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CIS monitors praise elections in Turkmenistan

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, a candidate of the Democratic Party, is winning the presidential elections in Turkmenistan with 97.69% of the vote

ASHGABAT, February 13. /TASS/. The presidential elections in Turkmenistan took place in a calm atmosphere, the head of the CIS Executive Committee, Sergey Lebedev, said on Monday.

"The election campaign in Turkmenistan has ended successfully," Lebedev said. "We worked very hard but saw no violations."

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Berdimuhamedov wins Turkmenistan presidential elections with 97.69%

"The outcome of the elections in Turkmenistan proves the will of the nation to maintain peace, stability and progressive development of the republic," he said.

"We registered high voting activity", he added. "The polls comply with international election standards."

Lebedev said that the CIS mission comprised 74 monitors who had worked in Turkmenistan since January 25.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, a candidate of the Democratic Party, is winning the presidential elections in Turkmenistan with 97.69% of the vote, according to the preliminary data of the Central Election Commission.

The commission gave no details on the vote gained by other eight candidates.

Berdimuhamedow, 59, has served as the president of Turkmenistan since February 2007. He became acting president after the death of President Saparmurat Niyazov in December 2006 and won the presidential election. In February 2012, he was re-elected to the post.

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