"The PKK is a bad terrorist organisation and we have taken a decision to close its offices and not allow them to work on Iraqi soil," Maliki said in a statement issued after he met visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan.

"We are putting all our efforts to restrict their terrorist activities that threaten Iraq and Turkey."

Maliki said he was keen to maintain healthy relations with Turkey and "does not want any terrorist organisation to use Iraqi land as a base to damage the relations with the neighbour."

He said he was optimistic over the diplomatic moves adopted with the Turkish government.

"An increase in political dialogue was the way....not adopting a military action" to solve the Kurdish rebel issue, he said.