Iraqi Kurdish referendum historic mistake: Turkey

Turkeyon Thursday welcomed anIraqiparliament move to reject a referendumonKurdishindependence.

The parliament in Baghdad authorised the prime minister to "take all measures" to preserve Iraq's unity in response to the move to hold an independencereferendumin Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdishregion on Sept. 25.

Kurdishleader Massoud Barzani vowed to press ahead with the vote, calling it "a natural right".

"Barzani'sreferendumdecision is a historic mistake.Turkeywill follow policies that take Iraq's territorial integrity as a basis," Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said.

"The northern Iraqreferendummust be cancelled, if not it will have a cost and retribution," he said, adding the move would erode the region's peace and bring security risks.

Turkeyhas the region's largestKurdishpopulation and fears a 'Yes' vote could fuel separatism in its southeast whereKurdishmilitants have waged an insurgency for three decades in which more than 40,000 people have been killed.

Ankara has built solid ties with Barzani's administration, founded on strong economic and energy links as well as Ankara and Erbil's shared suspicions of otherKurdishgroups and Iraq's central government.

Iran and Syria also oppose the vote, fearing it could fan separatism among their ownKurdish populations.

Western powers worry the plebiscite - which would include the oil-producing city of Kirkuk - could ignite conflict with the central government in Baghdad and divert attention from the war against Islamic State militants.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Thursday, said: "We find the (IraqiKurdish) leadership's insistent stance regarding thereferendumand its increasingly emotional statements worrying.

"It should be noted that this insistence will definitely have a cost," it added. "We call on them to act with good sense and abandon this erroneous approach immediately."