Turkish government avoids row with president

The Turkish government has backed down in its dispute with the country's President.

Yesterday, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer refused to sign a decree for the second time which would have introduced a controversial plan to sack thousands of civil servants suspected of Islamist or separatist leanings.

A government statement said the measure would now be put before parliament as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had insisted. Our correspondent in Ankara says a victory in parliament for the government on the issue is in no way certain: that's why the cabinet tried to deal with the problem by issuing a decree.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service