Islamic Politician Tries To Regain Support

The leader of a party seeking to establish an Islamic state in Turkey backed away Wednesday from the anti-Western platform that has alienated other leaders from forming a coalition government with him.

The four other parties in Turkey’s parliament have ruled out any alliance with Necmettin Erbakan’s Welfare Party, which advocates changing Turkey’s secular government to an Islamic regime.

Erbakan was asked Tuesday by President Suleyman Demirel to try to form a government after his party won the most seats Dec. 24.