Federal Govt Says Turkey Should Withdraw From Iraq

CANBERRA—The Federal Government has called on Turkey to pull its troops out of Iraq as soon as possible.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said the Turkish Government should respect Iraq's sovereignty.

"We believe, as the United States administration expressed on (Saturday 23rd) through the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, that those Turkish troops should withdraw as soon as possible," Mr Smith told the Nine Network.

About 79 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants have been killed since Turkish ground forces crossed the border on Thursday evening to purge rebels from northern Iraq.

Iraq's foreign minister has warned the offensive - in a remote, uninhabited area - risked destabilising the region.

Mr Smith said he did not know exactly how many Turkish troops had been sent into Iraq, but thought the numbers may have been exaggerated.

The size of the force has been estimated from a "few hundred" to 10,000.

"Irrespective of the number of troops, the Turks should respect Iraq's sovereignty and they should retreat back over the border as soon as possible," he said.

Referring to Australia's military commitment to Iraq, Mr Smith said the United States had "genuinely accepted" Labor's election pledge to withdraw combat troops from Iraq, following a meeting with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates yesterday.

"We are implementing that decision carefully in full cooperation with them and making sure we minimise any disruption," he said.

"So, it's effectively taken as read. It hasn't in any way disturbed the fundamental basis of the relationship between the two governments."

Mr Smith said Australia's analysis backed the United States' position that the situation in Iraq had improved significantly since the so-called "surge" of troops which began in the northern hemisphere Spring.

But the job in Iraq was two-fold, requiring both securing peace and stability and nation building.

"Which is why we've said that whilst we are withdrawing those combat troops in accordance with our election commitment, we are also, as we speak, giving consideration to the sort of capacity-building things that we can do," Mr Smith said.

"We are looking at that at cabinet level at the moment and we expect to be able to make some announcements in the not-to-distant future."

Australia could help do things such as build government infrastructure, or provide humanitarian and development assistance.