Source: Reuters<\/p>\n
AGHDAD (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan region on Monday to resolve their conflict over Kurdish self-determination and disputed territories through dialogue.<\/p>\n
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson smiles alongside Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during a media availability after their meeting, in Doha, Qatar October 22, 2017. REUTERS\/Alex Brandon\/Pool<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Tillerson laid out his position at the start of a meeting in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who in turn defended the role of an Iraqi paramilitary force backed by Iran against criticism the secretary of state made on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are concerned and a bit sad,\u201d Tillerson said in his opening remarks. \u201cWe have friends in Baghdad and friends in Erbil and we encourage all parties to enter into discussion … and all differences can be addressed,\u201d he said, referring to the Iraqi and Kurdistan region capitals.<\/p>\n The U.S. administration sided with Abadi in rejecting the validity of the referendum held last month in the Kurdish region, which produced an overwhelming yes for Kurdish independence.<\/p>\n The administration also called on the two sides to avoid further escalation, after Abadi retaliated against the vote by isolating the Kurdistan region and ordering his troops to seize the oil city of Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want to enter into any battle against any Iraqi component,\u201d Abadi said. \u201cWhen we entered Kirkuk we sent a clear message that the citizens of Kirkuk are important to us.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Tillerson\u2019s second meeting with Abadi in as many days. After Sunday\u2019s meeting, alongside Saudi Arabia\u2019s King Salman, Tillerson said it was time for Iranian-backed militias that had helped Baghdad defeat Islamic State to \u201cgo home\u201d.<\/p>\n Abadi told Tillerson the paramilitary force called Popular Mobilisation \u201cis part of the Iraqi institutions,\u201d rejecting accusations that it is acting as Iran\u2019s proxies.<\/p>\n \u201cPopular Mobilisation fighters should be encouraged because they will be the hope of country and the region,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A few hours earlier, Abadi\u2019s office published a statement rejecting Tillerson\u2019s comments. \u201cNo party has the right to interfere in Iraqi matters,\u201d it said [nL8N1MY1UJ].<\/p>\n Washington, which also backed Baghdad against Islamic State, is concerned Iran will use its increased presence in Iraq, and in Syria where it supports President Bashar al-Assad, to expand its influence in the region.<\/p>\n Shi\u2018ite Muslim Iran\u2019s influence in Iraq, where the population is also predominantly Shi\u2018ite, has grown since the U.S. invasion of 2003 that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein, a Sunni.<\/p>\n Iraq\u2019s Sunni Muslim neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, share Washington\u2019s concern about rising Iranian influence.<\/p>\n Tehran has trained and armed the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation forces that have fought, often alongside Iraqi government units, against Islamic State, which was effectively defeated in July when a U.S.-backed offensive captured its stronghold, Mosul.<\/p>\n