By Yusuf Kanli
TDN- The reopening of the British Consulate in Istanbul by that country's heir to the throne was itself a demonstration of the determination not to surrender to terrorism. Prince Charles not only carried that strong message to Istanbul, but also took the opportunity to promote Turkey's important role as a secular democratic country with a predominantly Muslim population

There could be no religion, color or ethnicity of terrorism. Almost a year ago together with the British people the entire Turkish nation of all ethnic or cultural background were appalled with a series of blasts in the largest metropolitan of the country that claimed the lives of more than 60 people and injured hundreds of others.
The tragic death of Consul-General Roger Short, a dear friend from his time in Ankara, was a shock.
Soon after the blasts, police and intelligence investigations made it clear that Islamist fundamentalists having ties with the al-Qaeda terror network were behind the bombings, some chieftains fled to Iraq and 69 suspects were arrested. The judicial proceedings continue against them while at least one of the chieftains of the bombings who fled to Iraq was reported to have been killed there in an operation. Whatever happens to these criminals will not console the suffering of the families, friends of the victims and the peace-loving people all around the globe.
In dealing with terrorism we should never act in a defeatist manner and should never surrender, though we should bear in mind that capturing a terrorist cell would not mean much unless the international community concentrate in a concerted effort to diagnose and eradicate the root causes of terrorism and demonstrate an allied and determined front against all sorts of terrorism without resorting to "ifs and buts." We have to understand that there can be no good terrorist.
We may feel sympathy for some "noble causes" but we should not allow exploitation of such noble causes by terrorists. We must be courageous enough to rise and say, "We feel pity for the inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people by the Israeli government, but we deplore suicide killings as well" or we must be able to say, "We feel strong sympathy for the suffering of the Chechen people, but we strongly deplore the Beslan carnage."
We should not be obstructed with deceptive cliches and ulterior constraints and speak laud who these terrorists are. We do have fundamentalist Islam, as Christianity or any other religion has fundamentalists who are wreaking havoc in the name of religion. There can be no religion, color or ethnicity of terrorism. Why avoid describing the culprits of the Istanbul bombings as "Islamist terrorists?" No one is saying that all Muslim people are terrorists.
The reopening of the British Consulate by that country's heir to the throne was itself a demonstration of the determination not to surrender to terrorism. Prince Charles not only carried that strong message to Istanbul, but also took the opportunity to promote Turkey's important role as a secular democratic country with a predominantly Muslim population.
The prince was laud and clear in his message: Turkey has a unique opportunity to show the compatibility of Islamic values with secular democracy as it strives for EU membership.
"As we look ahead today at a new era of British diplomatic and consular activity here in Istanbul, we also see Turkey moving towards taking its place in the European Union. The opportunity facing Turkey now is an extraordinary one. You are in a position to demonstrate, once and for all, that secular democracy does not have to come at the expense of Islamic values. Far from sowing division between us, those who planned these murderous attacks simply brought us together -- Britons and Turks, Muslims, Jews and Christians."
That was the message of Prince Charles that we wholeheartedly support.
Can Papadopoulos veto Turkey?
Tassos Papadopoulos, the terrorist-turned Greek Cypriot leader has started a policy of blackmail. Talking with the Eleftheros Typos daily of Athens, Papadopoulos, in an ambiguous manner, stressed that "Turkey has obligations toward the EU and the Republic of Cyprus which it must fulfill. This does not mean we will exercise a veto; it does not mean we won't exercise a veto."
I sincerely hope that the Greek Cypriot leader plunges into such an adventure and exercises his veto power as a member of the European Council, when it convenes on Dec. 17 to decide on a date to start accession talks with Turkey. If he plunges into such an adventure, he may help us explain to our European friends what a problem we have been dealing with since the creation of the 1960 republic on the island which was hijacked by Papadopoulos and his friends in December 1963.
Such a move will show our friends that the spoiled child cannot always be disciplined by giving him a spectacular and prominent place in the family.
Knowing his limits and the possible repercussions of such a move, Papadopoulos will not even think of pulling out the veto card from his pocket at the Dec. 17 meeting, but I hope he does and opens the door wide for a settlement on the island.
Blocking Turkey will not be as easy as stealing the Cyprus Republic title.