The following information was obtained from the vice-consul of the Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro in Istanbul, by an attaché of the Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro in Ottawa, who then forwarded the information to the Research Directorate in a telephone interview on 3 March 2005.

Generally, an individual who is a citizen of Serbia and Montenegro by birth and who has emigrated from Kosovo to Turkey, can indeed obtain Turkish citizenship without relinquishing his/her Serbia and Montenegro citizenship, though each case is processed on its own merit. However, this was not always the case. In the past, one could not hold dual citizenship from both countries.

This information was corroborated by the First Secretary of the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, in Ottawa, who indicated in a telephone interview on 3 March 2005 that, irrespective of one's original citizenship, Turkey does recognize dual citizenship. The First Secretary added that, in general, an individual is not required to relinquish his/her Serbia and Montenegro citizenship to obtain Turkish citizenship (Embassy of Turkey 3 Mar. 2005).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection.

Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro, in Ottawa. 3 March 2005. Telephone interview with an Attaché.

Embassy of the Republic of Turkey, in Ottawa. 3 March 2005. Telephone interview with the First Secretary of the Consular Section.