September 28, 2017•Update: September 28, 2017
CORUM, Turkey
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Thursday reiterated his stance on the recently-held illegitimate referendum in northern Iraq, saying Turkey considers the move as null and void.
"No matter how you look at it, this referendum will not bring tranquility, brotherhood, and peace to the region. In this regard, Turkey considers it as null and void," Yildirim said in central Corum province.
He said Turkey will speak directly to Iraq's central government on issues related to borders, airports and economy.
Yildirim also said Turkey would not hesitate to respond to any threats against its national security.
The official preliminary results revealed 93 percent of voters from Monday’s illegitimate referendum backed Kurdish independence, although the vote was widely criticized by the international community.
Monday's illegitimate referendum saw Iraqis in Kurdish Regional Government-controlled areas -- and in a handful of territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, including ethnically mixed Kirkuk and Mosul -- vote on whether or not to declare independence.
The illegitimate referendum faced opposition from most international actors including Turkey, the U.S., Iran, and the UN, with many warning the poll would further destabilize the region and distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh.
Baghdad, meanwhile, has consistently said the illegitimate referendum constituted a violation of Iraq's constitution.
*Reporting by Hande Ilbeyi Canca, Ozcan Yildirim and Zehra Aydin; Writing by Fatma Bulbul
