WASHINGTON, April 10: The United States has invited Turkey to send observers to the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk to watch over the situation, the State Department said on Thursday.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell made this offer to Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, who had called him to express Turkey’s concern over the situation there.

Officials said that Turkey has accepted the US offer and would soon be sending military observers to Kirkuk.

Turkey is concerned about the possibility of Kurdish control over parts of northern Iraq because it fears that this would increase separatist feelings in its own Kurdish population in the areas bordering Iraq.

Turkish foreign minister is believed to have told Mr Powell that Ankara would not accept any attempt by Iraqi Kurdish forces to take control of Kirkuk permanently.

He said Turkey wants Kurdish fighters to withdraw from Kirkuk as soon as possible.

At an early morning briefing at the Pentagon, US defence officials confirmed to reporters that Kurdish fighters have captured Kirkuk. They said that a small number of US Special Forces were accompanying the Kurds.

The officials said that Washington was aware of Turkey’s concerns and had assured Ankara that it would not allow the formation of a separate Kurdish state in northern Iraq.

The United States may soon send more troops to northern Iraq to exercise some control over the area, the officials said.

Before the war started, the United States had promised to look after Turkey’s interests in northern Iraq. But Turkey’s initial refusal to allow US forces to use its territory for launching an attack into Iraq also has affected Ankara’s position in Washington.