WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Turkey and the Middle East from Nov. 1 to 6, the State Department announced Wednesday.

    Rice is to attend an international meeting on Iraq in Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2-3, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

    But before the Istanbul meeting, Rice will have talks with Turkish leaders in Ankara in a bid to ease tensions soaring after deadly clashes on the Iraqi border between Turkish forces and Kurdish rebels.

    The White House reiterated earlier in the day its call for Turkey to show restraint as Turkish forces took aim at Kurdish rebels operating in northern Iraq.

    Rice will visit Jerusalem and Ramallah from Nov. 4 to 6 to support the "serious effort underway to draft a joint document that could lay the foundation for negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinians, the spokesman said.

    Rice's scheduled visit to Israel and the Palestinian autonomous region is believed to be part of preparation for the U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference due to be held in Maryland, the United States, before the end of the year.

U.S. calls for restraint from Turkey, Iraq

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States reiterated on Wednesday its call for Turkey to show restraint as Turkish forces took aim at Kurdish rebels operating in northern Iraq.

    "We are concerned about the continuing skirmishes that are happening up there, and terrorist attacks that are being launched by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) against the Turks," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.

    "We continue to urge both sides to exercise restraint -- meaning the Iraqis and the Turks -- in terms of escalating tensions between the two countries," she said.  Full story

U.S. prompts Iraq's Kurdish leaders to fight against rebels

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior U.S. official criticized on Tuesday leaders of the Kurdish area in northern Iraq for their "inactive" attitude toward hunting of Kurdish rebels who launch attacks from there into Turkey.

    "They are inactive," said David Satterfield, senior advisor to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and coordinator for Iraq. "They must become active."  Full story

U.S. willing to offer Turkey intelligence on Kurdish rebels

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States expressed on Tuesday its willingness to provide Turkey with intelligence to help its troops strike Kurdish rebels based in Iraq.

    "Actionable intelligence is something that we can provide," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters. She declined to give more details about the offer.  Full story