Turkey masses troops at border with Kurdish Iraq

ANKARA: Turkey has sent large contingents of soldiers, tanks, guns and armored personnel carriers to reinforce its border with Iraq, amid heated debate over whether to stage a cross-border offensive against Kurdish rebel bases.

Asked whether Turkey would take unilateral action, Celikkol said: "Our expectation is that this issue is resolved before it comes to that point."

Asked whether the Iraqi authorities had been informed about a possible cross-border Turkish operation, Bilman said: "Such a decision is only Turkey's business. We do not have to inform anybody about the possibility of such an intervention."