ISTANBUL - U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman paid on Monday a visit to Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler to express condolence over Thursday's bomb attacks in Istanbul.
Edelman expressed deep sorrow over death and injury of many people in bomb attacks in Istanbul.
He saw blast sites and was very affected by serious damages, Edelman said.
Edelman noted that he was very impressed by determination of people to recover the attacks.
Recalling message sent to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan by U.S. President George Bush after the attacks in Istanbul, Edelman said that his country was ready to extend every kind of help to find people who were responsible for the attacks.
Guler stressed that Turkey faced a terrorist attack which it had never faced before.
People were determined to eradicate terrorism and not to yield to violence following the attacks, Guler said.
Guler noted that everybody should be prepared for terrorism and said, ''we are conscious that we should take measures to fight against terrorism without violating democracy and attaching importance to rights and liberties.''
There were circles who were uneasy about Turkey's strategic location and international connections, Guler pointed out.
Guler added, ''we should know how to assume a common stance against terrorism and act in unity and solidarity. Terrorism is threatening whole society, not this or that person. We should assume a strong and determined attitude against terrorism.''
Edelman said that the United States shared views of Guler as a country which had closely experienced terrorist attacks.
(BRC-AÖ) 24.11.2003