World Reacts To Kissinger Death

Washington, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 1st Dec, 2023) Henry Kissinger, the instantly recognizable US diplomat whose unapologetic promotion of raw American power helped shape the post-World War II world, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.

Here is a round-up of reactions from governments and world leaders.

– US –

“Whether you saw eye to eye with him on every issue, there’s no question that… he shaped foreign policy decisions for decades and he certainly had an impact on America’s role in the world,” said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

At the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin highlighted Kissinger’s army service in World War II, when he deployed to his originally native Germany.

“Dr Kissinger led an extraordinary American life,” Austin said.

Earlier, President Joe Biden’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, hailed Kissinger for his strategic vision as the top US diplomat under president Richard Nixon and his successor Gerald Ford.

“To serve as America’s chief diplomat today is to move through a world that bears Henry’s lasting imprint — from the relationships he forged, to the tools he pioneered, to the architecture he built,” Blinken said.

Biden has yet to comment directly.

– China –

Beijing‘s foreign ministry hailed the late US diplomat for his “historic contributions” to China-US ties, describing him as an “old and good friend of the Chinese people.”

Kissinger “had long been concerned about and supported the development of China-US relations, visiting China more than 100 times and making historic contributions to promote the normalization of China-US relations,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

– Russia –

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Kissinger for his contribution to US-Soviet relations and described him as a “wise and visionary statesman.”

“Henry Kissinger’s name is inextricably linked with his pragmatic foreign policy, which in its time paved the way for a detente in international tensions and made it possible to reach the most important Soviet-American agreements that contributed to strengthening global security,” Putin said, according to a statement released by the Kremlin.

– France –

Kissinger was a “giant of history,” French President Emmanuel Macron said, offering France‘s “condolences to the American people.”

Kissinger’s “century of ideas and diplomacy had a long-standing influence on his time and on our world,” Macron posted on X, formerly Twitter.

– United Kingdom –

Kissinger was a “great statesman” who will be “greatly missed on the world stage,” UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

“Most saddened to hear that Henry Kissinger has passed away,” Cameron wrote on X. “He was a great statesman and a deeply respected diplomat who will be greatly missed on the world stage.”

– Germany –

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the late US diplomat, who fled Nazi Germany for the US in his childhood, for his “commitment to the transatlantic friendship.”

“He always remained close to his German homeland. The world has lost a great diplomat,” Scholz wrote on X.

– Japan –

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hailed Kissinger’s “significant contributions” to peace and stability in Asia.

Kissinger “made significant contributions to the regional peace and stability, including the normalization of diplomatic ties between the US and China,” Kishida told reporters.

– Ukraine –

Ukraine‘s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kissinger would leave a lasting impact on international politics.

“The century of Henry Kissinger was no easy one, but its great challenges fit his great and curious mind. He changed its pace and the face of diplomacy,” Kuleba said in English on social media.

“Crisp in thoughts, prolific in writings. His intellectual legacy will continue to influence the understanding of diplomacy and world order.”