BRUSSELS/STRASBOURG - European Union (EU) Commission and Council of Europe (COE) harshly condemned on Saturday two blasts that occurred in Istanbul.
The Commission issued a statement in which it gave the message of solidarity with families of victims of the horrifying attacks against two synagogues in Istanbul.
The EU Commission offered condolences to families of the victims, Turkish government and Turkish people.
The Commission condemned every kind of terrorism and confirmed that it would continue to give priority to international fight against terrorism.
In its statement, the Commission said that EU Commission President Romano Prodi visited synagogue in Milan and offered condolences to Jewish community.
Meanwhile, COE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer harshly condemned the attacks in Istanbul.
Schwimmer said that he was terrified by the two attacks in Istanbul and noted that it was terrible that the attacks were staged on a special prayer day.
No cases could justify those barbarian attacks, Schwimmer pointed out and offered condolences to Turkish officials and relatives of those who died in the blasts.
In the meantime, COE human rights representative Alvaro Gil-Robles harshly condemned the attacks in Istanbul.
(BRC-AY) 15.11.2003