BAGHDAD, Oct 9: Iraq’s Governing Council and the US administration failed on Thursday to resolve their most serious dispute to date, over plans to deploy Turkish troops to help stabilize the country, the Council said.

The United States, facing mounting casualties in Iraq, wants Turkey, the only mainly Muslim member of NATO, to send up to 10,000 troops as soon as possible following Tuesday’s vote in the Turkish parliament in favour of deployment.

Turkish newspapers said on Thursday a row had also broken out between Ankara and Washington on where Turkish troops would be stationed in Iraq.

Members of Iraq’s Governing Council say they will not agree to any soldiers from neighbouring countries being stationed on Iraqi soil. The Council said in a statement it met officials in the US-led administration on Thursday to discuss the issue.

“The meeting was productive and marked a step in finding a solution to this issue that is acceptable to the Coalition and Iraqis,” it said.

“Both sides are joined in their overriding commitment to improve security in Iraq. They pledged to continue this dialogue to resolve differences surrounding the issue of additional foreign troops in Iraq.”

Washington handpicked 25 council members from Iraq’s ethnic and religious factions in July. One councillor was assassinated last month.

Although the Governing Council has responsibility for overseeing a new constitution for Iraq, final say on policy rests with US governor Paul Bremer. But if the Council issues a formal statement opposing Turkish troops, it would be harder for Washington to persuade Iraqis to accept them.

THORNY ISSUE: At a news conference in the Iraqi capital, Bremer said the US-led authorities were aware of the sensitivity of the issue of having Turkish troops in Iraq, and had held “productive” although so far inconclusive discussions with the Council.

“It was a productive meeting and we think it will be an important step forward in finding a solution to an issue that is satisfactory to both us and the Iraqis,” Bremer said.

The head of the Council, Iyad Allawi, summoned Turkish ambassador Osman Paksut for talks on Wednesday.

Turkey’s Hurriyet daily, quoting government sources, said Washington had opposed a Turkish request to station forces between Baghdad and Kurdish-dominated northern Iraq, fearing this would upset Iraqi Kurds.—Reuters