Turkey welcomes Georgian presidential elections

By Ecenur Colak

ANKARA

Turkey has welcomed "the successful conduct of the second round of presidential elections in Georgia", according to a foreign ministry statement on Thursday.

“We hope the results of the elections will be beneficial for the people of Georgia,” the statement read.

“We believe that the results of the elections will further contribute to the strategic partnership between Turkey and Georgia," it added.

Salome Zourabichvili has been elected as Georgia's first female president, according to preliminary results from the second round of polls.

The new president is expected to take office on Dec. 16.

Zourabichvili, a French-born diplomat, served in various posts abroad for the French Foreign Service, including as ambassador to Georgia.