World condemns attacks, pressure Mega to act

World condemns attacks, pressure Mega to act

Agence France-Presse, Sydney

Australia and the United States on Monday led calls for Indonesia to confront the menace of terrorism, as countries around the world expressed their horror over the Bali car bomb attack.

Along with the chorus of condemnation of Saturday's blast -- described as "heinous" by U.S. President George W. Bush -- came offers of help for Indonesia's swamped emergency services and condolences for Australia which had scores of victims among the 190 dead.

After calling for a day of mourning, Australian Prime Minister John Howard sent security officials to Indonesia to "maximize cooperation between Australia and Indonesia in pursuit of the murderers."

"We have a right and I have a duty to push upon and press upon the Indonesian government the need for a cooperative effort in the region," the Australian leader said.

"We are prepared to help, the Americans are prepared to help, the British have offered assistance; we will give any help that can usefully assist Indonesia in dealing with the terrorist problem."

The U.S. president offered both intelligence from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and medical assistance to close ally Australia.

In the first official reaction from Beijing came strong condemnation Monday from foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue.

"China strongly condemns the violent explosions," she was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency. "China is deeply concerned over the issue and reiterated that China has always been opposed to terrorism of any forms," she said.

Asian regional leaders were quick to blame terror for the attack.

Condolences came from South Korea, where President Kim Dae- Jung noted that "terrorism cannot justify any moral causes," and from Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

The monarch sent a letter to Australia's prime minister expressing her deep shock at "the horrific outrage in Bali with so many Australians amongst the dead, injured and unaccounted for."

South African President Thabo Mbeki said he hoped all the "necessary" steps would be taken to catch those responsible for the explosion.

"This is a great tragedy which has been consciously and deliberately caused."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was "shocked and horrified" to hear of the attack, a statement from his spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

The secretary general sought to express "his utter condemnation of all such indiscriminate attacks on civilians. They violate all accepted standards of morality, as well as national and international law, and cannot be justified by any cause or ideology."

From across Europe came outrage, with the European Union, through current president Denmark, calling the attack "barbaric and heinous".

Addressing Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri in a telegram, Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar was equally uncompromising and unambiguous, describing the "terrorist" attack as "brutal and fanatical."

German President Johannes Rau said he was deeply shocked at the blast, and thanked the Indonesian government and rescue services for prompt assistance to the injured who included at least eight Germans.

French President Jacques Chirac also expressed his outrage, saying "once more blind terrorism has struck, in the most gratuitous, cowardly and savage manner."

Italy's President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi declared it to be a "very grave act of terrorism" while Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss described the attack as a "hateful crime."

But with condolences came admonishments, such as those from East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, who said the attack should "finally sound the alarm in Indonesia so that (this country) will take the terrorist threat more seriously."