Asian leaders today called the strong turnout in the Iraqi election a major step away from Saddam Hussein's rule, but some feared the vote could spell more violence and sectarian tensions in a country already torn by insurgency.

Australia, Japan and South Korea, US allies which have deployed troops in Iraq, hailed Sunday's vote as a dawning of democracy, but China and Malaysia saw the election bloodshed as a sign of things to come.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-populated country which has strongly criticised US policy in Iraq, found signs of hope in the election.

"The government of Indonesia is encouraged by the high level of participation of the people of Iraq in the election," foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told AFP .

"Their active participation, despite the very difficult security situation, reflects a commendable determination to seize their own destiny in restoring their sovereignty and in establishing a democratic Iraq."

With Iraqi officials estimating nearly 60 percent of the 14 million eligible voters had turned out, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said anything over 50 percent would be "a victory of epic proportions for the cause of democracy."

"It will, I believe, permanently change the whole debate about Iraq around the world," Howard told ABC radio from Davos, Switzerland where he is attending the World Economic Forum.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the millions of voters proved that the Middle East could embrace democracy, a point made during the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

"It is just not true that people in some parts of the world don't like freedom and don't like voting," Downer said.

Stable government

Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said: "We have to appreciate that proper elections were held despite a severe situation."

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi added: "The international community must cooperate to help launch a stable government."

The South Korean government, which has the third largest contingent in Iraq, believed the election was cause to "celebrate" and saw it as "an opportunity to bring peace and stability to the nation," the Yonhap news agency reported.

At least 37 people were killed during the voting. While US allies hailed voters for braving the violence, China - which opposed the 2003 invasion - said the bloodshed showed "the current situation is far from optimistic."

"While the vote may mark a new era in Iraq, it could also provoke a backlash, deepen sectarian divisions and even push Iraq closer to civil war," said the state-run China Daily , often used by the government to get its view across.

It said tensions could rise if Sunni Muslims, many of whom boycotted the vote, were poorly represented in the national assembly. The Sunni minority dominated during Saddam's rule over Shiite-majority Iraq.

"The election may possibly comfort some politicians, but it is doubtful if it will open for Iraqis a window of peace," the China Daily said, urging the United States to set a date "for a speedy end to the violence-plagued occupation."

New beginning

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia, another country fiercely opposed to the Iraq war, said Iraqis "will have to see this as a new beginning" but he regretted the violence.

"I'm very sad at what is happening in Iraq when, at this time when elections are being held, so many people are dying," he said.

In New Zealand, whose small contingent in Iraq returned in September, Foreign Minister Phil Goff said the turnout was a "good result" but the poor showing by Sunni voters had to be taken into consideration.

"Ways must be found to involve Sunnis in the drafting of the constitution, which will define power among Iraq's disparate groups, and to give them a stake in the new government," Goff said.