Putin Throws Hands Up On Kurdish Question: "It’s Not Our Decision, It’s Yours"

Khal Ibsen: "Thank you very much. Khal Ibsen. Rudau TV company, Iraqi Kurdistan. My question will be short. Please comment on the current relationship between Russia and Iraqi Kurdistan. Also, how does Russia plan to develop this relationship? Thank you".

Vladimir Putin: "Look what happened. You had an independence referendum. Afterward, the Kurdistan leader stated that the implementation of this decision should be postponed. It's not our decision, it's yours. Then he resigned. However, the decision that the implementation should be delayed is still in force. How can we refer to this? Our approach is that there shouldn't be any sharp political moves and everything should be done within the legal framework. We will respect the territorial integrity of Iraq, because the leadership of Kurdistan has done the same thing.

 

Our companies, including Rosneft, are working in Iraq, and also in Iraqi Kurdistan. We think such cooperation will be beneficial both for Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan in particular, as well as for Russia. Generally speaking, historically, we have very friendly relations with Kurdistan and the Kurds, very trustworthy as well.

I am aware of the complexity of the issue in this region, the whole spectrum of complexity. Taking into account all the sensitive issues, nothing stands in the way of developing the relationship with the Kurdish people. And we will continue in this direction".