World leaders congratulate Turkey's Erdogan

13 June 2011

Leaders from around the world have congratulated Turkish PM Erdogan on election victory.

Officials from European Parliament, Britain and Greece congratulated Prime Minister and Chairman of Justice & Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan who won general elections in Turkey on Monday.

European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Ria Oomen Ruijten congratulated Erdogan and AK Party, and said that AK Party government, which was elected for the third time, undertook an important responsibility. Ruijten wanted the government to be loyal to EU accession process and reforms.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou also called Erdogan on the phone and congratulated his victory.

According to unofficial results, more than 91 percent of votes were counted, and AK Party received 49.8 percent of the votes, while Republican People's Party (CHP) became the second party by gaining 25.9 percent of the votes.

Presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) congratulated Erdogan on his party's election victory on Sunday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and TRNC's President Dervis Eroglu as well as Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Irsen Kucuk called Erdogan late Sunday to congratulate him on his victory by wide margin, AK Party officials said.

Erdogan's ruling Justice & Development Party won 50 percent of votes in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Main opposition CHP received 26 percent and opposition MHP gained 13 percent.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a message to Erdogan, congratulating the premier on the election success of his Justice and Development Party in Sunday's polls.

According to unofficial results, AK Party won 49.91 percent of votes to claim 326 seats at the 550-seat Turkish parliament for a third consecutive term in power.

Also, Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi telephoned his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu over AK Party's election victory.

Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Karim Masimov sent a message to Erdogan on Monday congratulating him over the election success of his Justice & Development (AK) Party in Sunday's polls.

According to unofficial results, AK Party won 49.83 percent of votes to claim 326 seats at the 550-seat Turkish parliament for a third consecutive term in power.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy sent a joint message to Erdogan on his landslide election victory in Sunday's polls.

"The results of the elections pave the way for the continuation of strengthening Turkey's democratic institutions as well as the modernization of the country," Barroso and Rompuy said.

The two EU leaders called for new constitution through dialogue and consensus and urged steps to boost confidence between Turkey and the Union.

Erdogan and his party clinched almost 50 percent of the votes and won 326 seats at the 550-seat parliament.

Turkish Cypriot president congratulated on Monday Turkey's prime minister on election victory.

President Dervis Eroglu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) sent a message to Erdogan and congratulated Erdogan on the victory Justice & Development Party won in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

"On behalf of Turkish Cypriot people, I sincerely congratulate you on recording a great success on June 12th parliamentary elections and on gaining the opportunity to form a government on your own," Eroglu said.

Eroglu also said he had full belief and confidence that the election results would boost friendly relations between Turkey and TRNC and be beneficial to the region and the world.

AK Party won 49.81 percent of votes in Sunday's elections, and thus has sent 326 deputies to parliament.

The head official of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said on Monday that Turkish nation always gave the necessary messages through elections and such messages should be read well by politicians.

Speaking to AA in the British capital of London, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu commented on the results of Sunday's general elections in Turkey.

"Turkish nation gives the necessary messages in every election. However, these messages should be read well by politicians and the new parliament, and actions should be taken accordingly. That is the most important thing," he said.

Commenting on the latest developments in Syria, Ihsanoglu noted that his organization preferred to pursue a "silent diplomacy" on the issue, as it believed such diplomacy was a more accurate method under the current circumstances.

Describing the situation in Syria as "very fragile", the OIC head said he wished the necessary reforms would be implemented in the country as soon as possible and the bloodshed would end.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart Erdogan on Sunday night congratulating him for the victory of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Sunday's elections.

In his letter, Zapatero said that the "three back to back victories of the AK Party is a clear indication of the confidence the Turkish people have in Erdogan and his administration".

Zapatero said that relations between Spain and Turkey were "excellent" and that the new term in Turkey will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, other world leaders such as Lebanon's Premier Saad Hariri, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Kazakh Premier Karim Masimov and Albanian President Bamir Topi also sent messages to Erdogan over the AK Party's victory on Sunday.

An embassy statement said Cameron congratulated Erdogan on his impressive achievement of winning a third term.

The statement quoted Erdogan as saying that he looked forward to continuing his close cooperation with Cameron.

"The leaders also discussed Syria. They noted that the situation there had deteriorated markedly in the last week, and agreed that the violence was a cause for deep concern," the statement said.

The statement said Erdogan briefed Cameron on the situation on the Syrian border with Turkey, and the leaders agreed on the importance of international unity in response to a crisis which was increasingly dangerous for the Syrian people and the region.

"They agreed that Britain and Turkey should work 'hand-in-hand' to achieve stability in the region," it said.

The statement said on Libya, there was close agreement on the need to maintain pressure on Muammar al-Qadhafi through a united and resolute international approach.

"The Prime Minister welcomed Turkey's very important leadership role, especially in hosting and coordinating the next meeting of the international Libya Contact Group in July," the statement also said.

AK Party won 49.81 percent of votes in Sunday's.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=75016.