He made the comments after talks in London with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who voiced support for Turkey and condemned the "terrorist violence" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"We have no calculations on the territorial integrity or political unity of Iraq," Erdogan said, referring to Turkey's threat to launch military strikes against PKK bases in northern Iraq.

He noted that the Turkish parliament had given the green light last week for cross-border action. "Any such effort would target only the PKK," he said.

And he pressed Iraqi authorities to take their responsibility. "We have some expectation with respect to what is to be done about the terrorist organization in the north.

"The Iraqi government must know that we can exercise this mandate we have received from the Turkish parliament at any time."

Brown meanwhile voiced his condemnation of the PKK, which attacked a Turkish military patrol near the border at the weekend, leaving 12 soldiers dead.

"We condemn absolutely and unequivocally the terrorist violence of (the) PKK," he told reporters, while stressing that London and Ankara would continue to work for a "diplomatic solution" to the crisis.

"I can assure you we are doing everything in our power... to make sure that there is no safe haven for terrorist organisations in that part of Iraq threatening Turkey," he added.

"We appreciate the frustration and also the anger that exists in Turkey," he said.

Erdogan added: "The United Kingdom has suffered greatly from terrorism and suffers from terrorism... the UK is well positioned to well understand what Turkey is experiencing.

"We know how terrorism can hurt people and we hope that no other country or nation faces similar difficulties... Unfortunately the pain that we suffer is only understood after some incidents take place," he added.

The Turkish leader added: "We believe that it is not right to have or to permit (a) terror organisation to base camps in that part of the country.

"Within the framework of international law, to allow a terrorist organisation to go from one territory to a neighbouring country is not allowed."