German Chancellor Angela Merkel, 2019. Photo: Reuters
BERLIN,— German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that she opposes the creation of an independent Kurdish state, though, and supports the “territorial integrity of Iraq,” claiming it contributes to Middle Eastern stability, Germany’s Deutsche Welle reported.
Her comments came during a visit to a local school in Lower Saxony’s town of Goslar, where she met with a group of students.
“I do not think a Kurdish state would serve peace in the region,” she said.
However, she expressed her support for as much autonomy “as possible” for the Kurds, adding that they “must have fair conditions.”
Kurds are considered the largest stateless ethnic group in the world with a population of over 40 million people. Around two million Kurds now live in Europe, roughly half of which are in Germany, mostly Turkish Kurds.
In September 2017, Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region held a controversial and ill-fated referendum on independence, with 93 percent of those who voted favoring secession from Iraq.
The referendum was opposed by almost everyone, including Germany, who have continued to maintain that Iraq’s unity needs to be preserved.
The Kurdish president Massoud Barzani’s decision to hold the referendum was slammed by Iraq, US, UK, EU, Russia, Germany, Turkey and Iran.
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