Russian siege sparks world horror, solidarity
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-04 16:20

Tragic, despicable, inhumane, cowardly, barbaric, evil, and astonishing -- the deaths of a hundred or more people including children in a siege in Russia sparked strong words for the hostage-takers from world leaders.

"This is yet another grim reminder of the lengths to which terrorists will go to threaten the civilized world," U.S. President Bush told a campaign rally in Wisconsin.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying: "It is hard to express my revulsion at the inhumanity of terrorists prepared to put children and their parents through such suffering."

Some analysts questioned Russian security forces' tactics in storming the school, though Moscow has said the move was forced on them when hostage-takers opened fire on fleeing children.

"I suspect that Putin's immediate concern will have been to be seen to be strong rather than be seen to be negotiating," said Alex Standish, editor of Jane's Intelligence Digest.

"And if that means sacrificing civilians caught up in the middle, I don't suspect that is the key issue as far as Putin is concerned," he said.

In a statement in the name of the presidency of the 25-nation EU, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said all countries should work together to prevent such tragedies.

"But we also would like to know from the Russian authorities how this tragedy could have happened," he added.

World leaders focused on support and solidarity for Russia.

"Killing of these innocent people is an evil, despicable act of barbarism. The fact that many of them appear to have been young children murdered in cold blood is simply horrible," said the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi.

"Immense Pain"

Chief Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said news of the tragedy was received with sadness at the Vatican.

"There is sadness for the huge loss of life and for the immense pain of the parents and families of victims resulting from an act of terrorism," he said.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said everyone in his country was "moved with sympathy" for the victims and their families. "Here terrorists without conscience tried to reach political goals by murdering people," he said.

Gernot Erler, foreign policy expert of Schroeder's Social Democrats, said Putin could not have given in to the hostage takers. "In this case he really had no choice but to say 'No' to the demands," Erler told NDR radio.

Egypt expressed its sympathy for the "friendly Russian people in this ordeal," while Israel's foreign minister called the events an "an intolerable criminal terror act."

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the world was holding its breath as the siege unfolded. "These are astonishing times, the level of insecurity is very high," he said.

The fact that so many of the victims were children provoked universal condemnation.

"Ugliest Faces" of Terrorism

"Terrorism has shown one of its ugliest faces -- attacking children," said Polish Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski.

"Canadians are outraged by reports of the barbaric acts of terrorism today in North Ossetia, and by the unbelievable cruelty of hostage-takers firing on fleeing children," said Prime Minister Paul Martin.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was "horrified" to learn that a large number of children and others had lost their lives or were injured.

Greece condemned what it called a "cowardly terrorist action." Spain said there was a "wave of concern" for the victims. Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen said his reaction was "horror and sadness."

"It is regrettable that it did not prove possible to bring this crisis to a peaceful end," Cowen added.

Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said it was "totally inhumane" to take children as hostages.

"It is unacceptable, incomprehensible, senseless," said U.N. Children's Fund Executive Director Carol Bellamy. "It is time to take stock, to take a long hard look at our world and how it is treating children. If we don't respect the sanctity of childhood, then we have nothing."

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