IRBIL, Iraq, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A top Kurdish leader told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, during her unannounced visit to Iraq Friday, that the Kurds would remain part of Iraq.
Rice spoke in the northern Kurdish city of Irbil with region President Massoud Barzani and encouraged the leader to participate in national reconciliation efforts, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Kurdish leaders have said the idea of independence has been growing in popularity as violence spreads across the rest of Iraq, but Barzani told Rice the three Kurdish provinces have no plans to separate from the rest of the country.
"Kurds like any other nation have the right to self determination," he said. "This is a natural right. But a parliament in Kurdistan has adopted within the framework of a democratic Iraq, a federal system."
Barzani also told Rice Kurds favor "fair distribution of all oil revenues all over Iraq."
Rice expressed concerns to Barzani about attacks in Turkey by members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party operating out of northern Iraq.
"Iraqi territory can't be used for terrorism against any country," she said.
