International reaction to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto

The international reaction to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto consisted of universal condemnation across the international community, including Pakistan's regional neighbors Afghanistan, China, India, Bangladesh, and Iran. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh praised Bhutto's efforts for the improvement of India-Pakistan relations. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting and unanimously condemned the assassination, a call echoed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Both European Union President José Manuel Barroso and U.S. President George W. Bush also expressed the hope that Pakistan will continue on the path of democracy.

International organizations

* Al-Qaeda – Spokesman Mustafa Abu al-Yazid was quoted in Philippine media saying that "we terminated the most precious American asset who vowed to defeat the mujahideen." [] Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, "The brutal assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is a tragic setback for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. Her courageous return to Pakistan this year gave hope to all those concerned by efforts to extinguish rule of law there."cite news |title=U.S. Reactions to Bhutto Assassination |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ih0XVijOTzDEBsryLeXBsxkTkuDQD8TQ49TO1|date=2007-12-27 |accessdate=2007-12-27] Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "It is important, when faced with the violence and loss of innocent life over the last few days, that political leaders show a commitment to resolve but also restraint. Extremists must be brought to justice, but extremism must not undermine commitment to the rule of law, to human rights, and to democracy." At another press briefing at around 13:00 EST on December 27, a State Department spokesman asserted that "some kind of postponement or delay" in Pakistan’s democratic process would be "a victory" for "the extremists" who were responsible for Benazir Bhutto's assassination. He also asserted that "perhaps the best antidote to extremism is the continuation of the democratic process." He called for a "credible and transparent" investigation of the attack, and alluded to the "broad international outrage" about the incident. [A press briefing with a US State Department spokesman which was aired online as it occurred on cite news |title=CNN.com Live|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/live/live.html?stream=stream1|date=2007-12-27 |accessdate=2007-12-27] He also said that Bush spoke with Musharraf at 13:15 EST. [cite news |first=Tabassum |last=Zakaria |title=Bush has spoken with Musharraf: White House |url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/12/27/bush_has_spoken_with_musharraf_white_house/ |publisher=The Boston Globe |date=2007-12-27 |accessdate=2007-12-27] Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad, while describing Bhutto as a “courageous figure”, said that “The world has much at stake in the success of Pakistan's democratic institutions. It's a great tragedy because she stood for moderation, for rule of law, for democracy in her country, and her death is a loss for the cause of moderation, democracy, and rule of law for Pakistan. She was clear-headed about the problems of her country, the challenges that she faced — even the security challenges she faced." [cite news |title=UN condemns Bhutto assassination as a "reprehensible act"
url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/27/news/UN-GEN-UN-Pakistan.php|date=2007-12-27] Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement,"We extend our sincere condolences to the Bhutto family and to the families of others who were killed and wounded in the attack. We condemn in the strongest terms possible this cowardly and murderous attack." [citeweb|url=http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2007/12/98063.htm |title=Assassination of Benazir Bhutto: Statement by Secretary Condoleezza Rice|date=2007-12-27|accessdate=2008-01-03|publisher=U.S. Department of State]

Oceania

*AUS – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged restraint, saying "Benazir Bhutto showed great courage and defiance in her resistance to extremism. I urge all parties in Pakistan to act with restraint and to work for a return to a peaceful democratic process. It is my hope that a democratic Pakistan will be Benazir Bhutto's legacy." [cite news|title=Rudd condemns killing|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/rudd-condemns-killing/2007/12/28/1198778656134.html|publisher= The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2007-12-28 |accessdate=2007-12-28]

*FIJ – Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said, "Ms. Bhutto was, in recent times, a beacon of hope for the millions of Pakistani people who aspired for a free, fair and democratic Pakistan. It is a real tragedy that Ms Bhutto has not been allowed to realise her vision for Pakistan and the rest of the world." [cite news|title = FLP saddened by death of Bhutto|publisher = Fiji Times|url = http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=77481|date = 2007-12-28|accessdate = 2007-12-28]

*NZL – Prime Minister Helen Clark said she was deeply shocked and saddened saying "Benazir Bhutto showed great courage in returning to Pakistan to contest the election. She had survived attempts on her life and was acutely aware of the dangers she faced in returning to campaign for the elections. Her death is a great loss to Pakistan and to the region. My sympathies go out to her immediate family, political colleagues, and to the people of Pakistan for their terrible loss." [cite news|title=New Zealand leader praises Bhutto's courage|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=124&objectid=10484496|publisher= New Zealand Herald|date=2007-12-28 |accessdate=2007-12-28]

South America

*ARG – President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner condemned "energetically the awful attack that (...) took the life of Benazir Bhutto. The Argentine government wishes to express its deepest condolences to the Bhutto family, as well to the other victims' families and the whole people of Pakistan". [cite news |title=Enérgico repudio del Gobierno|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/exterior/nota.asp?nota_id=974336&pid=3723753&toi=5262|publisher=La Nación|date=2007-12-27 |accessdate=2007-12-27]

*BRA – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the attacks and spoke of his "great pain and indignation" at the violence. [cite news|title=World Leaders Shocked|url=http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2007/28/index3.php|publisher= The Nation|date=2007-12-27 |accessdate=2007-12-28] Later, in a statement, Lula da Silva reaffirmed his "firm rejection to the use of violence in political life" and extended his condolences "to the families of the victims and the Pakistani nation" in the name of the Brazilian Government. [cite news |url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/mundo/ult94u358474.shtml|title=Veja a repercussão internacional sobre a morte de Bhutto|date=2007-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-28|publisher=Folha de S. Paulo|language=Portuguese]

*CHI – The Foreign Affairs Ministry expressed deep consternation at the loss of Bhutto and condemned the events as "terrorist acts." The ministry also expressed its hope that "this event does not dim the opening process towards a total democracy and the national reconciliation." [cite web|url=http://www.minrel.gov.cl/webMinRel/showNoti.do?noticia=4699&&agina=bajada-noticia-sb.jsp|title=Chile expresa profunda consternación por la muerte de Benazir Bhutto|date=2007-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-27|publisher=Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs|language=Spanish]

*GUY – The Foreign Affairs Ministry sent an official message conveying the condolences of the government and people of Guyana and hoped "peace and stability will prevail." [cite news|title = Guyana regrets Bhutto death|url =http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_general_news?id=56535824|accessdate = 2007-12-28]

*PAR – The Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement expressing its rejection of "acts of violence and the loss of human life", repudiating "acts of terrorism in any of its manifestations", and " [sending] to the Bhutto family, to the families of other victims, as well as to the people and authorities of Pakistan, its sincere condolences." [cite news|title = Paraguay condemned the "barbaric" attack |url =http://es.noticias.yahoo.com/efe/20071227/twl-paraguay-condena-el-barbaro-atentado-e1e34ad_1.html|accessdate = 2007-12-28|language=Spanish]

*PER – President Alan García stated at the Casa de Pizarro that "Peru reaffirms its absolute opposition to terrorism, which must firmly be fought with total respect to human rights and democratic liberties." Garcia expressed the condolences of the Peruvian people to Bhutto's family and hoped that Pakistan would soon find order. [cite news|url=http://www.rpp.com.pe/portada/politica/108980_1.php|title=Alan García condena el asesinato de Benazir Bhutto|date=2007-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-27] It was also revealed that García was a close friend of Bhutto, according to a Chancellorship note.

*VEN – President Hugo Chávez said, "We received the news with great pain, and I hope this is never repeated ever again, anywhere." [cite news |title=World leaders laud Bhutto, fear for Pakistan |url= http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/world-leaders-laud-bhutto-fear-for-pakistan/2007/12/28/1198778695152.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
date=2007-12-28]

Notes