CAIRO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the possible negative consequences of Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum, the official news agency MENA reported.
Egypt urged all Iraqi parties concerned to exercise self-restraint and not to take any unilateral measure that could further complicate the situation, destabilize Iraq, and nurture tensions in the region, Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It highlighted the importance of the parties engaging in a constructive dialogue to reach a comprehensive and satisfactory settlement to all pending matters between Baghdad and Erbil, the capital city of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.
The statement also expressed Egypt's support for maintaining Iraq's unity and territorial integrity.
The Iraqi Kurds on Monday held the referendum on the Kurdistan region's breakaway from Iraq, despite strong opposition and pressure from the Iraqi central government and several major neighboring countries including Turkey and Iran.
Initial poll results showed that at least 93 percent of Kurds voted yes in the plebiscite to split the Kurdistan region from Iraq.
Turkey, Iran as well as Syria fear that the Iraqi Kurdish independence would threaten their own territorial integrity by inspiring the huge population of Kurds back home to follow suit.
