Ankara - The Turkish Prime Minister-designate, Mr Yalim Erez, yesterday abandoned an attempt to form a new government and end a protracted political crisis that has worried the influential military.
It seemed likely that the veteran left-wing leader, Mr Bulent Ecevit, who failed last month in an attempt to create an administration, would be asked by the President, Mr Suleyman Demirel, to make a second attempt.
The Conservative former premier, Ms Tansu Ciller, scuppered Mr Erez's efforts by declaring her support on Monday for Mr Ecevit, a former prime minister who ordered Turkey's invasion of Cyprus while in office in 1974.