Bush urges against Turkish incursion into Iraq
WASHINGTON, Oct 17 (Reuters) U S President George W Bush today urged Turkey not to launch a major incursion into northern Iraq.
He spoke after Turkey's parliament approved by a large majority a government request to allow troops to cross into northern Iraq to crush Kurdish rebels based there. The United States fears a cross-border incursion could destabilize the most peaceful part of Iran and potentially the wider region.
''We are making it very clear to Turkey that we don't think it is in their interests to send troops into Iraq,'' Bush told a news conference.
''Actually, they have troops already stationed in Iraq. And they've had troops stationed there for quite a while. We don't think it's in their interests to send more troops in,'' he added.
Bush
said
the
United
States
in
talks
with
Turkey
was
pressing
Washington's
message
that
it
understands
the
concerns
about
the
Kurdish
rebel
group
but
''there's
a
better
way
to
deal
with
the
issue
than
having
the
Turks
send
massive
troops
into
(Iraq).''
REUTERS
RSA
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