Russia's Putin says discussed Iraqi Kurds' vote with Erdogan

ANKARA (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he had discussed in detail with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan a referendum in which Iraqi Kurds backed independence from Baghdad. Speaking at a news conference after talks in Ankara with Erdogan, Putin did not set out his view on the referendum. He said instead that Russia's position was long established, and had been expressed in a Russian foreign ministry statement on the issue. In a Sept. 27 statement on the referendum , the foreign ministry said it respected the Kurds' "national striving," but said it supported the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber)