UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern about the potentially destabilizing effects of a referendum held by Kurds on independence from Iraq. Expressing respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of Iraq, he called for differences to be resolved through structured dialogue and constructive compromise. <br/>'<br/>The vote took place peacefully and in a festive atmosphere, but signs of potential trouble mounted as the day progressed.Lawmakers in Baghdad, which has declared the vote unconstitutional, demanded the government send troops to disputed areas where the referendum was taking place.<br/>'<br/>In Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Turkey which fears the effects of the vote on its own sizable Kurdish population would shut its border with Iraqi Kurdistan and threatened to block key exports.<br/>'<br/>Meanwhile, Iraq's Kurds defied widespread opposition to vote in a historic independence referendum, sparking fresh tensions with Baghdad, threats from Turkey and fears of unrest. <br/><br/>The vote in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq and some disputed areas is non-binding and will not lead automatically to independence, but is seen by the Kurds as a major step towards a long-cherished dream of statehood.