ankara head turkey nationalist opposition say thursday plan independence referendum kurds northern iraq view ankara reason war necessary turkey battle three-decade kurdish insurgency southeast concern referendum could stoke separatist sentiment among 15 million kurds turkey wednesday foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu visit iraq convey iraqi kurdish leader massoud barzani ankara concern decision hold referendum plan sept. 25. nationalist movement party mhp leader devlet bahceli ally government support rule ak party campaign april referendum boost president tayyip erdogan power call ankara oppose vote position must take end barzani preparation independence referendum incorporate turkmen cities bahceli tell news conference ankara rehearsal kurdistan necessary turkey deem referendum reason war add bahceli set policy though ideas reflect segment turkish society fiercely oppose idea independent kurdistan supportive iraq turkmen ethnic minority historical cultural tie turkey kurds seek independent state since least end world war one colonial power divide middle east leave kurdish-populated territory split modern-day turkey iran iraq syria like turkey iraq iran syria oppose idea iraqi kurdish independence fear may fuel separatism among kurdish populations kurdistan workers party pkk militant group deem terrorist organization ankara unite state european union wag 33-year insurgency southeast turkey 40,000 people kill unite state western nations fear september vote could ignite new conflict baghdad possibly neighbor countries divert attention war islamic state militants iraq syria turkish nationalist leader say iraqi kurdish referendum potential reason war