ANKARA, June 7 (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has repeated that parliament's approval was needed for an incursion into northern Iraq after reports of a cross-border military operation against Kurdish rebels.

Turkey's foreign ministry and military denied a report on Wednesday it had launched a major incursion into northern Iraq in pursuit of separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels.

"A parliament decision is necessary to launch a cross-border operation and the steps would be taken accordingly," Erdogan was quoted as saying by state-run agency Anatolian late on Wednesday.

He said, however, any operation would not be announced publicly.

Turkey's parliament, now in recess ahead of a July general election, would have to reconvene to authorise any serious military operation in Iraq.

The U.S. government has urged Ankara to be cautious, fearing conflict in northern Iraq, one of the most stable areas of Iraq.

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