“The Kurdish referendum on independence from Iraq could escalate the tensions in the region and destabilize it,” German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Tuesday.
"ٌٌٌWe express deep concerns as this move may further aggravate the unstable situation in the region that has become even more complicated since yesterday," Gabriel said, as quoted by his press service.
The minister added that Iraqi Kurdistan authorities and the central government in Baghdad should address the problems via dialogue, Sputnik reported.
"We call on all the sides to avoid any escalation and to refrain from unilateral steps toward the independence or from compulsive actions. Unresolved issues between Erbil and Baghdad should be discussed and solved via dialogue," the German politician added.
On Monday, the independence vote was held in Iraqi Kurdistan and some areas not belonging to Kurd’s autonomous government but were freed from ISIL terrorists by Kurdish militia and are under de facto control of Kurdish authorities now. The referendum was not supervised by any international body or impartial entity.
According to what the Kurds recount, after 9 percent of votes had been counted, more than 93 percent of voters backed the independence of the region. At the meantime, Iraqi authorities said that the referendum was not legitimate and stressed that they would not conduct talks with the authorities of Iraqi Kurdistan on the issue of the vote.
YNG/ PR
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