Turkish defense minister urges KRG to call off poll

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s national defense minister on Saturday called on northern Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to cancel its independence referendum planned for early next week.

Addressing parliament on a motion to extend the government mandate to deploy troops in Iraq and Syria, Nurettin Canikli signaled that he supports a peaceful resolution of the disputes between the KRG and the central Iraqi government in Baghdad.

Canikli warned of a dangerous convergence between global powers in Syria. "Such kinds of danger can grow more visible after the referendum,” he cautioned.

Canikli added that the referendum poses a serious threat to Turkey's national security, and it "would be declared null and void for us."

"We call once again for the cancellation of the referendum and giving up adventurism," said Canikli.

"I want to say once again that we, as Turkey, will support a solution within the Iraqi Constitution."

Parliament is debating a motion to allow the extension of Turkey’s authority to launch cross-border military operations in northern Iraq and Syria for another year.

The debate follows the Kurdish Regional Government's refusal to cancel the planned independence referendum, set for Monday, Sept. 25.

The non-binding referendum will see Iraqis in KRG-controlled areas -- and in a handful of territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad -- vote whether to secede from Iraq.

Along with Baghdad, Turkey, the U.S., Iran and the UN have all spoken out against the poll, saying it will only distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh and further destabilize the region.

Iraq’s central government has threatened to intervene militarily if the vote leads to violence.

The KRG’s leader, Masoud Barzani, has said a Yes vote would not result in an automatic declaration of independence but would simply lead to further negotiations with Baghdad.