Turkish PM says KRG 'responsible' for upcoming events

By Guc Gonel and Ismail Ozdemir

KOCAELI (AA) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) would be "responsible for the upcoming events in the region".

In a public address Saturday in the northwestern Kocaeli province, in the Marmara region, Yildirim spoke about the illegitimate referendum that took place last Monday.

the illegitimate poll had faced widespread opposition from most regional and international actors, many of whom had warned it would further destabilize the region and distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh.

"There are not only Kurdish brothers living there," Yildirim said. "Lots of other ethnic groups are also living there. The KRG, without asking those people, is playing with fire with a greedy attitude."

Yildirim said the KRG "is responsible for the upcoming events in the region".

"Everybody should know this. A statute change in Turkey's southern borders, an effort to establish an artificial state is an issue for Turkey's national security," Yildirim said.

"We will not hesitate to use all our rights when the issue comes to Turkey's national security. We are working hard with Iran and Iraq to prevent the games that are being played in the region."

Almost 93 percent of those who voted in Monday’s referendum in northern Iraq voted in favor of regional independence, according to preliminary results released by the KRG on Wednesday.

Turkey, the U.S., Iran and the UN have all joined Baghdad in speaking out against the poll planned for the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Iraq, saying the vote would distract from operations against Daesh and lead to greater instability in the region.

The central government has threatened to intervene militarily if the vote results in violence. Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani has said a “yes” vote would not initiate a declaration of independence but would led to negotiations with Baghdad.​