ZCZC
BFF-38
TURKEY-VOTE REAX
World reaction to Erdogan’s election victory
PARIS, June 25, 2018 (AFP) – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a
decisive victory in an election, handing him five more years in office with
sweeping new powers.
Here are some of the first reactions on Monday from leaders of other
countries:
– Russia –
Russian President Vladimir Putin “stressed that the results of the vote
fully speak of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s great political authority (and) mass
support of the course conducted under his leadership to solve Turkey’s
pressing social and economic tasks (and) strengthen the country’s position on
the international arena,” the Kremlin said.
— Iran —
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani offered his “sincerest congratulations”
to Erdogan.
He hoped that bilateral relations “could further develop based on firm
historical, cultural and religious bonds, good neighbourliness, mutual
respect and common interests, and close, responsible cooperation between the
two countries regarding the developments in the region and the World of Islam
to prepare better groundwork for resolving issues and fostering peace and
stability, as well as welfare for the peoples of the region.”
– Serbia – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic congratulated Erdogan,
saying that Belgrade “will continue to be a reliable partner of Turkey and of
its role as a leader ready to defend the values and principles in these more
than difficult times.”
– Bosnia-Herzegovina –
Bosnian Muslim leader Bakir Izetbegovic told Erdogan he was “convinced
that you will continue to lead Turkey for the welfare of the Turkish people,
but that you will also pursue, in the international arena, the fight for the
rights of those who are deprived of them. “That is exactly why your victory
is celebrated not only in Turkey but also across the Muslim world.”
Erdogan in late May addressed thousands of expatriate Turks in Sarajevo,
at his only election rally outside Turkey after other European countries
banned such events.
– Bulgaria – Boyko Borisov, the prime minister of Turkey’s neighbour
Bulgaria, congratulated Erdogan in a telephone call.
“I’m convinced that we will work together to consolidate relations between
our two countries in the area of migration, as well as for peace and
stability in the region.”
Borisov also told the Turkish president that he had insisted during a
mini-summit on the migrant crisis in Brussels on Sunday that an EU-Turkey
accord on migration be respected, the government press service said.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1503 hrs