Erdogan: Iraqi Kurds' decision not to postpone referendum "very wrong"

ANKARA - 15 September 2017: Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani's decision not to postpone an independence referendum later this month is "very wrong", Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Speaking in an interview with broadcaster A Haber, Erdogan said Turkey would announce its official position on the referendum after its National Security Ccouncil and cabinet have convened on Sept. 22.

Earlier on Friday Barzani said the vote would not be delayed, despite pressing requests from the United States and other Western powers worried that the tensions between Baghdad and Erbil would distract from the war on Islamic State militants, who continue to occupy parts of Iraq and Syria.