ANKARA - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that people should know that the best answer to be given to those damned attacks was to protect Turkey's fortitude.
Holding a press conference at Parliament, Erdogan evaluated bomb attacks in Istanbul.
Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to carry out international cooperation and solidarity against every type of terror and added that national solidarity should be protected in this new situation.
Stating that he gathered all units concerning the issue and he was managing developments, Erdogan said that the intelligence, security and other units were carrying out studies regarding attacks.
Erdogan noted that according to the latest information, 16 people died near British Consulate General and 10 people died in Levent district of Istanbul and stated that there were 450 injured people in hospitals and four of those injured people were in intensive care. He said that 15 people had medical operation and 110 people were receiving medical treatment in hospitals. He added that other people were discharged from the hospitals. Erdogan said that 74 vehicles were unavailable to be used.
Erdogan expressed his condolences to British government and people.
Stressing that Turkey was standing on its legs, Erdogan said that Turkey would continue to work with its all units and organs.
(GC-EÖ-ÖŞ) 20.11.2003