In a fresh attempt to solve Turkey's month-long political deadlock, President Suleyman Demirel has asked an independent deputy, Yalim Erez, to form a new government.

Mr Erez, a former businessman of Kurdish origin, was Trade and Industry Minister in the outgoing conservative coalition.

On Monday, Mr Demirel's first choice, Bulent Ecevit, admitted that he'd failed to achieve a parliamentary majority, but correspondents say Mr Erez will have a better chance of leading Turkey to new elections due in April.

Both the Turkish president and the army have insisted that the largest parliamentary group, the pro-Islamic Virtue Party, should be excluded from power.