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US says notes concerns of OSCE in Turkey referendum

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 07: State Department acting spokesman Mark Toner answers reporters' questions during the department's first on-camera briefing since President Donald Trump was inaugurated March 7, 2017 in Washington, DC. Toner previously served as the deputy spokesman during the Obama administration. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP

The US State Department said on Monday it had taken note of concerns expressed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) regarding a referendum in Turkey on Sunday and that looked forward to its final report.

According a report by Reuters, Mark Toner, acting State Department spokesperson, said in a statement on Monday that it would withhold comment until the completion of a full assessment by the OSCE on the referendum, which the “yes” camp won by persuading only 51.4 percent of voters on a constitutional package that will expand President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s powers and switch Turkey to an executive presidency.

“We look forward to OSCE/ODIHR’s [Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] final report, which we understand will take several weeks,” Toner said in the statement.

The OSCE’s initial assessment said on Monday that Sunday’s referendum in Turkey did not meet democratic norms.

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