ANKARA
The leaders of Justice and Development (AK) Party and the Republican People's Party (CHP) will get together Thursday in a meeting that is expected to see a final decision on whether to form a coalition government.
Turkey's Culture Minister Omer Celik on Tuesday made the announcement and said Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu will meet at 14.00 local time (1200GMT).
Davutoglu, however, said a "historic statement should not be expected" after the talks to be held Thursday.
Asked about reports that the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) had requested Monday a meeting with the AK Party, Davutoglu said he would not avoid talking to any party and could meet with the MHP "if such a need arises".
The MHP won 80 seats in June 7 election, placing them joint third with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).
"What is important is not just securing any deal, but one which is permanent and continuous," Davutoglu said.
The two leaders met for over 4 hours Monday over the formation of a possible AK Party-CHP coalition government.
Also on Tuesday the main decision-making body of the CHP voiced support for Kilicdaroglu, giving him "a full mandate to form a coalition government in line with Turkey's interests."
Haluk Koc, the party's deputy chairman and spokesperson, said in a written statement that the board supported "a reform-oriented and high-profile coalition government".
Koc said Turkey was going through "critical times" and that the country faced "big issues in foreign policy, economy, constitution, education system, and social peace".
"A high-profile and reform-oriented coalition government [that will serve for] four years can solve these issues we face," he said.
The leaders' meetings came after the two parties ended a series of "exploratory" talks over forming a coalition that began on July 24 .
Earlier talks between the AK party and the CHP have lasted for 35 hours during five separate sessions until August 3.
In the case that the August 23 deadline expires without a government, either President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or the parliament may decide to hold a new election.
If Erdogan issues the decision, the polling is supposed to be held in the first Sunday following a 90 day period starting from the end of the first deadline.
