"In the struggle against terrorism, all countries emphasize the importance of intelligence sharing... It is well known that Turkey shares intelligence with the US and other countries in this context," Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said after a cabinet meeting.

"Moreover, Turkey has expectations from the US regarding in particular the separatist terrorist organization," Cicek said.

He was referring to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist group by both Ankara and Washington and which has been fighting Turkey since 1984 when it took up arms for Kurdish self-rule in the southeast.

The CIA director's visit "should be seen in the context of intelligence-sharing and other measures... on this basis," Cicek said.

Goss's visit comes on the heels of talks here last week between FBI director Robert Mueller and Turkish officials, in which the PKK was high on the agenda.

Turkey has long been frustrated by Washington's reluctance to act against PKK bases in the mountains of northern Iraq, where the militants retreated after declaring a unilateral ceasefire in 1999.

PKK violence in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast has markedly increased this year after the group called off a five-year truce in June 2004 and its militants began infiltrating back into Turkey.

Washington has been leery of committing itself to military action, arguing instead for means to dry up the group's financial resources.

Goss was to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Emre Taner, head of the Turkish intelligence agency MIT, and General Director of Police Gokhan Aydiner Monday and Tuesday, US embassy officials said, but gave no other details.

Media reports said allegations that the CIA flew and interrogated terror suspects through Europe would be also on Goss's agenda in Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul denied Sunday that the CIA interrogated terror suspects on Turkish soil.

He confirmed, however, that a US aircraft, widely reported to have been chartered by the CIA to transfer suspected terrorists, made two stopovers in Istanbul in October and November.