Iraqi Kurdish regional PM reaffirms respect for rulings on referendum

BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdish regional government, on Saturday reaffirmed his respect for the rulings of the Federal Court on independence referendum, Kurdish media reported.

Barzani made the remarks in his visit to France, during which he met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Barzani said that his government is committed to "a united, federal Iraq" and he respects the rulings of the Iraqi Federal Court regarding the Kurdish referendum, according to the Kurdish Rudaw media network.

On Nov. 6, the Iraqi Federal Court issued a verdict stating that no region or province can secede from the state, as there is no text in the Constitution that allows the secession of any of Iraq's components.

On Nov. 20, the Court issued another verdict ruling, saying "the Sept. 25 referendum, in the Kurdistan region and the disputed areas outside the region, was unconstitutional."

Macron said that France supports the "territorial integrity" of Iraq within the framework of the Iraqi Constitution and the federal authority must be imposed at all border crossings between Kurdistan region and its neighbors.

He expressed his support for the "the constitutional rights" of Kurdish regional government, and urged Iraqi central government and the regional government to hold a "national dialogue."

Barzani arrived in Paris with a Kurdish delegation on Friday. Enditem