The leader of Austria's right-wing Freedom Party, Joerg Haider, has said he is ready to form a government if the coalition talks between the Social Democrats and the conservative People's party fail.

Mr Haider, whose party came second in last October's general elections, said he could present a government programme within a week.

He warned President, Thomas Klestil, not to deny his far-right party the possibility to form a coalition.

Mr Haider was responding to president Klestil's appeal to the two centre-left parties to renew their thirteen-year-old coalition or face new elections.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service