* Citigroup, HSBC, Liquidity House mandated

* Issue seen week of Sept. 17-banking sources

(Adds details, background)

By Nevzat Devranoglu

ISTANBUL, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Turkey has mandated Citigroup, HSBC and Kuwait's Liquidity House to manage the sale of its first sukuk, or Islamic bond, the Turkish Treasury said on Wednesday.

Banks will explore opportunities for a possible lease certificate issuance in a series of investor meetings between Sept. 10-13, the treasury said in an e-mailed statement.

Banking sources told Reuters that the dollar-denominated sukuk would be issued in the week of Sept. 17, but gave no further details.

The move by the Treasury, overcoming sensitivities about Islamic finance in the secular republic, should give Turkey access to a wider pool of investors via a global sukuk market estimated at more than $100 billion. ID:nL5E8DD5Z5

(Writing by Seda Sezer; Editing by Nick Tattersall)

((seda.sezer@thomsonreuters.com)(+90 212 350 7051)(Reuters Messaging: seda.sezer@thomsonreuters.com))

Keywords: TURKEY/SUKUK