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Bush urges against Turkish incursion into Iraq
Correcting second paragraph to say "most peaceful part of Iraq", instead of "most peaceful part of Iran"
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday 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 Iraq 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.
Turkey has a relatively small number of troops at several bases across northern Iraq following major incursions against Kurdish rebels in the 1990s, and often fires artillery over the border at rebel positions.
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)."
