The Polish foreign ministry has said that it looks forward "to continuing developing traditionally good bilateral relations" with Turkey following a referendum in which voters backed sweeping new powers for President Tayyip Erdogan.

"Poland acknowledges the results of Turkey’s referendum on 16 April 2017 and awaits their official confirmation," the ministry said in a statement.

"Turkey remains Poland’s strategic partner in NATO and in the... security architecture. We look forward to continuing developing the traditionally good bilateral relations and relations with the European Union," the statement added.

Turkish election authorities said preliminary results showed 51.4 percent of voters had backed constitutional changes and giving Erdogan new powers.

The final results of the referendum are expected to be known within 10-11 days.

According to observers from the OSCE and human rights body the Council of Europe, the procedures used in the referendum campaign and during the vote in Turkey did not meet international standards.

Erdogan has rejected the criticism by monitors.

(pk)

Source: PAP