ANKARA - "I believe Turkey will emerge stronger from this process. The 60th government will make Turkey go through a new period of leap forward," said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.
PM Erdogan held a press conference after his meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and said the Council of Ministers submitted its resignation to the President in compliance with the precedences.
Erdogan told reporters that President Sezer thanked him for the services done by the Council of Ministers to Turkey and asked him to continue serving as the Prime Minister until the new government is formed.
"In the following process with the formation of the new government we will take the necessary steps that will be beneficial to our nation and democracy in peace," said Erdogan.
When asked about the presidential elections, Erdogan said the views and will of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, former presidential candidate of Justice and Development (AK) Party was important for him, and expressed his belief that they would solve these issues in collaboration without allowing any crisis in the new parliament.
Erdogan said he talked on the phone with Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal, and the Chairman of the Democrat Party (DP) Mehmet Agar who resigned after the elections and expressed mutually their wishes for the election results to be well for Turkey. Erdogan said he could not reach Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli yet.