The parliament of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region approved a plan to hold a referendum on independence on September 25, ignoring Iraqi, Iranian and Turkish opposition as well as US and Western concern that the vote could cause new conflicts in the region.<br /><br />An overwhelming majority of Kurdish MPs raised their hands to approve the plan, during the first session held by the parliament since it was suspended two years ago.<br /><br />The parliament reconvened on Friday in Erbil, the seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq.<br /><br />The central government in Baghdad opposes the plan, as do Iraq’s neighbours Iran and Turkey, which fear that an independent Kurdish state could fuel separatism among their own Kurdish populations.<br />
