ISTANBUL - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that it was not easy to eradicate terrorism but it would be their target to minimize it.
Erdogan attended funeral held in Istanbul Police Department for policeman Bulent Bostanoglu who died in the bomb attack on two synagogues in Istanbul on Saturday.
Speaking in the funeral, Erdogan said that cruel results of terrorism had saddened humanity in a different way and that terrorism had an international dimension.
Erdogan said, ''unfortunately, humanity is paying high costs of results of this international terrorism. Attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul were efforts of those who wanted to end atmosphere of tranquility and happiness in our country by a terrorism threat.''
Turkey had paid heavy costs of terrorism but all security forces and armed forces had gained experiences, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan said that death of 23 people, including Bostanoglu and injury of 303 citizens were results of that terrorist attack.
Expressing belief that security forces would find the source of that terrorist attack, Erdogan said that it was not easy to eradicate terrorism.
Erdogan went on saying, ''the strongest and most developed countries in the world could not eradicate terrorism. They were face to face again with a terrorism at a time when they did not predicted such a thing. It will be our target to minimize terrorism and I believe that it is the main target of countries which are not involved in terrorism to prevent terrorism by forming a joint platform against international terrorism.''
Noting that officials of all countries who talked to expressed common view on the issue, Erdogan said, ''we believe that we will overcome this. We should accept that Bulent Bostanoglu is not the first and the last. It will also continue. What is important is to make good use of experiences and come to a result. This is what we will do.''
Erdogan stated that all security forces would coordinate to reach a result.
Prime Minister Erdogan expressed God's mercy for all those who died in the attacks, offered condolences to their families, and wished quick recovery for the injured.
(BRC-AY) 16.11.2003