UPDATE - Turkish president says his alliance gearing up for runoff vote

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH PRESIDENT

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - As Türkiye heads to an election runoff on May 28, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said his People’s Alliance has started preparing for the much anticipated vote.

"The will manifested in the ballot box is sacred. As the alliance, we immediately started preparing for May 28. I had my meetings with all the (party) leaders today," Erdogan said during his first joint live broadcast, with broadcasters CNN Turk and Kanal D, after last Sunday's presidential and parliamentary elections.

Millions of voters went to the polls on Sunday to elect the country's president and members of its 600-seat parliament.

Erdogan’s People’s Alliance won a majority in parliament, while the presidential race is headed to a second round on May 28.

In the first round held on May 14, no candidate won an outright majority, although Erdogan was leading.

Erdogan will face Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and joint candidate for the six-party opposition Nation Alliance, in the runoff vote.

"I would like to thank my citizens for the record participation. We had a great democracy festival befitting Türkiye. It could be unique in the world. The turnout was around 90%," Erdogan said, adding that he expects high turnout in the second round as well.

Erdogan also hailed the high turnout among Turkish voters abroad, saying he expects the same for the runoff.

It is necessary to make good use of the next 12 days, he added.

- Visit to quake-hit region

"I will visit some part of the quake-hit area this weekend. I am not thinking of holding rallies, but we can hold meetings in the earthquake zone," he said.

Erdogan's Justice and Development (AK) Party came out on top in Sunday's elections in 10 of the 11 provinces hit by Feb. 6 powerful earthquakes, claiming the lives of more than 50,000 people.

The president has vowed to rebuild the country's southern region by building a total of 650,000 new houses, 319,000 of which will be delivered in one year, and erase the traces of earthquake victims.

Erdogan said he will have a strong Cabinet in the new period while eliminating the current shortcomings.

He vowed to maintain contact with all leaders in world in line with Türkiye's interests.

"We do not have such a thing as pulling a country and pushing a country away. There is no question of defying Russia as the CHP did.

"There is no leader that I am offended by. I am negotiating with all of them. When you throw a country aside, you lose," Erdogan said.

Last week, Kilicdaroglu accused Russia of being behind leaked videos meant to discredit certain presidential candidates.

Moscow, in return, rejected accusations, saying there can be no question of any interference of Russia in the Turkish elections, and that "those who spread such rumors are liars."