Four ministers walk out on ailing Turkish premier's Government

TURKISH cabinet ministers, including the deputy premier, quit yesterday moves that will fuel calls for early elections and the resignation of ailing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

Deputy Premier Husamettin Ozkan was considered one of Ecevit's closest aides. He walked out of the Government with the culture minister and two other state ministers.

All four were from Ecevit's Democratic Left Party.

The departures will increase speculation that the Government is on the verge of collapse.

Devlet Bahceli, leader of the nationalists who are the coalition's second largest party, on Sunday called for an early election in November to end uncertainty over Ecevit's health and divisions within the Government.

Ozkan was considered Ecevit's closest aide.

But the two men have drifted apart in recent weeks, as Ecevit's illness fuelled speculation that the premier would be forced to step down.

Ozkan was one of three deputy premiers in the Government.

Some analysts had named Ozkan as a potential successor to the ailing Ecevit. The premier was apparently angered that Ozkan failed to quash rumours that he was too ill to govern.

Ozkan "has created deep sadness among our organisation and our friends in the party," Ecevit said on Sunday.

Ozkan was seen as a key player in keeping the coalition, whose partners differ on many issues, together for over three years.

He enjoyed good relations with the other two coalition partners as well as with the influential military and the business world and often brokered compromise solutions when the Government was divided.