Ankara, Aug 28 (IANS): Recep Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in as president of Turkey at the Parliamentary General Assembly here Thursday.

Representatives of some 90 countries from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe, including the emir of Qatar and Iran's foreign minister, attended the swearing-in ceremony, Xinhua reported citing Erdogan's office.

"In my capacity as president, I swear upon my honour and integrity before the Turkish Grand National Assembly and before history to safeguard the existence and independence of the state, the indivisible integrity of the country and the nation and the absolute sovereignty of the nation," Erdogan said.

The former prime minister won 51.79 percent of votes in the country's presidential elections early August to become the 12th president of Turkey.

Unlike his predecessors who only served as ceremonial head of the state, Erdogan has looked to exercising greater powers that current laws grant him. But for that end, a change of the current constitution is a must.

The main opposition Republican People's Party did not attend the ceremony.