The world reacts to US attack on Iraq

President George W. Bush unleashed a war to topple Saddam Hussein on Thursday with dawn air strikes on Baghdad. The action elicited strong responses from leaders and prominent figures around the world.

Following is a roundup of some of those reactions:

AGAINST WAR

CHINA – Calls for an immediate halt and a return to efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully.

EU– European Union president Greece said that relations between Europe and the United States were in crisis after Washington launched the war.

FRANCE– President Jacques Chirac said in a televised speech that France regretted the start of war and saw serious consequences for the future no matter how long hostilities lasted.

GERMANY – Germany said it was dismayed by the start of the US-led military campaign.

INDIA – India said it recognised the validity of the world's desire to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction but that "military action was avoidable", judging from statements made by UN weapons inspectors.

INDONESIA – President Megawati Sukarnoputri said Indonesia "strongly denounced" the strike and called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

IRAN – Iran called the start of attacks on its western neighbour illegitimate and unjustifiable.

MALAYSIA – Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called the attack "a black mark in history" with "the world now seeing might is right".

PAKISTAN – Pakistan said it does not support war in Iraq and would continue pushing for peace.

RUSSIA – Russian President Vladimir Putincondemned US military action against Iraq and called for a rapid end to U.S. operations.

Also in Russia, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who gave tacit approval for the 1991 Gulf War, said the US attack on Iraq was a major mistake that would do huge damage to international relations and security.

SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Arabia said it was deeply concerned and regretted the start of military action against Iraq.

TURKEY – Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer criticised the US attack saying the UN Security Council process on Iraq should have been allowed to finish.

VATICAN – The Vatican said it was deeply pained by the outbreak of war and deplored the interruption of efforts to bring about a peaceful solution.

IN SUPPORT OF WAR

JAPAN– Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated his moral backing for Washington.

PHILIPPINES – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Manila gave political and moral support, calling it "part of the coalition of the willing".

SOUTH KOREA – President Roh Moo-hyun expressed support and added that he would make diplomatic efforts to ensure that this war does not worsen our relations with North Korea.