Statements By World Leaders on Bali Bombings- October 5, 2005
Below are quotes extracted from various media sources worldwide, on the reaction of world leaders on the recent Bali bombings.
UK PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR
"I condemn in the strongest terms today's appalling attacks in Bali. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.
"President Yudhoyono and I agreed when we met in New York last month on the absolute importance of working together to defeat the scourge of terrorism from which both the UK and Indonesia have suffered so grievously.
"The UK was deeply grateful for and moved by the support and sympathy given by the Indonesian government and people after the attacks in July in London. We stand by Indonesia at this very difficult time."
Cancelling meeting would be 'conceding' to terror: PM Lee
Contact lines
Monday • October 3, 2005
Lee U-Wen
u-wen@newstoday.com.sg
CONDEMNING Saturday's deadly bomb blasts in Bali, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said his meeting this week on the island with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would go on as scheduled.
"We have to carry on with the retreat. To change our plans and not to meet is really to concede. We will take the necessary precautions and I'm looking forward to meeting the President," he told reporters at the sidelines of a community event in Sengkang yesterday.
Of the terrorist bombs that killed 22 and injured more than 100, Mr Lee said: "It's bad news; we condemn it totally. We feel very sorry for the victims, who are from many countries not just Indonesians but Australians and others as well.
"I can't say I was astonished, because this is an ongoing problem and we know it's a problem, which is why we've taken very serious precautions in Singapore."
Mr Lee leaves today for a two-day retreat with President Yudhoyono at Tampaksiring in central Bali. The informal talks will cover bilateral and regional issues, including the fight against terrorism and ways to strengthen security.
Mr Lee said the Government will be doing all it can to prevent terrorist attacks here. So far, he said, there had been no specific warnings or intelligence received about possible acts of terrorism in Singapore.
"We will be watching and seeing where we need to tighten up, whether we need to raise our level of alert. But we've always been on high alert in Singapore," he said.
In a statement yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo one of three ministers accompanying Mr Lee to Bali said the latest attack was a reminder that, although weakened, terrorist groups continue to remain a threat.
Expressing his deepest sympathies for the families of bomb victims, Mr Yeo said such attacks "make us even more determined to fight the terrorists and to strengthen regional cooperation and social resilience".
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said yesterday that it had no confirmed reports of Singaporean casualties.
The ministry said it received about 300 calls from Singaporeans concerned about their friends and relatives and had contacted most of these Singaporeans and confirmed that they are safe.
It is still trying to contact 18 Singaporeans reported to be in Bali.
to find out about Singaporeans in Bali
Contacts for Singaporeans seeking information about friends or relatives in Bali:
Foreign Ministry's duty office tel: 6379 8800 or 6379 8855
fax: 64767302
email: mfa_duty_officer@mfa. gov.sg.
Singapore Embassy in Jakarta tel: 001 62 21 5201489 or 001 62 21 52961433
fax: 001 62 21 5202320
email: denpasar@pacific.net.id
