UPDATE 8 - World leaders congratulate Erdogan on election success

ADDS CONGRATULATIONS FROM KENYA, GEORGIA, CHINA, MAURITANIA, IRAQ, TUNISIA, OMAN, UKRAINE, JORDAN, SAUDI ARABIA, KOSOVO

By Merve Aydogan, Nilay Kar Onum, Kubra Chohan, Cansu Dikme, Ali Abo Rezeg, Aamir Latif, Islamuddin Sajid, Talha Ozturk and Mohammed Dhaysane

ANKARA (AA) - World leaders congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the country’s Supreme Election Council announced he had won an absolute majority in Sunday’s presidential elections.

The first congratulation from a European Union country came from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, according to presidential sources.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also congratulated Erdogan on his "great success" in the presidential election, according to a statement by the Azerbaijani presidency.

In a phone call, Aliyev said Turkey has grown under Erdogan’s leadership, adding that Turkey’s economy has scored great successes and Ankara has cemented its position internationally.

During the conversation, the leaders also expressed their belief in the progress of the brotherly relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan in all areas.

The statement also said Aliyev invited Erdogan to an official visit to Azerbaijan and Erdogan accepted.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Monday congratulated Erdogan on his success.

In a written statement released on the presidential website, Rouhani wrote: “I congratulate you [Erdogan] with joy and happiness on your victory and renewed confidence in the presidential election.”

According to sources at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of northern Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson separately congratulated Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Erdogan’s election victory.

Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also telephoned Cavusoglu to express congratulations.

Recalling the strong historic, cultural and religious ties between the two countries, he expressed hope that friendly relations with Turkey would strengthen.

Recalling the strong historic, cultural and religious ties between the two countries, Gabriel expressed hope that friendly relations with Turkey would strengthen.

- Putin stresses dialogue

Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Erdogan and confirmed his readiness to continue the bilateral dialogue and joint regional and international work.

According to a Kremlin statement, Putin said the outcome of the vote confirms Erdogan’s great political authority and the broad support for the course pursued under his leadership to solve social and economic issues facing Turkey and also for enhancing the country’s foreign policy position.

Separately, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko congratulated his Turkish counterpart on his presidential election win.

"Congratulations to Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his re-election as president of Turkey. [I am] Confident that people's trust and new constitutional powers will open additional ways for the further development of Turkey and well-being of the Turkish nation," Poroshenko said on his Twitter account.

"Ukraine is determined to build on [the] UA-TR strategic partnership and enhance cooperation in all spheres.”

Later, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated Erdogan on his election victory.

"The outcome of the elections has shown that Turkish people greatly value your efforts as president of your country and they support political and economic reforms that you have carried out and strategic developments that were determined,” Nazarbayev said in a written statement.

Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Ceenbekov also congratulated Erdogan for his victory.

In a written statement, Ceenbekov said: “The outcome of the elections is proof of the Turkish people’s belief in reforms that you have realized and what you have done so far.”

Ceenbekov also said he was looking forward to Erdogan’s official visit to the country in September.

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mustafa Akinci, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov were also among the leaders who congratulated Erdogan on his victory.

- 'More success'

In addition, Albanian Premier Edi Rama congratulated Erdogan via a telephone call which Erdogan received with thanks, according to presidential sources.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Erdogan in a phone call on "the success of the Turkish democratic process and his victory in the presidential elections," said the official Palestinian News Agency (WAFA).

"I wish Turkey more success, progress and stability," Abbas said.

Erdogan, according to the agency, stressed Turkey’s "continued support” for the Palestinian people and “their just cause and their right to freedom and stability".

According to Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Bosnian leader Bakir Izetbegovic telephoned Erdogan to congratulate him on his success in the elections.

With nearly all the votes counted, Erdogan leads in Turkey's presidential election.

Other international messages of congratulations came from Greek Foreign Minister Nikolaos Kotzias, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov.

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci also congratulated Erdogan on Twitter, saying: "Looking forward to our continued good cooperation between Kosovo and Turkey. [The] two countries are strategic allies in all spheres.

- 'Road to progress and prosperity'

Mamadi Toure, foreign minister of the West African country of Guinea, also congratulated his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s election success.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wished Erdogan success in carrying out his duties.

"Serbia places great importance on its true friendship with Turkey and is committed to fostering good, solid relations. We will continue to be a reliable partner to Turkey and its leadership, which is ready to protect and defend values and principles in more challenging times," said Vucic in a written statement.

"You have made a new victory on the road to the progress and prosperity of Turkey and the great Turkish nation, and I am confident that your determination will remain a trademark of your leadership in facing future challenges," Vucic said in a phone conversation with Erdogan, according to the statement.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain “extended heartfelt felicitations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey on his victory in the elections”.

Hussain underscored that the large turnout and peaceful conduct of the parliamentary and presidential elections were a testimony to the strength and vibrancy of Turkey’s democratic values and institutions.

Hussain expressed hope that Turkey would continue on its path of progress and prosperity under Erdogan's leadership and that historic and unparalleled bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkey would continue to grow.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko congratulated Erdogan on reelection and said Turkey "will continue its progressive movement along the path of progress and prosperity.

"I am convinced that the strategic bilateral cooperation, which is dynamically expanding, has a huge potential, and by joint efforts, we will be able to reach new heights in the political, trade and economic and other spheres of interaction," Lukashenko said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Mauritanian President Mohammad Veled Abdulaziz and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang also congratulated Erdogan over his election success.

- Mideast congratulations

In a phone conversation, Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also congratulated Erdogan on his success in the presidential and parliamentary elections, according to Turkish sources.

Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah also sent a cable congratulating Erdogan on his party winning the elections.

Kuwait’s news agency KUNA said the emir praised the distinguished and historic relations between the two countries, expressing hope that these ties would grow deeper in the days to come.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo also congratulated Erdogan in a statement on Twitter.

"Congratulations to President @RT_Erdogan on his successful presidential election. The government & people of Somalia congratulate the people of Turkey on their historic presidential and parliamentary elections. Turkey [is] a valuable partner of Somalia," he wrote.

"My sincere congratulations to President Erdogan and the AK Party and to the Turkish people for their winning in the presidential and parliamentary elections," tweeted Ezzat al-Rishq, a senior leader of the Hamas movement.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa congratulated Erdogan on his election success and underlined the deep-rooted ties between Turkey and Bahrain, according to the Bahraini News Agency.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood also released a message congratulating Erdogan on his election success.

The group's senior member Ibrahim Munir wrote on Facebook that the group prays for Turkey's further development during Erdogan's term.

"May God protect you [Erdogan], the whole Islamic world, and humanity," he said.

Rached Ghannouchi, leader of the Ennahda Movement in Tunisia, also extended greetings to Erdogan.

In a Twitter post, the Tunisian politician said he congratulated Erdogan, his party and his allies for the renewed confidence they have received from their people.

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Iraqi President Fuad Masum, Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said and Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed are among the other leaders that applauded Turkey’s president on his election success.