ISTANBUL - "The EU needs Turkey's contribution against growing threat of terrorism," Turkish State Minister & Chief Negotiator Ali Babacan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Economic Development Foundation (IKV), Babacan expressed his profound sorrow over Tuesday's suicide bomb attack outside a busy shopping mall in Ankara in which 6 people were killed and 91 others were injured.
"This heinous attack revealed once again that we should be very sensitive. I hope that those who support and feed terrorism, suffered a twinge of conscience while looking at that gory view. The Republic of Turkey does have the necessary power to resist against such attacks," he said.
Babacan noted, "the best response to terrorism is national and international solidarity."
"Turkey has made a great progress in the last five years. There are some circles both in Turkey and abroad who feel uneasy about Turkey's progress. They try to do everything in their power to halt Turkey's development and progress and disturb its stability. But Turkey is determined to maintain its reform process," he said.
"Today, terrorism is one of the most serious jeopardies faced by the world including the United States and European countries. September 11th events, attacks in Madrid, London, Istanbul and Ankara unveiled the real dimension of this jeopardy. Therefore, Turkey's membership to the EU has a special importance. The EU needs Turkey's contribution against growing threat of terrorism. This contribution is of vital importance since Turkey is a very important element in its region," Babacan added.