Powell made the appeal during his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul Wednesday morning.

During the talks, Gul reiterated Turkey's basic concerns over northern Iraq. Powell assured that he had taken note of that.

Powell put forward a series of US requests, including delivery of humanitarian aid to Iraq through Turkey, fuel supply to US aircraft from Turkish soil, facility in search and rescue, establishment of a US unit either in northern Iraq or at the Incirlik Air Base for search and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, Powell asked for Turkey's flexibility in allowing diesel fuel transportation from northern Iraq to Turkey.

Iraqi Kurdish groups had asked the United States to help seek Turkey's understanding on more flexible procedures for diesel fuel delivery as their revenues from this delivery have decreased.

However, Turkey has voiced its suspicions about how the revenues would be used by the Kurds and whether the revenues would change into weapons.

(Xinhua News Agency April 2, 2003)