Putin: Moscow handles Iraqi Kurdistan situation with care

Russian President Vladimir Putin is confident that joint work to smash terrorists in Syria will be successful, reported TASS.

"I am confident that we will finally complete joint work to defeat the Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS terrorist armies," he said at a plenary meeting of the Russian Energy Week forum.

"We’ve got what unites us all," the Russian leader stressed. "And emphasis should be put not on what is a matter of dispute, but on what is common interest. Then we’ll succeed."

Putin has said that Moscow is aware of Iran’s and Saudi Arabia’s concerns over the settlement in Syria and is determined to seek compromise.

"If one is committed to a compromise and the decisions that are acceptable to all participants in this process [the settlement in Syria], the situation becomes more stable," he noted.

The president stressed that Russia is perfectly aware of the concerns of regional countries, including Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. "Now everyone is concerned about the situation in Iraq, the situation with the referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan. There are many regional problems there," he stated.

Speaking about the search for compromise, Putin cited the successful establishment of the de-escalation zones in Syria as an example. That was achieved "after rather complex and meticulous work with all participants in this process, in every sense of the word," he emphasized.

Referring to Iraqi Kurdistan's independence referendum, Putin said Russia has historically good relations with the Kurds, but in the issue of Iraqi Kurdistan Moscow believes everything must be done not to escalate the situation.

Putin said that everything going on in this or that country is its internal matter. He reiterated his words about the situation around Catalonia. "I can say the same about Iraq," the president said, adding that he was well aware also how sensitive the issue is for Turkey, Iran and Syria.

"By the way, we historically had good relations with the Kurdish people. We are not instigating anything and we are not pushing anyone towards anything, we are not interfering in these processes, that is why our statements (about the referendum) are rather careful, they seek not to escalate the situation, they seek that the parties find the way to contacts, cooperation and search for a mutually acceptable solution in most difficult conflict situations," Putin said.

In reply to the question about possible consequences from Turkey’s warning that it could cut oil supplies from Iraqi Kurdistan in connection with the referendum, Putin said this "will tell on global energy markets, pushing the prices up".

"But I think few are interested in this," he said.