U.S. President George W. Bush on Tuesday said the United States would continue to help Turkey fight Kurdish guerrillas along its border with Iraq but also urged Ankara to find a long-term political solution to the problem.

During a White House visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Bush praised Turkey as a model for democracy in the Muslim world and said it should be admitted to the European Union as a "constructive bridge" to the Islamic world.

But White House officials said Bush's wide-ranging discussion with Gul also addressed the need for political reform and economic development in southeastern Turkey to stop the area's Kurdish minority from providing fresh fighters for the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

"A common enemy is the PKK," Bush told reporters on the White House lawn, where he appeared alongside the Turkish president. "It's an enemy to Turkey, it's an enemy to Iraq and it's an enemy to people who want to live in peace. The United States, along with Turkey, are confronting these folks and we will continue to confront them."

Added Gul: "We are working against our common enemy, the PKK. And we have once again underlined the importance of our cooperation."

White House officials said Turkey has shown restraint in its military response to attacks by the PKK and called on Ankara to seek open dialogue with Iraq to resolve problems along the two countries' border, Reuters reports.