ANKARA - Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul received on Tuesday Baroness Elizabeth Symons, Minister of State of the British Office of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Symons told reporters after the meeting that she had been holding meetings in Ankara and Istanbul for two days and added that she visited personnel of attacked British Consulate General in Istanbul.
Symons said that they had a beneficial and constructive meeting on the ways of cooperation against increasing international terrorism and measures that could be taken against terrorism on international frame.
Upon a question regarding Britain's warning for its citizens not to travel to Turkey, Symons said that this warning was not as restrictive as the warnings of the United States, Australia and other European countries.
Noting that they told nobody not to go to Turkey, Symons said that they only recommended people to limit their travels if they did not have to.
Symons said that they continuously revised the security condition in Turkey and the possibility of terrorist attacks and they would continue to do so together with Turkish government.
When recalled Britain's warning against travels to Turkey caused a negative situation for Turkey, Symons said that taking such a decision was always difficult, but it was necessary to be honest.
Symons said that four serious attacks were launched in Istanbul and they had the responsibility to tell British citizens what happened and to act in cooperation with international society against terrorism.
Symons said that the reaction of Turkey following the terrorist attacks and the support of British government to Turkey was the evidence of determination of Turkish government in fight against international terrorism. She added that this determination showed appropriateness of Turkey's demand in accession to the European Union (EU).
(GC-AÖ) 02.12.2003