xserver-xorg install/configuration fails with "null value not permitted"

[RParr <RParr@TemporalArts.COM>]

I am trying to add minimal X to a new installation and am getting a 
failure during xserver-xorg configuration.

The console / curses display pop-up says "Null value not permitted" OK?

At which point any input including CTRL-C, etc. either does nothing or 
pops the box back up.

I installed using etch b3 installer and then upgraded to sid (which all 
succeeded) the above happens when I attempt

apt-get install x-window-server-core

Is this a known problem?  I could find nothing in the bug tracking or 
via Google. The closest I found related to some problems with various 
translations of this package to different languages. (I am installing 
default/english)

Is there a way around this or am I missing something required?

Thanks
R.Parr, RHCE, Temporal Arts