Turkey and Bulgaria called Wednesday for September 11 to be made a worldwide day to remember victims of terrorism.
"We propose international public opinion declare September 11 a world day of the struggle against terrorism and commemoration of victims of world terrorism," Devlet Bahceli, Turkey's deputy prime minister, said in a written statement, cited by AFP.
"We think that such a display of global solidarity and decisiveness will alleviate the grief of the American people, who suffered a great terrorist disaster," he added.
Bahceli said the Turkish people, who have also suffered from terrorism, felt the pain of the American people in their hearts.
The Turkish Daily News reported that Turkey was shocked Tuesday with reports from Washington about the massive terrorist attack.
Turkish officials deplored the wave of terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania and expressed solidarity with the American people in messages of condolence to President George Bush.
In a message to Bush, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer expressed the sorrow of the Turkish nation with the reports of the unprecedented terrorist campaign against the American civilians and expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the American people, said the paper.
According to the Presidential Palace, Sezer wrote in his message to Bush that he strongly deplored the unprecedented attacks and underlined that the Turkish people shared the grief of the American people.
In Bulgaria the parliament adopted a move to create an anti-terrorist day by 192 votes with just two abstentions.
An official statement said: "No political or moral cause can justify attacks on innocent people's lives."
The Bulgarian parliament declared its solidarity with the American people and "categorically condemned terrorist acts, which it considers an attack on contemporary civilization." – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
