Gates Sees No Imminent Turkish Attack

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, left, listens to Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm., Michael G. Mullen, answering a question during their news conference at the Pentagon, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari) (Haraz N. Ghanbari - AP)

KIEV, Ukraine -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday it appears Turkey's military is not on the verge of invading northern Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish rebels responsible for a deadly attack on Turkish soldiers.

Gates told reporters that in a meeting with Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, he advised against launching a major cross-border incursion despite the continuing provocations.

"I'm heartened that he seems to be implying a reluctance on their part to act unilaterally, and I think that's a good thing," Gates said. "I didn't have the impression that anything was imminent."

On the Turkish-Iraq border, rebels blew up a bridge, killing 12 soldiers Sunday morning. The attack increased pressure on the Turkish government to strike guerrilla camps inside Iraq.

Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, ordered Kurdish guerrillas to lay down their weapons or leave.

In a separate session with reporters after his 30-minute meeting with Gates, Vecdi said he stressed his country's problem with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. Both Turkey and the United States consider the PKK a terrorist organization.

The White House said "these attacks are unacceptable and must stop now." President Bush's national security spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, said such attacks from inside Iraq "need to be dealt with swiftly by the Iraqi government and Kurdish regional authorities."

"The United States, Turkey and Iraq will continue to stand together to defeat the PKK terrorists," Johndroe added.

Vecdi said his government expects the United States to do something to stop the rebel attacks. "Our boys are dying," he said.

"I explained the public opinion suffers so much," Vecdi said. He said this was reflected in the Turkish parliament's willingness to pass a motion authorizing the military to start an offensive into northern Iraq.

Vecdi said the military was planning retaliatory action but "not urgently." He noted that Turkey's prime minister is to meet with President Bush on Nov. 5. But when asked whether this meant a major Turkish offensive was unlikely before that meeting, Vecdi said he was not certain.

Gates stressed the U.S. position that a major Turkish incursion now would be counterproductive.