The six-week-long haggling over a new government line-up in Turkey has become more confused, with a key centre-right leader saying she'll now back efforts to form a coalition that shuts out the country's Islamist party.

The leader of the conservative True Path Party, Tansu Ciller, said she'd stop opposing efforts by the veteran left-winger, Bulent Ecevit, to form a government.

The current prime minister designate, Yalim Erez, who's an independent, promised to announce a cabinet this week.

On Monday the Turkish army issued a statement calling for a stable government to be set up quickly.