Turkish FM rejects ceasefire

Baghdad: Turkey's foreign minister rejected any cease-fire by Kurdish rebels Tuesday as he met with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad to press them to crack down on the guerrillas. Turkish forces massed on the border and tensions rose over a threatened military incursion.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said there are several ways to fight terrorism and Ankara would use them when appropriate as the buildup of troops along Turkey's border with Iraq continued with military helicopters airlifting commando units into the area overnight.

The stepped up diplomatic activity followed Sunday's rebel ambush near the Iraqi border that left 12 Turkish soldiers dead, 16 wounded and eight missing.

''We also don't wish our historical and friendly ties with Iraq to be ruined because of a terrorist organization,'' Babacan said at a joint news conference after meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. ''On the other hand, we are expecting support from international community and our neighbors in struggle against terrorism.''

Babacan said rebel attacks left 42 people dead alone this month.

But he rejected any offer of a cease-fire by the rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party, which is known by its Kurdish acronym PKK and operates from bases in the mountainous border area in northern Iraq.

Cease-fires are ''possible between states and regular forces,'' Babacan said. ''The problem here is that we're dealing with a terrorist organization.''

The PKK has called on Turkey not to attack Iraq, claiming that a unilateral rebel cease-fire declared in June was still in place although it did not halt fighting.

''The position of the PKK is that we have agreed to a cease-fire but when we are attacked by the Turkish troops we will hit back,'' rebel spokesman Abdul-Rahman Al Chadarchi told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

He also confirmed that the rebels were holding eight Turkish soldiers captive and promised to treat them with respect, although he said it was ''premature'' to discuss conditions for their release.

''When they were attacking us, they were our enemies but now they are helpless captives whom we will take care of,'' Al Chadarchi said. ''When the Turkish government asks for them, we can talk about conditions.''

Turkish officials said the search was continuing for soldiers from Sunday's attack and would not comment on the rebels' claims.