Turk court delays debate on banning Islamist party

ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) -- Turkey's constitutional court will debate a move to ban the Islamist main opposition party once it has dealt with legal challenges to a set of crucial government decrees, the court's chief said on Monday.

The decision to put the ban case lower down on the court's agenda delays a ruling that will be closely watched by Turkey's western allies and especially the European Union, which Ankara wants to join.

Prosecutors have asked the court to outlaw the Islam-based Virtue Party for alleged breaches of the secularist constitution. Closing the party would alarm Western allies concerned for freedom of expression in Turkey and could spark divisive by-elections.

Constitutional Court head Mustafa Bumin told reporters the court would rule on legal challenges to decrees, including bank privatizations urged by the World Bank as a condition for some $2 billion in aid, before moving on to the Virtue case.

"Those are more important and it's been decided to look at them quickly," he said. "The Virtue case is certainly important as well, and it will be considered at the first possible opportunity."

Earlier this month, Virtue won a ruling challenging the government's authority to issue decrees with the force of law. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit had issued some 20 decrees, by-passing an unruly parliament where his coalition government faces an opposition led by Virtue.

The party subsequently sought the annulment of all of the decrees, which include measures for restructuring unprofitable state enterprises with an eye on selling them.

The court had been expected to rule in early November on a prosecutor's bid to ban Virtue for allegedly trying to undermine the secular basis of rule in Turkey.

The court outlawed the Islamist Welfare party in 1998 after it was driven from power by an army-led campaign.

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