Iraqi Kurdish PM wants independence talks after Mosul is liberatedOctober 29, 2016 - 11:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region plans to renew its push for independence once the city of Mosul is retaken from the Islamic State group, its prime minister said Friday, October 28, according to Al Arabiya. “The time has long been ripe for it, but we are currently concentrating on the fight against IS,” Kurdish prime minister Nechirvan Barzani told Germany’s Bild daily. “As soon as Mosul is liberated, we will meet with our partners in Baghdad and talk about our independence,” he said according to the German translation. The premier of the Kurdistan Regional Government added that “we have been waiting for too long, we thought that after 2003 there would be a real new beginning for a democratic Iraq. But this Iraq has failed. “We are not Arabs, we are our own Kurdish nation ... At some point there will be a referendum on the independence of Kurdistan, and then we will let the people decide.” In February, Kurdish president Massoud Barzani, the premier’s uncle, had called for a referendum on a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, raising tension with Baghdad which opposes secession. The Kurdish peshmerga have fought with Iraqi government forces in a joint offensive to retake Mosul from the ISIS. Barzani said he estimates the coalition would need three months to retake the city and asked for more German weapons to aid his forces, as well as EU aid for refugees from the conflict. On the battle against IS, he said "we have taken the outlying districts quickly, but it’s not clear how strongly IS will defend the city itself. “We are seeing that they have hundreds of suicide bombers, they must have entire factories where they are making the explosives. That is the greatest threat to the offensive.” Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |