BBC has collected official reactions of assorted world leaders (spokespeople, associates, etc.) to Barack Obama’s victory, including Pres. Bush’s, “What an awesome night for you…”
While the President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, is:
confident that your presidency shall herald a new chapter of dialogue between the American people and the world at large.
The spokesman for the Sudanese Foreign Ministry is…less confident.
We don’t expect any change through our previous experience with the Democrats. When it comes to foreign policy there is no difference between the Republicans and the Democrats.
Some cautious optimism from Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin:
The news we are receiving on the results of the American presidential election shows that everyone has the right to hope for a freshening of US approaches to all the most complex issues, including foreign policy and therefore relations with the Russian Federation as well.
More cautious optimism from an aide to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei:
The president-elect has promised changes in policies. There is a capacity for the improvement of ties between America and Iran if Obama pursues his campaign promises, including not confronting other countries as Bush did in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also concentrating on America’s state matters and removing the American people’s concerns.
And, from an adviser to Iraq’s prime minister:
Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.The American people have presented a tremendous example to the world by ignoring racist attitudes – and this is an unprecedented example of democracy.
