The US newspaper The New York Times has published an opinion column suggesting readers preparing themselves for changes to the world map and criticising maintenance of the current one as a guiding principle. It concludes that "the preservation of existing countries ought to guide our thinking less than the well-being of the people who live within them".
The newspaper notes that in the next week, two countries will vote on their futures: Catalonia and Iraqi Kurdistan. It also suggests that in both cases, if the 'yes' side wins, they "are likely to face the opposition of the international community".
The article discusses the United States' position on any self-determination process and says it might not so "reflexively" oppose bids for statehood if there were "more precedents for peaceful, orderly, democratic separations".