WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Turkey's finance minister says the United States is "after the oil" in Iraq, joining other high-profile officials making the assertion recently.

"The guy from miles away is invading Iraq claiming to put an end to the unfair system," Kemal Unakitan said, referring to U.S. President George W. Bush, the Anka News Agency reports. "But everyone knows they are after the oil. All the rest is just made up stories."

The White House, when asked if this changed U.S.-Turkish relations, declined to comment.

Unakitan's statements last week in Istanbul at an event sponsored by the Turkish business group MUSIAD came while Turkish President Abdullah Gul was meeting with Bush.

A senior Bush administration official said after the meetings that the two sides agreed to work together further on Iraq issues, such as the controversial oil-rich city of Kirkuk and the threat from Kurdish separatists.