Turkey-Iraq 'Kurd' deal held up

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Turkey and Iraq are holding further talks to iron out reported differences over a deal allowing Turkish troops to pursue Kurdish rebels in Iraq.

The deal that was expected to be signed on Thursday was held up after Iraqi Kurdish groups objected to a key clause, Turkey's NTV television says.

Officials from both sides have so far made no comment on the issue.

Ankara has warned Baghdad to crack down on Kurdish rebels in Iraq or face a possible incursion by Turkish troops.

Tens of thousands of people in Turkey have died in the insurgency, including at least 80 Turkish troops this year.

The rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been fighting for autonomy in south-eastern Turkey since the 1980s.

'Hot pursuit'

The talks are taking place in the Turkish capital Ankara and involve senior Turkish and Iraqi officials.

"There are some differences. We are trying to work them out," the Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey, Sabah Omran, told Turkey's Anatolia news agency without giving any further details.

Turkish officials have not commented on the issue.

The talks resumed on Thursday after Kurdish groups in Iraq raised objections to the clause of the draft deal, known as "hot pursuit", NTV said.

The provision would reportedly allow Turkish troops - with a prior authorisation by Baghdad - to chase Kurdish rebels across the Iraqi border.

The Iraqi delegation is also resisting Turkey's demands to extradite senior PKK members wanted under international arrest warrants, according to NTV.

The talks are taking place despite an announcement on Wednesday that the deal was hammered out between Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Bolani and his Turkish counterpart, Besir Atalay.

Turkey says about 4,000 PKK fighters are in Iraq's north.

In August, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on security, agreeing to "expend all efforts" to oust the fighters from Iraqi Kurdistan.

The PKK has been labelled a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU.

It has been fighting for an ethnic homeland since 1984 in an area covering parts of Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran.