Turkish FM Says His Government Will Give Up Neither Security Nor Freedoms In Fight Against Terror

ANKARA - Turkish foreign minister said Friday that Turkey would not give any concessions from security or freedoms in its fight against terror.
"Just as we will not give any concessions from security in the name of freedoms, we will not give any concessions from freedoms in the name of security," Ali Babacan told reporters at a joint press conference with his Dutch counterpart in Ankara.
Babacan was responding to a question about possible measures the Turkish government was expected to take after recent terrorist attacks which killed at least 22 people including troops and police officers over the last two weeks.
A Turkish counter-terrorism board of government officials and senior military figures convened on Thursday to discuss those measures and the board is expected to convene again on Tuesday.
"We will continue to work on this issue with an eye to the standards of the European Union as well as what is best for Turkish people," Babacan said.
Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said on his part the Netherlands had condemned terrorist attacks in Turkey.
"I have offered my condolences to my counterpart over the latest terrorist attacks," Verhagen said.
(YMB-AÖ)
(DIP)