ANKARA - Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said on Thursday that terrorist actions chain against Turkey has started, but Turkey, as a country which overcame terrorism in the past, would overcome difficulties today in unity and solidarity.
Cicek informed Parliamentary General Assembly about terrorist attacks in Istanbul.
Cicek said that a total of 25 people, 15 of whom in Taksim and 10 of whom in Levent, died and nearly 400 people were injured so far. He added that 49 vehicles in Taksim and 25 in Levent were damaged.
Cicek recalled that he continuously said that Turkey had been suffered difficulty of terrorism for long years and regardless of its aim, terrorism was a crime against humanity and a violence. He said that however Turkey usually remained alone in international arena.
Cicek said that it was understood that a multilateral terrorist actions chain against Turkey has started.
Noting that if an international cooperation was provided regarding terrorism, important results could be taken, Cicek said that as long as this was not provided, the countries which were fighting against terrorism would be face difficult situations.
Cicek said that there was no consensus about the definition of terrorism in the world.
Noting that one country protected or didn't extradite the persons who were called terrorists by another terrorist, Cicek said that ''other countries can make cooperation with us or not, we will not be drifted into sadness if they don't. Turkish state is powerful. It has sufficient experience about this issue. Sooner or later Turkey will clarify the issue. Our citizens and the parliament should be sure of that. Yet these sad events justify Turkey's views about terrorism. If all countries want to save themselves from this trouble, they must make cooperation rather than using terrorism as a means of causing instability in another country. If not the violence which took place in Turkey today can take place in another country tomorrow.''
Cicek said that all units of the state, State Security Court (DGM) Prosecutor's Office and all intelligence units of the state work to clarify the issue. ''There are some similarities with the incidents which took place in the past,'' Cicek said.
(GC-ÖŞ) 20.11.2003