Activity at military base in southeast of country

(26 Oct 2007) 1. Wide of military helicopters on tarmac 2. Wide of tanks 3. Wide of military helicopters on tarmac 4. Wide of military helicopter landing 5. Wide of four tanks lined up along street 6. Wide of military helicopter taking off STORYLINE: Activity continued Friday at a Turkish military base near the northern Iraqi border, just one day after Ankara warned it will decide whether to cross into Iraq in pursuit of Kurdish militants, regardless of US objections. Pictures filmed by AP Television News showed military helicopters taking off and landing at the Diyarbakir Air Base in the country's southeast. Tanks and military vehicles lined up in streets surrounding the base. The Bush administration is urging Turkey not to launch an incursion that would destabilise Iraq's autonomous Kurdish north, Iraq's most stable region. Top Iraqi officials arrived in Turkey, on Thursday, as part of frantic efforts to persuade it not to send troops over the border, and the US ambassador to Iraq sent American diplomats to join the delegation. But Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the US desire to protect the north would not hinder Turkey's fight against militants from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Militants use mountain bases in Iraq to rest, train and receive supplies in relative safety before returning to Turkey to carry out attacks against government forces in the heavily Kurdish southeast of the country. The Iraqi government has promised to shut down offices used by rebels. But Turkey wants Iraq and the US to destroy their main bases and extradite the rebel leadership to Turkey. Turkey has called for both an incursion and economic measures against northern Iraq if its demands are not met. The self-ruling Kurdish administration in Iraq's landlocked north relies heavily on Turkish investment and fuel imports. Turkey still seems willing to refrain from a major cross-border action until at least early next month, when it is scheduled to host foreign ministers in Istanbul to discuss Iraq. However, Turkey's military and civilian leaders are facing growing demands at home to launch an offensive. Turkish troops have killed hundreds of Kurdish rebels since 1 January, the state-run Anatolia news agency said, citing military sources. It did not say how many Turkish soldiers have died, but about 30 troops have been killed this month alone. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...