Bush told a news conference that he agreed with Defense Secretary Robert Gates "who said the incursion should be limited and should be temporary in nature."

"The Turks need to move quickly, achieve their objective and then get out... as quickly as possible," he said.

Gates had pressed Thursday in meetings with Turkish leaders in Ankara for a quick end to the week-old offensive by Turkish troops against Kurdistan Workers's Party (PKK) rebels in northern Iraq.

But Turkey's Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul and army chief Yasar Buyukanit offered no timetable for a pullout in their talks with Gates, insisting Turkey would "remain in northern Iraq as long as necessary" and would wipe out PKK hideouts before withdrawing.

The US defense secretary, however, said on a flight back to Washington Thursday that he thought the Turks had "got the message" to wrap up their incursion in northern Iraq quickly.

"In the sessions that we had, there was no specific mention of a date. I think they got our message, though," Gates said.

Even as Gates met with the Turks Thursday, Turkish warplanes bombed PKK positions in northern Iraq and intensive fighting was reported on the ground near a major rebel base in the Zap area, Iraqi security sources said.