ANKARA, Jan 10 (AFP) - Turkey on Monday congratulated PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas for his election as Palestinian president and reasserted its desire to help in peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.
"Turkey is very much pleased that the Palestinian people determined their leader through democratic means and that the elections were peaceful," a foreign ministry statement said.
"We see the elections also as an important stage on the path (leading) to the revival of the long-stalled peace process within the framework of the roadmap," it added.
The statement underlined that Ankara "is ready to assume tasks for the establishment of lasting peace and stability in the region as our (foreign) minister (Abdullah Gul) stressed in his talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials during a visit to the region on January 4-5."
Turkey, a strictly secular non-Arab Muslim nation, believes it is in a position to facilitate peace initiatives in the Middle East, drawing on its close ties with both Israel and the Palestinians.
Abbas was elected Palestinian president with more than 62 percent of the vote, according to official results on Monday.
01/10/2005 17:13 GMT - AFP