ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkey will take every measure within international law and the authority granted by the country's parliament in case of any national security threats provoked by the independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Monday.
"We will take every measure that emanates from the international law and from the authority granted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in the event that some radical elements and terrorists, which may seek to exploit the circumstances that will emerge following the referendum, attempt to carry out acts that target our national security," the statement said.
"We are dismayed by this attempt, which is far from commonsense, undertaken by the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] leadership who insisted on holding the referendum despite all the warnings of Turkey and of the international community and thereby endangered the peace and stability not only of Iraq, but also that of the region," the ministry said.
"Today we received a note from Iraq on the closure of the checkpoint on the Turkish-Iraqi border and the termination of air links with Northern Iraq. Our relevant departments are now studying this note and without losing time we will take the necessary steps in this direction," Yildirim said.
A referendum on independence is taking place in Iraqi Kurdistan on Monday. Baghdad and many countries categorically oppose the referendum. Shortly before, Iran and Turkey began exercises near the borders of Iraqi Kurdistan, in addition, Iran closed its sky for air links with the autonomy. Official Baghdad demanded from foreign powers to transfer under its control all border crossings of Kurdistan and conduct all oil deals only with Baghdad.
