ROME - European ministers paid respect for the people who died in the bomb attacks in Istanbul during the EU meeting on consumer policies held in Rome, Italy on Friday.
A delegation headed by Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun represented Turkey in the unofficial ministers meeting.
Antonio Marzano, the Italian Minister of Productive Activities said in the meeting that they were very sorry for the terrorist activities in Istanbul expressing his condolences.
Speaking in the meeting after ministers paid respect for victims of terrorism, Coskun said that the terrorist activities were crimes against humanity.
''Today terrorism is not the problem of one country which is the victim of terrorism, it has to be important concern of all countries which defend the values of common civilization,'' Coskun said.
Noting that they commemorated all people who died in the attacks in Istanbul without making discrimination among Britons, Turkish and Jews, Coskun said that ''Turkey suffered a lot from terrorism for years, but it was left alone in its fight. We have the power to fight with terrorism and to reject the messages wanted to be conveyed by these terrorist acts.''
(ÖŞ) 21.11.2003