|
The bombing attacks that killed at least 30 people and left more than 100 injured in three Egypt's Red Sea resorts on Thursday night drew condemnation worldwide on Friday.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said through his spokesman that "no cause can justify acts of terror, perpetrated against civilians."
Annan said the terrorists attacked "a site that has long been a tangible example of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East."
He hoped that the perpetrators will be speedily brought to justice. He also extended his condolences to the families of the victims, as well as their governments, and send his best wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured.
In a statement, European Union (EU)'s foreign policy chief Javier Solana said, "I want to condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that took place last night in the sea resort area of Taba."
"By targeting Muslims and Jews, Egyptians and Israelis, and women and children, the terrorists have shown their total contempt for all human life and for all human values," said US President George W. Bush.
"These acts show yet again why the civilized world must stand together against the forces of terror and defeat this evil," Bush said in a statement issued by the White House.
Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the EU, hoped the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who were currently in Hanoi to attend a Europe-Asia conference, both leveled criticism against the attacks and branded them as "brutal actions."
A spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said the attacks are unjustifiable, adding President Chirac expressed his condolences and solidarity to both Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw expressed shock and offered sympathy to the families of the victims of the blasts, Egypt's official MENA news agency said.
MENA also quoted a Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying that such horrific and shameful attacks were an indication that "blind" terrorism does not differentiate between Egyptians and Israelis.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country has witnessed bloody terror attacks, such as bombings and massive hostage-takings, said that Russians were shocked by the attacks and urged cooperation to combat international terrorism.
The bloody attacks were also blasted across the Arab and Muslim world. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa expressed "shock and dismay" at the series of bombings.
Speaking in Frankfurt, Germany, where he met with German leaders, the Egyptian-born diplomat said his heart ached for the victims of what he called "cowardly and callous" terrorists.
King Mohammed IV of Morocco also sent a message of condolences to Egyptian President Mubarak over the death of victims killed in the Sinai bombings.
The Moroccan monarch condemned the bombings and expressed his country's sympathy with the Egyptian people.
Sheikh Muhammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti foreign minister, also sent condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit, voicing Kuwait's solidarity with Egypt.
Turkey, a moderate Muslim country, said it condemned such a "terrorist" act that claimed the lives of many victims, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
Such acts are against humanity, the statement read, calling upon all countries of the region to cooperate in combating terrorism.
A deadly blast Thursday night rocked Hilton Taba Hotel in Egypt's Sinai Peninsular, which was popular with Israeli tourists.
Shortly after that, two other blasts were heard at holiday camps in Ras al-Sultan and Nuwaiba, not far away from Taba.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement on Friday that 22 people have been confirmed dead in the blasts.
However, Israeli Army Radio reported that at least 30 people were killed and over 160 others wounded in the Israelis-targeted terror attacks.
(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2004)
|
