Iraqi PM does not want 'armed confrontation' with Kurds

Iraqi Kurds announced an overwhelming "yes" for independence last week following a referendum that has incensed Baghdad.

Iraq's government has taken a series of punitive measures since the vote, banning international flights to the region and prohibiting the sale of dollars to banks in Kurdistan.

"We don't want armed confrontation, we don't want clashes but federal authority must prevail," he said after a meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron.

"Separatism is unacceptable," Abadi said, reiterating that the non-binding September 25 vote – in which 92.7 percent of Iraqi Kurds backed independence – was "illegal".

"Iraq belongs to all Iraqis," he said, appealing to Kurdish Peshmerga forces to work with the Iraqi army "as we have worked together against Daesh (the Islamic State group), to guarantee citizens' safety."

Macron, who earlier this week invited the Iraqi PM to Paris, voiced support for Kurds' rights while defending Iraq's territorial unity.

France has "always been sensitive to the situation of Kurds" but is also committed to stability in Iraq, Macron said, calling for dialogue between Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan.

"France is ready to contribute actively to the UN's mediation efforts, if Iraqi authorities so wish," he said.

Iraq's parliament has asked for harsh measures in retaliation for the vote, including sending federal troops to the oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

Turkey and Iran, which both have their own Kurdish minorities, have denounced the referendum, while the United States described it as "unilateral" and lacking legitimacy.