The British Foreign Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, has condemned the Istanbul blasts calling them "a clearly appalling act of terrorism."
Mr Straw said "three of four" employees at the British consulate had not reported to the roll call after the blast which bore "all the hallmarks" of an al-Qaeda attack.
Mr Straw was asked if the attack would affect President Bush's visit to London.
He replied: "Of course this will be a major subject of discussion between
Prime Minister Blair and President Bush.
"It will feature at their press conference at 12.15pm.
"We have been alive to potential threats from terrorists for many years in
this country and we take every step we can to deal with it."
Mr Straw said he "disagreed profoundly," with the assertion by one reporter
that the war in Iraq had done nothing to lessen the threat of attacks.
"What people have got to remember is that September 11 happened in 2001 and
not in 2003. It was planned under the Presidency of Bill Clinton, even if it was
executed under the Presidency of George W Bush.
"And there were scores and scores of the most serious terrorist outrages
before it was necessary to take military action in Iraq and afterwards."