The Iraqi Kurdish independence vote might be postponed in return for economic and political concessions from Baghdad, a senior Kurdish official has said.
According to Mala Bakhtiar, executive secretary of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Politburo, a Kurdish delegation is in Baghdad to discuss proposals from the central government about the possibility of postponing the September 25 referendum.
The United States, along with Iran, Turkey and other western nations, fear the vote could ignite a fresh conflict with Baghdad, distracting ongoing efforts in the war against ISIL militants in Iraq and Syria.
US secretary of state Rex Tillerson asked the president of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, Massoud Barzani, to postpone the referendum nearly two weeks ago.
"What thing would Baghdad be prepared to offer to the [Kurdish] region" in return for postponing the referendum, said Mr Bakhtiar, speaking about the talks with the Shiite Muslim-led Baghdad ruling coalition.
Baghdad should be ready to help the Kurds avert their economic crisis by settling debts owed by the KRG, he said from the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya.
He estimated the debt at US$10 to $12 billion (Dh36.7bn to Dh44bn), about equal to the KRG's annual budget, owed to public works contractors and civil servants and Kurdish peshmerga fighters who have not been fully paid for several months.
Baghdad should also commit politically to agree to settling the issue of disputed regions, such as the oil-rich area of Kirkuk where Arab and Turkmen communities also live, he said.
The Kurdish delegation would then convey the proposals to Kurdish political parties to make a decision on whether they are good enough to justify a postponment of the vote, he said, insisting on the Kurdish right to hold the vote at a later date.
"We don't accept to postpone the referendum with nothing in return and without fixing another time to hold it," he said.
It comes amid warnings by Iran and Turkey that the planned independence vote could lead to civil war and negative consequences for the region.
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last Wednesday a referendum on independence in Iraq "can make the situation even worse".
"God forbid, it could even bring it to civil war," he told state broadcaster TRT Haber in his strongest warning yet.
Turkey has a substantial Kurdish minority, which by some estimates, makes up about 25 per cent of its population of just under 80 million.
After talks with Turkey's president last Wednesday, Iran's armed forces chief-of-staff General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri also said: "Both sides stressed that if the referendum would be held, it will be the basis for the start of a series of tensions and conflicts inside Iraq, the consequences of which will affect neighbouring countries."
"Holding the referendum will get Iraq, but also Iran and Turkey involved and that's why the authorities of the two countries emphasise that it is not possible and should not be done," he was quoted by Iran's official IRNA news agency as saying.
Baghdad stopped payments from the Iraqi federal budget to the KRG in 2014 after the Kurds began exporting oil independently from Baghdad, via a pipeline to Turkey.
The Kurds say they need the extra revenue to cope with increased costs incurred by the war against ISIL and a large influx into KRG territory of displaced people.
* reporting from Reuters and Agence France-Presse
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Duminy's Test career in numbers
Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The years Ramadan fell in May