AMSTERDAM - Turkish Ambassador to the Netherlands Tacan Ildem said on Saturday that measures which were taken to protect the embassy building were not sufficient.
Ildem who attended a program on a TV channel to assess attacks in Istanbul said that security measures which had been tightened after the fire-bomb attack on Turkey's Embassy in The Hague on November 4 were softened again.
Recalling that on the day when the Dutch authorities lifted police point in front of the embassy, attacks took place in Istanbul, Ildem said that they considered reducing security measures a wrong decision. He added that's why they wanted those security measures to be tightened again.
Ildem said that both Dutch citizens and also politicians offered their wish for get well soon after bombings in Istanbul and noted that he thanked Dutch people for their support.
Stating that terrorist actions targeted democracy and free world, Ildem said that terrorism was a very big problem with which not only a country, but also the world faced.
Ildem added that Turkey would continue to walk on its path for protecting universal values, democracy and modernization against terrorism.
In response to Ildem's criticisms, Dutch Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that police point was lifted in front of the embassy and stated that lifting the point in front of the embassy on the same day with bombings in Istanbul was a coincidence.
The ministry said that attack on the Turkish Embassy in The Hague on November 4 was not a terrorist attack and stated that security measures were softened after it was found out that the attack was staged by a 16-year-old vagabond.
The Interior Ministry did not make any statement regarding new security measures around the embassy building and said that Turkish Ambassador did not need to have any concern. The Ministry added that the Dutch government was fulfilling its duties on security of diplomats.
(EÖ-UK) 22.11.2003