World leaders congratulate PM Erdogan on referendum win

Leaders from across the world phoned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him over Sunday's referendum which saw the approval of a government-backed major constitutional reform package, a statement from Erdogan's press office said yesterday. Among the leaders who called Erdogan to express their congratulations to him were US President Barack Obama, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Lebanese Premier Saad al-Hariri and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, the statement said. Also Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani called Erdogan to extend their congratulations. Nearly 58 percent of the people voted in favor of the reform package, which includes key changes to the structure of the country's two important high judicial bodies, as well as amendments to expand rights and freedoms in various areas.