UN says Kurdish vote could be 'destabilizing'

The United Nations warns of the “potentially destabilizing” effects of today’s referendum carried out in Iraq’s Kurdish region.

The statement from the organization’s secretary-general, released after polls closed, says “all outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government should be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise.”

The vote in a referendum on support for independence has rattled the region’s relations with Baghdad and regional powers.

The vote is non-binding and not expected to result in immediate independence, but Kurdish leaders say it will open the door to negotiations with Baghdad for greater autonomy.

— AP