beirut iraqi kurdish vote independence could bolster syria kurds push syrian government negotiate autonomy syrian kurdish leaders say wednesday top kurdish politician ilham ahmed tell reuters officials syria kurdish-led regions already meet damascus government twice russian-brokered dialogue go nowhere damascus oppose autonomy plan grow syria six-year-old conflict week foreign minister say government open talk kurds fight islamic state militants end impact continue like comment ... positive say ahmed monday referendum iraq could also drive kurdish authorities open rout autonomous regions syrian kurds ally set northern syria add iraqi kurds hold referendum defiance u.s. ally baghdad government neighbor turkey iran vote deliver resound yes split iraq bind across border syria kurdish leaders say want secession kurdish ypg militia ally carve canton north since 2011. seize vast territory islamic state u.s. help although washington oppose autonomy plan ypg military backbone main syrian kurdish party hold nearly quarter country say seek autonomy part decentralize syria syrian president bashar al-assad pledge take back every inch country army capture land rebel militants help russia iran always send message ... ready talk ahmed say inform russians convince regime negotiate meet damascus appear serious talk future autonomous regions demand federal system syria say autonomy mean separation another senior kurdish politician fawza youssef say iraqi referendum likely hand damascus adopt conciliatory tone toward syria large kurdish population positive step struggle past six years ... military political victories play major role push syrian government negotiate say kurds northern syria support iraqi kurdish right decide future look follow example week vote youssef say reality syria iraq say still add exclusion kurdish people strip political cultural right ... course time would lead secession youssef ahmed senior members kurdish-led authority run canton northern syria damascus ypg mostly stay way war tensions surface side ally race capture deir al-zor province eastern syria ypg battle islamic state u.s.-backed alliance know syrian democratic force include arab combatants territory sdf capture deir al-zor far serve breadbasket route import syria say ahmed co-chairs force political wing damascus want continue threats benefit ... understand dialogue right way would good position tensions eastern syria might also fuel shift government stance damascus might wary open yet another battlefront say kurdish-led authorities hold elections northern syria last week local community leaders part process culminate elect parliament syria kurdish region border turkey kurdish government northern iraq hostile toward ypg ankara view militia extension kurdistan workers party pkk wag three-decade insurgency inside turkey youssef ahmed say vote next door could lead mend tie iraq kurdistan regional government krg iraqi kurdistan face pressure turkey iran threaten impose blockade warn referendum spark regional chaos fear spread separatism among kurdish populations shut roads krg open route fix relations possibly trade northern syria ahmed say would good course iraq kurdish vote may benefit syrian kurds say leaders