By Irja Halasz
ULAN BATOR (Reuters) - The ruling Mongolian People'sRevolutionary Party (MPRP) has won parliamentary elections by alandslide, preliminary results showed on Thursday, aftercharges of election cheating sparked violence killing fivepeople.
The MPRP took 47 seats out of 76 in the Great Hural, adecisive victory in Sunday's vote, General Election Committeespokesman Nergui told Reuters, as Mongolian authorities clearedaway debris in the streets left by the deadly riots earlier inthe week.
The opposition Democratic Party had won 26 seats, and theremaining seats were divided between minor parties, Nerguisaid.
If the opposition concedes defeat, the result would raisehopes for stability after a four-year period of fractiouscoalition rule that has undermined economic growth and held uplong-delayed mining deals seen as key to lifting the windsweptCentral Asian nation out of poverty.
"These are preliminary results, but official results willbe announced tomorrow," Nergui said.
The opposition Democratic Party had alleged election fraud,sparking riots by supporters, leaving 220 civilians and 108servicemen injured in addition to the dead. About 700protesters have been detained.
International observers say the vote was largely fair.
Earlier on Thursday, parliament convened an extraordinarysession to decide how to move forward after the violence.
"The parliament has debated the declaration of the state ofemergency by the president and has approved it," saidparliament speaker Lundeejantsan in remarks carried on statetelevision.
CAPITAL CALM
The capital Ulan Bator was calm after President NambariinEnkhbayar declared four days of emergency rule from Tuesdaynight to quell rioters who threw stones, smashed windows andset the headquarters of the MPRP on fire.
The mayor of Ulan Bator said city officials were clearingaway about 40 tonnes of debris left by the rioting.
The parliamentary election was the fifth since Mongoliabroke free of decades of Soviet influence in 1990.
At a regular news conference on Thursday, Chinese ForeignMinistry spokesman Liu Jianchao said China hoped Mongolia couldmaintain stability, adding he had not heard of any moves totighten security along the border or restrict travel.
"As a friendly neighbour of Mongolia's, we hopeChina-Mongolia relations can keep up their sound growth andpersonnel exchanges can remain normal," Liu said.
"I think one thing now is very clear -- the electionresults will remain," said Chuluundorj, a retired Mongoliandiplomat. "Maybe there will be disputes about someconstituencies, but the main results can't be changed."
Parliament speaker Lundeejantsan also spoke of a need toform a government in order to move forward with the country'sbusiness, in particular tackling inflation that is at adecade-high and easing the poverty blamed in part for therioting.
"Society has been agitated for the last two years becauseof corruption and because of the situation of poor people,"said Chuluundorj, the retired diplomat.
The uncertain political situation threatens to furtherdelay deals that could unlock vast reserves of copper, coal,uranium and other resources beneath the country's vast steppesand deserts.
The biggest project at stake is at Oyu Tolgoi, also knownas Turquoise Hill, backed by Ivanhoe Mines of Canada and RioTinto.
The two companies propose to spend up to $3 billiondeveloping the field, which they say could raise Mongolia's GDPby more than a third.
(Writing and additional reporting by Ian Ransom, LindsayBeck, Ben Blanchard and Guo Shipeng in Beijing; Editing byBenjamin Kang Lim and Jerry Norton)
