Italy on Monday condemned Sunday's bomb blasts in Istanbul and reaffirmed its support for Turkey joining the European Union.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini reiterated Italy's strong support for Turkey in the battle against terrorism and confirmed Italy's backing for Turkey's bid to join the EU ''in a context of stability, rteforms and democratic participation''.
The death toll in the two bomb blasts rose to 17 on Monday. Seven people were critical in hospital and 115 were in less serious condition.
The attack increased tension hours before a top court was to begin deliberating on whether to ban the governing party for allegedly engaging in Islamist activities.
The ruling is expected in early August.
Pundits said they expected the court not to ban the Islamist-rooted AK Party - which denies the charges - but perhaps fine it and cut the number of its MPs.
The case has rekindled long-running tensions between Turkey's secularist establishment and the party over the direction of the officially secular but predominantly Muslim country.
