The US State Department confirmed on Friday that American ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman has submitted his resignation after less than two years on the job.

Edelman plans to resign from the foreign service this summer for personal reasons, deputy Edelman "is leaving Turkey on positive, friendly, cooperative terms," Ereli said, and declined to comment on Turkish reports that the ambassador would take a position in the Pentagon.

Edelman arrived in Turkey in August 2003 amid tense relations between Ankara and Washington. During her visit to Ankara last month, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reportedly instructed Edelman to do more to calm anti-Americanism in the Turkish media.

Many Turks are deeply suspicious over US intentions in northern Iraq, where Kurds control an autonomous area. Turkey fears that Iraqi Kurds could push for independence, which could inspire Kurds in Turkey.

Kurdish rebels have been battling the Turkish army since 1984, a fight that has left some 37,000 dead.

Edelman has drawn criticism from some Turkish newspapers. One Turkish web site claims to have collected 5,000 signatures calling for him to be expelled from the country.

Earlier this week, Edelman provoked fresh criticism in the Turkish media when he urged Ankara to join the "international consensus" behind a UN Security Council resolution urging Syria's immediate withdrawal from Lebanon.

Turkey said it was already part of the international consensus on Syria and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer made clear he would go ahead with a planned trip to Damascus next month, despite US concerns that this might send the wrong signal.

Source: Xinhua