MESOP SHORT CUT : Barzani to US: We won’t abandon Referendum plan

11.07.2014 – BasNews, Erbil – Iraqi Kurdish President Massuad Barzani told United States officials on Thursday that they won’t abandon plans of achieving Kurdish rights and will continue to work toward them.Barzani met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Brett McGurk and a senior delegation from the State Department in Erbil on Thursday and they talked about the current Iraqi crisis.

According to Kurdistan Region official website, McGurk has acknowledged the Kurds efforts in securing disputed areas against recent violence from Islamic State in Iraqi and Sham (ISIS) and providing a safe haven to refugees from the region.“Kurdistan region is ready to solve Iraqi political crisis, but at the same time we will continue to strive to achieve Kurdish rights and won’t give up on it,” Barzani said to US officials.After recent developments in Iraq and ISIS attacks in Mosul and other Sunni cities in the region, the Kurdish forces, known as Peshmerga, took control of Iraqi disputed territories and since then Kurdish independence has become a hot topic on the international circuit.Earlier this month, Barzani asked the Kurdistan Region Parliament to start their work in organizing a referendum on the future of Iraqi disputed regions as well as on an independent Kurdistan.