World condemns attacks, pressure Mega to act<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Sydney<\/p>\n
Australia and the United States on Monday led calls for Indonesia
\nto confront the menace of terrorism, as countries around the
\nworld expressed their horror over the Bali car bomb attack.<\/p>\n
Along with the chorus of condemnation of Saturday's blast --
\ndescribed as "heinous" by U.S. President George W. Bush -- came
\noffers of help for Indonesia's swamped emergency services and
\ncondolences for Australia which had scores of victims among the
\n190 dead.<\/p>\n
After calling for a day of mourning, Australian Prime Minister
\nJohn Howard sent security officials to Indonesia to "maximize
\ncooperation between Australia and Indonesia in pursuit of the
\nmurderers."<\/p>\n
"We have a right and I have a duty to push upon and press upon
\nthe Indonesian government the need for a cooperative effort in
\nthe region," the Australian leader said.<\/p>\n
"We are prepared to help, the Americans are prepared to help,
\nthe British have offered assistance; we will give any help that
\ncan usefully assist Indonesia in dealing with the terrorist
\nproblem."<\/p>\n
The U.S. president offered both intelligence from the Federal
\nBureau of Investigation and medical assistance to close ally
\nAustralia.<\/p>\n
In the first official reaction from Beijing came strong
\ncondemnation Monday from foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang
\nQiyue.<\/p>\n
"China strongly condemns the violent explosions," she was
\nquoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency. "China is
\ndeeply concerned over the issue and reiterated that China has
\nalways been opposed to terrorism of any forms," she said.<\/p>\n
Asian regional leaders were quick to blame terror for the
\nattack.<\/p>\n
Condolences came from South Korea, where President Kim Dae-
\nJung noted that "terrorism cannot justify any moral causes," and
\nfrom Britain's Queen Elizabeth.<\/p>\n
The monarch sent a letter to Australia's prime minister
\nexpressing her deep shock at "the horrific outrage in Bali with
\nso many Australians amongst the dead, injured and unaccounted
\nfor."<\/p>\n
South African President Thabo Mbeki said he hoped all the
\n"necessary" steps would be taken to catch those responsible for
\nthe explosion.<\/p>\n
"This is a great tragedy which has been consciously and
\ndeliberately caused."<\/p>\n
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was "shocked and horrified" to
\nhear of the attack, a statement from his spokesman Fred Eckhard
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The secretary general sought to express "his utter
\ncondemnation of all such indiscriminate attacks on civilians.
\nThey violate all accepted standards of morality, as well as
\nnational and international law, and cannot be justified by any
\ncause or ideology."<\/p>\n
From across Europe came outrage, with the European Union,
\nthrough current president Denmark, calling the attack "barbaric
\nand heinous".<\/p>\n
Addressing Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri in a
\ntelegram, Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was equally
\nuncompromising and unambiguous, describing the "terrorist" attack
\nas "brutal and fanatical."<\/p>\n
German President Johannes Rau said he was deeply shocked at
\nthe blast, and thanked the Indonesian government and rescue
\nservices for prompt assistance to the injured who included at
\nleast eight Germans.<\/p>\n
French President Jacques Chirac also expressed his outrage,
\nsaying "once more blind terrorism has struck, in the most
\ngratuitous, cowardly and savage manner."<\/p>\n
Italy's President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi declared it to be a
\n"very grave act of terrorism" while Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph
\nDeiss described the attack as a "hateful crime."<\/p>\n
But with condolences came admonishments, such as those from
\nEast Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, who said the
\nattack should "finally sound the alarm in Indonesia so that (this
\ncountry) will take the terrorist threat more seriously."<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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