery,” he said, repeating threats to cut off the pipeline.

Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan’s president who called the referendum, should now “give up on this adventure”, Mr Erdogan added. Mr Barzani called on Iraq to enter a serious dialogue with the KRG, and claimed that the “yes” vote had triumphed, though the final result is only expected today.

Initial results of the vote indicated 72 per cent of eligible voters had taken part. Participation in Kurdistan’s capital Erbil was reported to be as high as 90 per cent, while in areas where Mr Barzani enjoys less support it was thought to be around 50 per cent. The Kurdish TV channel, Rudaw, claimed an overwhelming majority, “possibly over 90 per cent”, had said “yes”.

The referendum is not binding and will not immediately lead to independence but rather give a mandate to the KRG to start negotiations on secession from Baghdad and from other neighbouring countries.