By Luis Ramirez
Bangkok
Asian Leaders Express Concerns About Pakistan's Future
Leaders across Asia are voicing condemnation and shock over the killing of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto,
and their fears for the future stability of the country.
Condemnations and expressions of shock have poured from just about every nation in the region.
India, as Pakistan's neighbor and traditional foe, has a special stake in Pakistan's stability. It has strongly
condemned the assassination as a setback to the Pakistani democratic process and to regional stability. Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh praised Ms. Bhutto, recalling that, during her time as Prime Minister, she worked to improve
relations between the two historic adversaries.
"She, on more than one occasion, gave expression to her feelings that relations between our two countries should be
normalized and that we should work together to make South Asia a prosperous region of the world," recalled Prime
Minister Singh.
Another of Pakistan's neighbors, China, expressed shock at the killing. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said
Beijing extends its condolences to the families of Ms. Bhutto and other victims of the attack Thursday.
Japanese Foreign Minister Mashiko Komura said Japan firmly condemns what the official described as a "despicable and
unforgivable act of terror," which he said was aimed at destroying, through violence, Pakistan's efforts to hold a fair
and democratic election.
South Korea's foreign ministry said the South Korean government could not hide its shock over the killing and hopes
Pakistan will be stabilized by peaceful means.
The governments of Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia expressed similar condemnations. In a statement Friday, Malaysian
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi called the assassination "a cruel act" and said, "the perpetrators must be brought to
justice."
News of the assassination triggered a downturn in markets across the region Friday as concern grew about instability in
Pakistan in the wake of the killing and the future direction of the country.
Those concerns were echoed by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who condemned Ms. Bhutto's assassination as a blow
against peace in Pakistan. "This is an attack on the democracy of Pakistan. This is an attack on the stability of
Pakistan," he said. "This is an attack on the forces of moderation of Pakistan. This assassination is an evil act, it's
a cowardly act."
The Australian leader said it is his hope that a democratic Pakistan will be Benazir Bhutto's legacy, and he praised
what he said was her "great courage and defiance in her resistance to extremism."
Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed shock. In a statement conveyed through a spokesman, he said he
hopes the Pakistani government will do what it can to prevent further bloodshed in what he said is "already a very
polarized and fragile political and security environment."
ENDS