Kurdistan’s offer to freeze referendum result will not redress damage: Turkey

Turkish authorities say an offer by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to freeze the results of last month’s independence referendum is not enough, saying the move would not compensate for the damage caused by the controversial vote.

“It is an important move that the northern Iraqi administration takes a step back, but it is not enough. This referendum should be canceled,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a press conference in Ankara on Thursday.  

Other Turkish officials also reacted to the KRG’s suspension offer, with Prime Minister Binali Yildirim saying freezing the results of the referendum would not redress the “devastation” the vote has caused in Iraq.

“The northern Iraq administration can take whatever decision it wants from now on, it is obvious the decisions will not produce a result that would compensate for the damage,” said Yildirim.

The Turkish premier said his country discussed an array of possible measures against Kurdistan during a visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to Ankara on Wednesday. Those measures include the closure of Turkey’s border with Kurdistan Region.

SS