A memorial event was held at British Consulate-General in İstanbul to mark the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the British Consulate-General in İstanbul and HSBC building on November 20 2003, with the participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu and Foreign Secretary of the United Kigdom, Mr. William Hague.

During his speech at the event, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu emphasized that the attacks perpetrated on November 15th and 20th constituted crimes against humanity. Stating that “This is a feeling we understand well” Foreign Minister Davutoğlu recalled that Turkish Foreign Ministry has lost tens of its members in terrorist attacks.

Foreign Minister Davutoğlu said that “No matter how heinous the attacks are, no matter how brutal, inhumane methods they use, they will not be able to succeed to demolish our solidarity against terrorism. We, as Turkey and United Kingdom, will stand by each other on fight against terrorism all over the world, as we did yesterday and as we will tomorrow.”

Stressing that perpetration of terrorist attacks in those years, not only in İstanbul or London, but also in Madrid, Jakarta and Casablanca was not a coincidence, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu noted that this fact reflects that terrorist attacks are carried out without making religious, race, geographic discrimination and he underlined that Turkey is against to associate terrorism with any religion, ethnic group or sect.

Highlighting that fight against terrorism requires political will at a global level, Foreign Minister Davutoğlu recalled that the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum was established by Turkey and the U.S. and said that the struggle carried out in this platform where the United Kingdom is also a member, is an effort to shape the common fate of humanity against terrorism.

Pointing out that the UK is too conscious of the terrible price the people of Turkey have paid from terrorism over many years, the Foreign Secretary Hague said “You too have lost brave members of staff to terrorism, including in the last few months in Mogadishu. You will always have our country’s support in combating terrorism and instability - including as you take forward your political process, and as you bear the burden of the conflict in Syria.”