ANKARA, Feb 1: Turkey slammed the United States on Tuesday for failing to rein in Kurdish moves in Iraq at the risk of fanning regional turmoil , despite assurances from Washington that Ankara's concerns over its conflict-torn neighbour are being addressed.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United States of ignoring "certain developments (in Iraq) which our nation has deeply regretted", almost simultaneously as a senior Pentagon official visiting Ankara pledged that Turkish-US ties remained strong despite their differences over Iraq.

"Forces who say they came to the region to bring democracy have preferred to remain indifferent to anti-democratic ambitions," Mr Erdogan said in a speech in parliament, without mentioning names.

His remarks were the latest in a series of warnings by Ankara over what it sees as attempts by Iraqi Kurds to take control of the ethnically volatile city of Kirkuk at the expense of local Arabs and Turkish-speaking Turkmens.

Tens of thousands of Kurds said to have been expelled from Kirkuk under Saddam Hussein have settled in the city and were allowed to vote in Sunday's elections. Ankara believes many of them have no bonds with Kirkuk and sees the influx as part of a Kurdish plot to usurp the city, which has some of Iraq's largest oil resources, and make it the capital of a future independent Kurdish state.

Such a prospect, it fears, might refuel separatism among its own Kurds in adjoining south eastern Turkey. "Let me say once again clearly that any step taken without consideration for Turkey's rights will yield no result other than fanning the fire in the region," Mr Erdogan said.

Due to a Sunni boycott in some areas, the Kurds are set to win a strong share both in Kirkuk's provincial council and the Iraqi parliament. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned on Monday that Turkey could take action if ethnic unrest erupts in Kirkuk.

Responding to Ankara's worries, Douglas Feith, US under secretary of defence for policy, said Iraq's unity remained a "top priority" because "preserving Iraq's territorial integrity is a key to the stability and peace of the region".

The Kirkuk dispute and other problems Turkey is concerned about should be "resolved in a way that strengthens the integrity of" Iraq, Mr Feith said at a news conference on Tuesday before wrapping up a two-day visit.

"We've had some differences over Iraq and many differences have caused problems... but problems are not that unusual in an alliance of free countries. "We have a useful, strong, deeply-rooted alliance with Turkey and it will continue," he said.

Historically close bilateral relations hit an all-time low before the invasion of Iraq when the Turkish parliament rejected a US request to use Turkish territory to mount an attack on Iraq from the north.

Since then, Ankara has also complained over US failure to act against separatist Turkish Kurd rebels hiding in northern Iraq. "We've got enough momentum, we've got enough goodwill, we've got enough common interest to be able to keep the alliance healthy despite the problems. "But it does require people having understanding of the whole picture and not losing perspective," Mr Feith said. -AFP