Turkmenistan leader re-elected with over 97 pct of vote

By Bahtiyar Abdukerimov

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AA) - Turkmenistan’s leader has been elected to a third seven-year term as president, the country’s electoral commission confirmed on Monday.

Fifty-nine-year-old Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov secured 97.69 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Apart from Berdimuhamedov, there were eight other candidates listed on the ballot paper.

The commission did not give results for the other contenders but said official results are expected to later.

More than 3.1 million Turkmens were eligible to vote in Sunday’s poll. Turnout was 97.27 percent, according to the commission.

More than 150 foreign observers from international organizations including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, followed the election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Berdimuhamedov on his victory, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday.

"Voting results confirm your high political authority, testify to the broad recognition of your merits as head of state, as well as support for your course to further strengthen the national economy and improving living standards of Turkmenistan citizens," the statement read.

Putin also said he appreciated Berdimuhamedov's contribution to the development of "friendly" relations between Russia and Turkmenistan.

* Diyar Guldogan in Ankara contributed to this report.