World condemns killing of US ambassador
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E-mail Xinhua, September 13, 2012
The killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya has drawn from across the world condolences to the Americans and condemnation of violence against diplomatic missions.
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US ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens is confirmed to have died in Tuesday's conflict in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi, the pan-Arab Al Jazeera TV reported Wednesday. |
U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday denounced the deadly attack on the U.S. consulate building in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi, vowing to bring the killers of Christopher Stevens and other three U.S. diplomats to justice.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack," the president said in a statement delivered at the White House Rose Garden, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at his side.
"And make no mistake, we will work with the Libyan government to bring to justice the killers who attacked our people," he added.
The four Americans were killed when hundreds of protesters, angered by an alleged U.S.-made movie that insults Prophet Mohammed, stormed and set ablaze the U.S. consulate building on Tuesday night.
Stevens, who was on a short trip to Benghazi, died from suffocation as a result of smoke inhalation, the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV reported Wednesday.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council also condemned the deadly attack "in the strongest terms."
"The United Nations rejects defamation of religion in all forms," Ban said in the statement. "At the same time, nothing justifies the brutal violence which occurred in Benghazi yesterday."
Other senior UN officials also voiced their strong condemnation, saying that the "horrific and tragic attack" further highlighted the security challenges facing the authorities in the North African country.
European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton deplored the killing "in the strongest possible terms," expressing sympathy to the families of the victims and the U.S. authorities.
She urged Libya to "take all necessary measures without delay" to protect the lives of all diplomats and foreign staff working in the country and to "work tirelessly to bring those responsible for these killings to justice."
Moscow condemned the attacks against U.S. diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya, expressing its deep concern over the violence in the two Arab countries.
Russia strongly condemned the attacks against diplomats and diplomatic missions and took them as acts of terrorism, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
French President Francois Hollande firmly condemned the attack, calling on "Libyan authorities to shed light on these odious and unacceptable crimes, identify those culprits and bring them to justice." He affirmed France's solidarity with the United States.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen strongly slammed the attack, saying "such violence can never be justified."
"I welcome the Libyan president's condemnation and condolences and his pledge of his government's full cooperation. It is important that the new Libya continues to move towards a peaceful, secure and democratic future," he said in a statement.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei expressed the country's shock at the attacks and voiced strong condemnation of the violent deeds.
China believes the Libyan authorities bear the responsibility and obligation to adopt all necessary measures to protect the life and property of foreign institutions and their staff stationed in the country according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, he said in a press release.
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird expressed his country's strong condemnation of the fatal attack and deep regrets.
Canada urges Libya to bring the extremists responsible to swift justice and take all necessary measures to protect diplomatic premises in accordance with its international obligations, Baird said in a statement.
The Benghazi assault was also strongly condemned by countries across Latin America, including Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Venezuela and El Salvador.
Following the attack, the U.S. Navy sent two destroyers to Libyan waters and a detachment of 50 Marines to secure the main U.S. embassy in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, where most of the staff members were being flown out.
New protests against the film were also staged on Wednesday outside U.S. missions in Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia in addition to those in Egypt and Libya.
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