US hopes for U-turn on deployment of troops as new leader prepares to take power in Turkey

TURKEY’S ruling party leader Tayyip Erdogan was last night poised to take the reins as prime minister in a move Washington hopes will clear the way for deploying US troops in Turkey for a possible attack on Iraq.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer summoned MR Erdogan and asked him to form a government only hours after Abdullah Gul, prime minister since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) stormed to power in November, handed in his resignation.

Mr Erdogan’s path to power, a long struggle involving numerous court cases, a conviction for Islamist sedition and four months in prison, was cleared by a change in the constitution and his election to parliament in a by-election at the weekend.