PARIS (Reuters) -- EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said on Saturday bombings in Istanbul had been a response to Turkey's move toward Europe, but added it was too early to say whether its EU entry decision could now be sped up.

Solana said it was difficult to assess all reasons why Turkey had been chosen for the bombings on Thursday at the Istanbul headquarters of London-based HSBC Bank and on the British consulate, which killed at least 27 people.

"A probable reason is that Turkey is now ruled by a moderate Muslim government, which moves toward the West. And there are some people in the region who don't want Turkey to move into the direction of Europe and the West," Solana told Europe 1 radio. Asked whether a decision on Turkey's wish to join the European Union could now be sped up, Solana said: "It is too soon to take decisions of this nature ... but you can be sure that there will be reflections on how one can respond in a satisfying way to the current situation."

EU leaders are due to decide in December 2004 if Turkey has implemented enough reforms to begin accession talks.

Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, who oversees talks with candidates, has ruled out speeding up a decision after the Istanbul bombings and said he hoped the blasts would not lead Ankara to rein back EU-inspired liberal reforms.

Apart from Thursday's blasts, two attacks on synagogues in Istanbul last Saturday killed 25 people.

Turkey is the only candidate country yet to begin entry talks and faces resistance from some because it is big -- at 70 million people -- and is mainly Muslim.