"I would expect that NATO is going to be ready to help the Iraqis," the official told news media in a conference call from Air Force One taking President George W. Bush to Europe.

Bush said in an interview broadcast earlier by Turkish television "I think we can get a training mission, hopefully."

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has requested NATO's help in training police officers and army troops.

Bush was heading to Ireland for the annual European Union-United States summit ahead of the two-day NATO summit which opens on Monday.

The US-led coalition is to transfer power to a caretaker Iraqi government on Wednesday.

"I think that everybody here and a number of our other allies believe that when you get from a leader like Allawi a request for training, that NATO needs to be responsive to that and Istanbul is the time to be responsive," said the White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Now, no one can be responsive in detail because you have to sit down, let the Iraqis sit down with the NATO members," he added.

"While I don't think this will be very specific, we would certainly hope that NATO is prepared to make a commitment to the training of Iraqi forces in order to answer Allawi," the official said.

Bush and other US officials have repeatedly said they do not expect NATO to contribute more troops to the coalition in Iraq. Sixteen NATO countries already have troops in the force.

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