ANKARA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Monday underlined importance of a trilateral mechanism expected to be set up among Turkey, the United States and Iraq in a bid to fight against the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK).

    Babacan made the remarks at a joint press conference with his visiting Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

    He said that the trilateral mechanism could be important for intelligence sharing and coordination of military activities, and would create a ground for consultation on steps that could be taken against the PKK.

    "However, this trilateral mechanism is not a format that can substitute bilateral mechanisms Turkey is separately carrying out with the United States and Iraq," said Babacan.

    Babacan said that Turkey had taken a significant step and established direct dialogue with the local administration in north of Iraq, but also underlined importance of Turkey's contacts with the central government in Iraq regarding the fight against PKK.

    The foreign minister said that Turkey thought that the terrorist organization took shelter in the region, ruled by the local administration in Iraq, and steered acts of terrorism against Turkey from that area.

    "We are discussing what we can do to end the acts of the terrorist organization PKK and to liquidate the terrorist organization," he said.

    For his part, Moratinos said Turkey and Spain were cooperating against terrorism, adding that an agreement could be signed to combat organized crimes and terrorism, and some other institutions could be included in this fight.

    "Both Turkish and Spanish peoples have suffered much from terrorism," Moratinos said, adding that all means would be used to counter terrorism.

    The PKK took up arms in 1984 with the aim of creating an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. Some 40,000 people have been killed in the over-two-decade conflict.

    Ankara has conducted frequent air raids on suspected positions of the PKK in northern Iraq. In February, Ankara also launched an eight-day cross-border ground incursion against PKK rebels.