Turkey may impose trade sanctions on Iraq: Erdogan

LONDON (Reuters) - Turkey will consider imposing selective trade sanctions on Iraq in response to incursions by Kurdish PKK fighters from across the border, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"We may impose some sanctions with respect to some goods we export to Iraq," Erdogan told an investors' conference in London. He gave no further details.

"I believe the countries who believe in fighting jointly against terrorism will understand this response, if we choose to display it, because terrorism is a scourge for mankind," he added.

Erdogan said Turkey had been helping Iraq with water, fuel and food and did not deserve the cross-border raids by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), founded in Turkey some 30 years ago by Kurdish separatists.

"To have this organization based in the northern part of that country which we help is something that we must consider," he added.

Turkey has deployed as many as 100,000 troops, backed by tanks, fighters and attack helicopters, along its border with Iraq in anticipation of a possible incursion.

Iraq pledged on Tuesday to rein in the PKK after Ankara threatened to send forces into Iraqi territory to confront them.