US welcomes Turkey sending troops to Iraq

"We welcome countries coming in to provide even broader international participation in our efforts in Iraq. And we will be working on the specific details with Turkey as we move forward."

The Turkish Parliament had yesterday voted overwhelmingly in favour of sending an undetermined number of troops to neighbouring Iraq.

However, the Iraqi Foreign Minister appointed by the Governing Council had said that he does not want Turkish troops in his country.

The Kurds are also averse to Turkish troops. "The council is unanimous in issuing a communique against the sending of Turkish forces to Iraq," council member Mahmud Othman said in Baghdad.

"It is the wrong thing to do. It does not add to security. It is not useful," said Othman, whose Kurdish ethnic group has a long history of animosity with the Turks.