Turkish, U.S. Officials to Meet in Ukraine

U.S. officials are urging Turkey to avoid action against Kurdish rebels that would further undermine stability in Iraq.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates was to meet Sunday in Ukraine with Turkey’s defense minister at the start of Gates’ five-day diplomatic tour through Europe, the Voice of America reported.

Gates’ meeting Sunday acquired new urgency after clashes near the Iraq border killed at least 12 Turkish soldiers and 23 members of the Kurdish Workers’ Party, or the PKK. The Turkish military has parliamentary approval to cross into Iraq to roust PKK rebels.

Gates also planned to address a U.S. congressional resolution that would condemn Turkey for genocide in the mass killing of Armenians after World War I. If the measure passes, which is in doubt, Gates said he feared Turkey would close its airspace to U.S. military planes flying crucial supplies to Iraq.