Turkish ban on Islamist party causes concern in West

The constitutional court in Turkey has ordered the dissolution of the Islamist Welfare Party -- the biggest group in parliament -- prompting expressions of concern from Western countries.

The court said Welfare had taken actions in government which were against the secular principles of the Turkish republic.

It banned the party leader, Necmettin Erbakan, and several colleagues from politics for five years.

The United States described the move as troubling and said it damaged confidence in Turkey's democratic system.

Britain -- the current president of the European Union -- expressed concern at the implications for political pluralism and freedom of expression and said it would raise the issue urgently with its EU partners.

Mr Erbakan who resigned as prime minister in June under pressure from the armed forces has said he will appeal against the decision to the European Court of Human Rights.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service