Mongolia ruling party wins vote: election spokesman

Ulan Bator: The ruling Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) has won parliamentary elections by a landslide, preliminary results showed on Thursday, after charges of election cheating sparked violence killing five people.

The MPRP took 47 seats out of 76 in the Great Hural, a decisive victory in Sunday's vote, General Election Committee spokesman Nergui told Reuters, as Mongolian authorities cleared away debris in the streets left by the deadly riots earlier in the week.

The opposition Democratic Party had won 26 seats, and the remaining seats were divided between minor parties, Nergui said.

If the opposition concedes defeat, the result would raise hopes for stability after a four-year period of fractious coalition rule that has undermined economic growth and held up long-delayed mining deals seen as key to lifting the windswept Central Asian nation out of poverty.

"These are preliminary results, but official results will be announced tomorrow," Nergui said.

The opposition Democratic Party had alleged election fraud, sparking riots by supporters, leaving 220 civilians and 108 servicemen injured in addition to the dead. About 700 protesters have been detained.

International observers say the vote was largely fair.

Earlier on Thursday, parliament convened an extraordinary session to decide how to move forward after the violence.

"The parliament has debated the declaration of the state of emergency by the president and has approved it," said parliament speaker Lundeejantsan in remarks carried on state television.

Capital calm

The capital Ulan Bator was calm after President Nambariin Enkhbayar declared four days of emergency rule from Tuesday night to quell rioters who threw stones, smashed windows and set the headquarters of the MPRP on fire.

The mayor of Ulan Bator said city officials were clearing away about 40 tonnes of debris left by the rioting.

The parliamentary election was the fifth since Mongolia broke free of decades of Soviet influence in 1990.

At a regular news conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said China hoped Mongolia could maintain stability, adding he had not heard of any moves to tighten security along the border or restrict travel.

"As a friendly neighbour of Mongolia's, we hope China-Mongolia relations can keep up their sound growth and personnel exchanges can remain normal," Liu said.

"I think one thing now is very clear - the election results will remain," said Chuluundorj, a retired Mongolian diplomat. "Maybe there will be disputes about some constituencies, but the main results can't be changed."

Parliament speaker Lundeejantsan also spoke of a need to form a government in order to move forward with the country's business, in particular tackling inflation that is at a decade-high and easing the poverty blamed in part for the rioting.

"Society has been agitated for the last two years because of corruption and because of the situation of poor people," said Chuluundorj, the retired diplomat.

The uncertain political situation threatens to further delay deals that could unlock vast reserves of copper, coal, uranium and other resources beneath the country's vast steppes and deserts.