KRG leader Barzani calls for talks with Baghdad after referendum

Masoud Barzani, the president of northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), has urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi to begin talks a day after his administration held a referendum on independence from Baghdad.

Earlier in the day, the Iraqi central government demanded that the authorities in Erbil give Baghdad control of all airports in KRG-controlled areas within 72 hours to avoid a possible aerial blockade on the region.

But Barzani responded in a televised address on Tuesday by calling on Baghdad "not to close the door to dialogue.”

Barzani added that the “yes” vote had won Monday’s non-binding referendum, which was held in defiance of the government in Baghdad and which had angered their neighbours and their US allies.

The KRG’s Rudaw TV channel said an overwhelming majority, possibly over 90 percent, had voted in favour of independence. Final results are expected by Wednesday.

Iraq considers the vote unconstitutional, especially as it was held not only within the regions officially assigned to the KRG, but also in disputed territories held by the KRG elsewhere in northern Iraq.

The United States, major European countries and neighbours Turkey and Iran strongly opposed the decision to hold the referendum, which they described as destabilising at a time when all sides are still fighting against Daesh.

In ethnically mixed Kirkuk, where Arabs and Turkmen opposed the vote, authorities lifted an overnight curfew imposed to maintain control. Kirkuk, located atop huge oil resources, is outside the official KRG territories but controlled by Kurdish forces that occupied it in 2014 after driving out Daesh fighters.

"We may face hardship but we will overcome," Barzani said, calling on world powers "to respect the will of millions of people" who voted in the referendum.

Prior to the referendum, Barzani said a “yes” outcome would not result in independence, but would provide a mandate for negotiations with Baghdad and neighbouring countries over the peaceful secession of the region from Iraq.

Baghdad said there would be no such talks.

"We are not ready to discuss or have a dialogue about the results of the referendum because it is unconstitutional," Prime Minister Abadi said on Monday night.