US President George W. Bush's special envoy for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad is due to continue talks with Turkish Foreign Ministry officials on Monday to discuss arrangements for entry of Turkish troops in northern Iraq.

During talks last week, Khalilzad tried to ease Turkish concerns about developments in northern Iraq and prevent Turkey from sending troops there.

Washington firmly stands against entry of Turkish troops into northern Iraq, fearing that Ankara would hamper its ongoing military operation against Iraq.

Turkey holds on its military presence in northern Iraq under the pretext of national security, but it is actually concerned about the Kurdish independent in case the Iraqi government led by President Saddam Hussein is toppled by the US-led coalition forces. A Turkish source talking under the condition of anonymity stated that Turkey now has doubts on whether the US fights with terrorism as it asks Turkey to leave the operations to the US. The source questioned the US attacks on Ansar al-Islam at the Iranian border but not on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK) in the area.

"Is it possible for the US to say 'PKK-KADEK' stay in your place so we do not hit you?" the source asked. The US declared that it had opened a global struggle against terrorism and also put PKK-Kadek in the terrorist organizations list.

Meanwhile, the Bush Administration is not willing to sign a written document about coordination in Northern Iraq despite the insistence of Turkey.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2003)