The point was made after a security cabinet meeting attended by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his top ministers.

Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer explained that Turkey only sent a small number of troops to northern Iraq to complete a "defensive operation" for preventing possible terrorist attacks, and to offer humanitarian assistance to refugees.

Turkish troops did not join the military attack against Iraq and the German government did not think the condition for keeping German troops in Turkey has changed, Fischer said.

But he made it clear again that Germany would try to push the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to pull back from Turkey the four NATO early-warning aircraft, now operating in Turkey, if Ankara took part.

Fischer's remarks reflected a softening stance of Germany's policy towards Turkish involvement in Iraq.

On Saturday, Germany reiterated that it would withdraw its crews from NATO AWACS aircraft if Ankara joined the US-led war on its neighbor, Iraq. The NATO aircraft were earlier deployed to protect Turkey from any possible military attacks from Iraq.

Belgium, Germany's anti-war ally within NATO, which is also against Turkish involvement in Iraq, said it would "review" measures if Turkey joined the Iraq war.

Also on Monday, Turkey sought to reassure NATO over its planned deployment of more troops in Kurdish-controlled north in Iraq, after Belgium and Germany threatened to withdraw backing for it.

Turkey reiterated in Brussels its assurance to a meeting of the alliance's ruling North Atlantic Council (NAC) that it has no plans to join the ongoing war against Iraq, which began last week.

On Saturday, German Defense Minister Peter Struck also said Turkey should not boost its military presence in the southeast border region with northern Iraq.

"There should be no reinforcement of the Turkish military presence above its current level," Struck insisted.

Turkey has had a permanent military presence in northern Iraq since 1997, and has said it planned to reinforce the area to protect its national interests.

In Ankara Monday, a government spokesman said Turkey planned to send more troops into northern Iraq to stem possible refugee influx and increased "terrorism" following the war in Iraq.

"The present and future presence of Turkish troops in Iraq is the result of humanitarian considerations and concerns about terrorism," said spokesman Cemel Cicek.

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2003)