Beirut - The Syrian government rejects
the independence referendum organized by the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, Syria's foreign minister has
said.
Voting started on Monday in northern Iraq despite intense
international and regional pressure to call the vote off.
"We in Syria only recognise a united Iraq and reject any
procedure that leads to the fragmentation of Iraq," Foreign
Minister Walid al-Moualem said, as reported by Syrian state news
agency SANA.
"This step is rejected and we do not recognise it and
yesterday I informed the Iraqi foreign minister of this stance."
The Syrian government, which is regaining territory with
Iranian and Russian military backing, also opposes steps taken
by Syrian Kurds towards autonomy in northern Syria since the
start of the country's civil war in 2011.
Kurdish-led regions in Syria held elections for community
leaders on Friday, the first in a three-phase vote that will
culminate in the election of a parliament and the establishment
of a federal system of government.
Syrian Kurds insist independence is not their aim and they
want to remain part of a decentralised Syria.