Iraq’s Kurds have vowed to hold an independence referendum on Monday (September 25) despite opposition from the government in Baghdad and warnings it could cause unrest across the region.<br /><br />Turkey and Iran fear that their own Kurdish populations may also want to secede and they support Iraq in saying the vote should be cancelled.<br /><br />The head of the Kurdistan Regional Government Massoud Barzani insists that it should go ahead.<br /><br />“We’ve reached this conclusion because only through independence can we secure our future, without the atrocities we’ve suffered in the past.” [...] “We can take the time to secure a ‘good neighbours’ relationship between Kurdistan and Baghdad. But I would like to stress that we are never ever going back to renegotiating the failed partnership we’ve had in the past.” <br /><br />The referendum is widely expected to result in a ‘yes’ for independence.<br /><br />“I’m urging everybody – my family, my friends – to head to the polls and vote ‘Yes’ so we can have an independent Kurdistan that can develop economically and culturally”, said Irbil resident, Qadem Ramadan.<br /><br />Pressure has mounted on Kurdistan ahead of the referendum. On Sunday (September 24), Iraq urged foreign countries to stop importing crude directly from the autonomous region.<br />
