ISTANBUL - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw came to Istanbul on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Straw said regarding blasts in Istanbul that it was an attack against whole civilization.
Straw said that he had been with British Consul-General Roger Guy Short in Istanbul over a meal in Istanbul and now he was in Istanbul to mourn British and Turkish people's dead and stated that he was currently in Istanbul to mourn people who died in HSBC and consulate.
Stating that he had talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Straw said that before he left for Turkey, U.S. President Bush and Blair wanted him to express their condolences and express their condemnation of attacks.
Straw said that British citizens, Turkish people and many other people died in those blasts, Straw stated that it was an attack against whole civilization.
Stating that he would go to Britain's consulate general, he said that he would meet with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Friday and receive information about incidents. He added that he would also see HSBC building.
(End)
(EÖ-AÖ) 20.11.2003