U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan region on Monday to resolve their conflict over Kurdish self-determination and disputed territories through dialogue, Reuters reported.
Tillerson urges Iraq and Kurdistan to resolve conflict through dialogue
STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 24, ARTSAKHPRESS: Tillerson laid out his position at the start of a meeting in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who in turn defended the role of an Iraqi paramilitary force backed by Iran against criticism the secretary of state made on Sunday.
“We are concerned and a bit sad,” Tillerson said in his opening remarks. “We have friends in Baghdad and friends in Erbil and we encourage all parties to enter into discussion ... and all differences can be addressed,” he said, referring to the Iraqi and Kurdistan region capitals.
The U.S. administration sided with Abadi in rejecting the validity of the referendum held last month in the Kurdish region, which produced an overwhelming yes for Kurdish independence.
The administration also called on the two sides to avoid further escalation, after Abadi retaliated against the vote by isolating the Kurdistan region and ordering his troops to seize the oil city of Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters.
“We don’t want to enter into any battle against any Iraqi component,” Abadi said. “When we entered Kirkuk we sent a clear message that the citizens of Kirkuk are important to us.”
