Uzbek leader congratulates Turkish President Erdogan over election results

By Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AA) - Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Sunday’s parliamentary and presidential election results.

The People's Alliance, led by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AK) Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), are poised to secure a majority of seats in the Turkish parliament after Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

Mirziyoyev congratulated Erdogan for leading in the elections, the Presidential Office of Uzbekistan said in a statement.

In the phone call, Mirziyoyev said the election results are indicative of the broad support of the brotherly people of Türkiye for the political changes and economic reforms under the leadership of Erdogan.

The leaders also discussed issues related to the wide-ranging strategic partnership between the countries and the further development of multilateral cooperation, and also reviewed issues related to preparation for the next meeting of the High-Level Strategic Partnership Council.

On the presidential ballot, voters chose between incumbent President Erdogan representing the People's Alliance, Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and joint candidate for the six-party opposition Nation Alliance, and Sinan Ogan of the ATA (Ancestral) Alliance.

Erdogan had 49.4% of the vote, with Kilicdaroglu behind at 44.96%, Turkish Supreme Electoral Board head Ahmet Yener announced.

The counting process has not been completed yet.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar