Speaking at a conference titled Future Independence of Kurdistan at the American University of Kurdistan-Duhok, Head of Kurdistan Region's Security Council Masrour Barzani said: "Our independence from Iraq should be welcomed as a solution for a problem that has plagued Iraq for much of the last century. We are not accepted as equal citizens and we reject subordination. "

"Trust between and recently among Iraq's ethnic communities does not exist," he sqaid. "The path forward must be underpinned by a realistic dialogue between the Kurdish leadership and moderate forces in Baghdad for a mechanism to shape our future relations based on good neighborly ties and mutual interests."