Hoshyar Siwaily received the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq (DSRSG), Mr. Gyorgy Busztin to discuss the forthcoming Independence Referendum in Kurdistan and the current developments in Iraq.

The Independence Referendum in Kurdistan is scheduled for September 25th, 2017 and as of today, there is no alternative offer, therefore, the referendum will go on as scheduled. Mr. Busztin reiterated his concern over the timing of the referendum and expressed the need for Kurdish officials to engage is serious dialogue with Baghdad. His concern was mainly for the stability of Iraq, fearing that a division would lead to the rise of extreme groups in Iraq. He advised the Kurdish bloc to return to Baghdad and to take part in the Iraqi Elections, scheduled to take place April 2018 to sway the election results in a positive direction, in favor of moderates rather than extremists. Mr. Siwaily expressed great respect for Mr. Buoztin advice but emphasized the endless efforts by Kurdish officials and delegations to Baghdad but no progress. Mr. Siwaily underlined the will of the nation in our inalienable right to self-determination. He also highlighted the major sacrifices of the Kurdistani people towards self-determination as well as in the fight against the ISIS. Both sides agreed that the Kurds have been victims of history. The meeting was concluded by Mr. Busztin commending the role of KRG in hosting refugees and IDP’s. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Ricardo Rodriguez, Head of the Erbil Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).