SpecialFeature |
| Reactions to strikes |
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Special Feature |
| Reactions to strikes |
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Reactions from Malta President Guido de Marco "I think the measures taken are very much in conformity with how to remove terrorists. But we must remember that the Afghanis have been suffering for many decades now, and this has to be brought to the fore. We must ensure that no more innocent people suffer, so any bombing or any action that is taken has to be properly focused. We have to make the Afghanis themselves know how this has come about and send aid to them. The bombing has to be very targeted. We have to be very careful that innocent people are not victims. The enemy of civilisation is not clearly discernible and makes circumstances more complicated." (interview with The Malta Independent) Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami "I have no doubt that the use of military force was justified in terms of the UN resolutions. This was military action which governments were constrained to take. One hopes this military conflict will not, however, spread in terms of space and time and its objectives will be successfully achieved quickly. "This is a fight against terrorism and nothing else. One should not try to blur the picture by bringing something else into it. Bin Laden is trying to portray himself as the mouthpiece of Islam, but I have no doubt that Muslims do not see bin Laden as speaking on their behalf. Clearly, this is not a war against Muslims. The world recognises the need for co-operation by everybody, of whatever faith, to guarantee peace and security in the world." (Speaking in Parliament on Monday 8th October 2001) International reactions Amnesty International "Now that the United States of America and the United Kingdom have launched military strikes against targets in Afghanistan, their forces and their Taliban opponents must ensure full respect for human rights and the rules and principles governing international armed conflicts." Arab League - Secretary General Amr Moussa "Any military strike on any Arab country will lead to serious consequences and will be considered an aggression against Arab states.'' Britain - Prime Minister Tony Blair "The world understands that whilst of course there are dangers in acting as we are, the dangers of inaction are far, far greater -- the threat of further such outrages, the threats to our economies, the threat to the stability of the world." China - Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesman ``China opposes terrorism of any form, hoping that relevant military strikes on terrorism should be targeted at specific objectives, so as to avoid hurting innocent civilians . . . China hopes that peace be resumed as soon as possible." European Union - Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, current president of EU ``The presidency of the European Union wishes to...reaffirm its entire solidarity with the United States, the United Kingdom and the other countries engaged in these operations. The presidency has been informed that these operations are targeted and essentially directed against military communication centres, air defence installations and terrorist training camps and that innocent victims will be avoided.'' Israel - Foreign Minister Shimon Peres "We see in the United States the leader of this campaign, and we shall not do anything that may frustrate or endanger the campaign itself .... We feel part and parcel of this campaign, and, if it should be asked, everything will be considered, seriously and positively." India - Junior Foreign Minister Omar Abdullah "We have right from the beginning committed our support to any action that the international coalition against terrorism takes to neutralise the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden and their supporters in Afghanistan." Iran - Foreign Ministry spokesman "The attacks are unacceptable. They are being carried out without regard to world public opinion, especially in the Muslim countries, and innocent people would be victims … the United States that it should avoid violating Iran's air space and territorial integrity." Iraq - Iraqi government statement "What America did today is that it had targeted a country and people who are among the poorest in the world. Anybody would condemn this attack, not because it's coming from America or because it's against Muslims and a Muslim country -- but because it was done outside the framework of international law and because America didn't present a convincing proof against those it accuses of terrorism." NATO - Secretary-General Lord Robertson ``These terrorists are not 10 feet tall, they are not insuperable, they're not unvanquishable, but we are. And we can win and we certainly will win.'' Pakistan - President Pervez Musharraf ``In this environment the targeting is Osama bin Laden. ... If the targeting is correct and the results of the operation are achieved against those targets it can be finished in a day or two. Now I do not presume that the support within Afghanistan for the Taliban is of a degree that will lead to guerrilla warfare If the targeting is proper and successful, it will lead to acceptance of a political dispensation to the benefit of all Afghanistan.'' Palestine - The Palestinian ambassador to Malta, Awad Yakhlef "As much as my thoughts went to the innocent victims of the 11 September attack, they go today to the poor and innocent people of Afghanistan. I believe that if the free world wants to win this war against terrorism, they should remedy the causes of extremism. All nations should be united to combat international terrorism and to repair the injustices and the suffering of a lot of people in our world, in particular the injustices inflicted on the Palestinian people for the last 50 years." Russia - Ministry for Foreign Affairs statement "The international community is unanimous in the view that the threat to international peace and security created by terrorist acts should be counteracted - in accordance with the UN Charter - by all means. In these critical days for the Afghan people, Russia, as is the whole international community, is calling on responsible political forces of the country to combine efforts in order to get Afghanistan out of the profound crisis and ensure its democratic future." Saudi Arabia - Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal ``It is necessary to pursue with vigor and tenacity the criminals who created this tragedy . . . In this regard, the U.S. has the support of the international community. The people must be identified, pursued, brought to justice, and all of the world is willing to join in this struggle.'' The Taliban - Ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef "We condemn the terrorist act against the Afghan nation. Afghanistan is the victim of American arrogance and expansionism. It wants to snatch from the Afghan Muslim people the present Islamic system. These brutal attacks are horrendous, terrorist acts, as inhuman as any in the world. America will never achieve its political goals by launching bestial attacks on the Muslim people of Afghanistan." The Terrorists - Osama Bin Laden "And now with the winds of change has blown up now, has come to the Arabian Peninsula. And to America, I say to it and to its people this: I swear by God the Great, America will never dream nor those who live in America will never taste security and safety unless we feel security and safety in our land and in Palestine." United Nations - Secretary General Koffi Annan ``We need a sustained effort and a broad strategy that unites all nations and addresses all aspects of the scourge we face." United States - President George W. Bush "In the face of today's new threat, the only way to pursue peace is to pursue those who threaten it. We did not ask for this mission, but we will fulfill it."
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