Bush and Blair meet as terror attacks rock Turkey

US President George Bush today arrived in Downing Street for talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the aftermath of devastating terror attacks on the British consulate and a bank in Istanbul.

The attacks – on the HSBC bank headquarters and the consulate – killed at least 15 people and injured more than 300.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said it was too early to say who was responsible for the blasts – but added they bore “all the hallmarks” of an attack by al-Qaida.

Efforts were being made to establish the fate of “three or four” British staff missing from the consulate.

Mr Straw was due to make a statement on the attacks to the British House of Commons at 12.30pm, and the outrage looked certain to dominate both Mr Blair’s talks with President Bush at No 10 and their subsequent press conference at the British Foreign Office.

Security was tight around Whitehall as the two leaders – who were also due to discuss the broader war on terror, Iraq, steel tariffs and the fate of British citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay – met at No 10.

Anti-war demonstrators were hoping for a turn-out of up to 100,000 for a protest march against President Bush’s state visit.

After his motorcade swept into Downing Street, a sombre-looking President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush were warmly greeted by Mr Blair and his wife Cherie on the steps of No 10.

They posed briefly for photographers before entering the building, the President’s arm around the Premier’s shoulders.

Immediately before arriving for his talks with Mr Blair, the President had been at Westminster Abbey for a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of the unknown warrior.