"I made it very clear to the prime minister, I think it's in the United States' interest that Turkey join the European Union," Bush said, as he and Erdogan smiled and shook hands after talks at the White House.

The two leaders, speaking to reporters in Bush's Oval Office, said they had also discussed Iran, Iraq, Cyprus, the Middle East, as well as efforts to end violence in Sudan's violence-wracked Darfur region.

The talks came as Turkey vowed to fight on against Kurdish separatists despite a rebel ceasefire ordered at the weekend, saying that the only way out for them was to surrender.

Neither Bush nor Erdogan explicitly mentioned the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Washington and Ankara have branded a terrorist group, but both leaders emphasized the need to combat extremist violence.

"The joint steps that we have taken in order to pursue with determination our fight against terrorism continues to be very important in our relations. In fact, we do share the same opinion about forming a joint platform in order to combat terrorism on a global scale," Erdogan said through an interpreter.

"We talked about our determined efforts to fight terror and extremism. We talked about our common efforts to bring stability to the Middle East," said the US president.

"We had an important discussion about both Iraq and Iran. Our desire is to help people of who care about a peaceful future to reject radicalism and extremism," said Bush.

The two leaders also discussed Turkey's struggling bid to join the European Union, even as EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn was scheduled to arrive in Ankara for talks on the issue.

The European Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- will issue a key report November 8 on the country's progress towards membership, clouded also by Ankara's thorny ties with Cyprus and growing criticism that it is failing to ensure freedom of expression.

Erdogan said that he and Bush had "discussed Turkey's progress and reforms with regard to the European Union," specifically Turkey's efforts to meet political and economic criteria for entry.

"I congratulate the prime minister and his government for the economic reforms that have enabled the Turkish economy to be strong for the good of the Turkish people," said Bush.

He also said that Erdogan had shared "a personal account of what he saw, the suffering he saw, the pitiful human condition he personally saw in Darfur."

The prime minister visited a refugee camp in Darfur during an official visit to Sudan in March.

Erdogan "shared with me his government's anxiousness to help the people there. And I assured him I share the same concern. And it's important for the United Nations and the government of Sudan to take forward steps to help to end the suffering," said Bush.