The Turkish Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz, who heads a minority coalition government, has announced early general elections in April next year.

Mr Yilmaz said he will resign at the end of this year to make way for a caretaker government until the elections.

His announcement came at the end of talks with a left-wing opposition party, the Republican People's Party, on which the government relies for parliamentary support.

Mr Yilmaz's three-party coalition came to power last year after pressure from the Turkish military forced the previous Islamist-led government from office.

And a BBC Correspondent in Ankara says the military will be the focus of attention again if Islamists are returned to office next April.