Andrew Duff Deplores Terrorist Attacks In Turkey

12.00.00am GMT Thu 20th Nov 2003

In a statement today, British Vice-President of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Andrew Duff MEP said:

"The terrorist attacks on the British consulate and HSBC in Istanbul are more disastrous news for Turkey.

"As a force for moderation in the Moslem world Turkey is an obvious target for Islamic extremists. Turkey's alliance with the West is costing it dear. I hope that Mr Blair and Mr Bush will listen more carefully to the Turkish government's warnings against their own aggressive behaviour in Iraq and the Middle East.

"I send my deep condolences to all the British and Turkish victims of the attacks, and to my colleagues in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. The forces of liberal democracy must unite in the face of such terror."