Turkish, Iraqi PMs discuss Kurdish referendum

Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim spoke by phone with his Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi to discuss the recent illegitimate referendum on regional independence in northern Iraq, a prime ministry source said Wednesday.

The source said that the two leaders discussed the developments regarding the referendum in the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) as well as bilateral relations between Iraq and Turkey, and regional issues.

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 on Wednesday.

Monday’s controversial referendum had faced wide-spread opposition from most regional and international actors, many of whom had warned the poll would further destabilize the region and distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry re-issued on Wednesday a travel warning against Iraq’s Erbil, Dohuk and Sulaymaniyah provinces over potential security risks.