DECLARATION

The Turkish Urological Community has for long years considered herself as an integral part of the European Urological Community. Within this framework Turkish Urological Association has shown special care for its relations with EAU, encouraged its members to join EAU and to participate in its activities at all levels with large delegations. In addition several ESU courses have been organized in Turkey and many European opinion leaders have been invited to the urological meetings in Turkey consolidating our exemplary bilateral relations.

It is obviously this very positive process which resulted in the selection of the city of Istanbul as the venue of 2004 EAU Congress, after extensive investigations and evaluations.

After a long time and exhausting efforts from all sides needed to solve all problems and to complete all preparations for an extraordinary success, EAU decided to move the congress from Istanbul to Vienna shortly after two terrorist attacks in Istanbul, a decision totally incomprehensible and unacceptable for following reasons:

1- It is not possible to understand the haste of the Executive of a scientific, non-political organization to interrelate the fate of a scientific meeting which is due in 4 months time with the most saddening events just after 24 hours from their happening. Moreover it is very unfair to declare Turkey insecure immediately by giving in to the pressure received from the corporate sponsors.

2- The EAU executive stated in its letters to the members and on the website that all related parties have been consulted before they made this difficult decision. However, it must be stressed that the Turkish party has not been consulted before the decision of cancellation but it has merely been noticed by a teleconference held on 24th of November. This attitude excluding the Turkish side as one of the parties concerned has created a deep disappointment far beyond the cancellation itself.

3- Terrorism is a global threat and its targets are unknown. As such no city in Europe or elsewhere in the world is immune against such attacks. The Istanbul bombings were aimed at universal values of the modern world and it is sad to see that Turkey is left alone by EAU. In fact, the most powerful reply to urban terrorism is maintaining normal daily life. Today life in Istanbul is running vividly and in security. It should be reminded that the most striking example of international solidarity was experienced as the World Economic Forum was organized in New York instead of its traditional venue of Davos after September 11. Moreover, it is a well known reality that many European countries like England. France, Italy and Spain suffered from terrorism in the past yet no scientific meeting had to be cancelled in those countries. It is difficult to understand why Turkey is now being exempted from the common sense EAU had shown and we all appreciated and shared on those occasions and the attitude is anging.

In conclusion, on behalf of the all Turkish Urologists and Turkish Urological Societies listed below we strongly disapprove the removal of the 19th Congress from Istanbul to Vienna and express our deepest regret and disappointment.

Prof.Dr.Vural Solok  Prof.Dr.Sedat Tellaoğlu
President XIX EAU Congress.
Turkish Urological of Association

Prof.Dr.Ateş Kadıoğlu Prof.Dr.Yalçın İlker
President 
Turkish Society of Andrology Society of Endourology

Prof.Dr.Haluk Özen  Prof.Dr.Yunus Söylet
President 
Society of Urooncology Society of Pediatric Urology

Prof.Dr.Ceyhun Özyurt Prof.Dr.Bülent Oktay
President
Aegean Society of Urology Bursa Society of Urology

Prof.Dr.Yaşar Bedük Prof.Dr.Ruhi Türkyılmaz
President
Ankara Society of Urology Çukurova Society of Urology