DUHOK, Kurdistan Region – More than two dozen countries have expressed support for a potential Kurdish state should the Kurdistan Regional Government declare independence, a senior Kurdish parliament member has said. Jaafar Eminiki, deputy speaker of the Kurdistan parliament, said 28 countries would support a Kurdish state, without providing the names of specific nations. “The international community’s outlook is changing concerning Kurdish independence,” Eminiki said. Other experts, such as Professor Dlawer Ala’Aldeen of the Middle East Research Institute, agree that international support is on the rise, but he warns of moving too swiftly. “If Kurdistan declares its independence now, many counties will turn their back on us, and probably withdraw support and abandon us,” said Ala’Aldeen. Ala’Aldeen said countries like the US and France have long understood there must be a Kurdish state, but now the priority is on fighting ISIS. “The US and several other countries believe Baghdad must be strengthened in terms of military assistance in order to overcome ISIS,” Ala’Aldeen said.
