Asian leaders hail Obama's electoral win, vow to work together+

TOKYO, Nov. 5 Kyodo - Government leaders of Asia on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on his presidential election victory and vowed to work with the new Democratic White House after eight years of Republican rule under George W. Bush.

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said Japan will cooperate with the new U.S.
leader in tackling global issues as a key U.S. ally in Asia.
Japan and the United States share common values such as liberty, democracy,
respect for basic human rights and the promotion of a market economy, Aso said,
adding that the bilateral alliance is the linchpin of Japanese diplomacy and
the cornerstone for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
''Working together with President-elect Obama, I will strive to further
strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance and to resolve various challenges that the
international community faces when addressing issues such as the international
economy, terrorism and the environment,'' Aso said in a statement.
Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message of congratulations to Obama, saying
it is in the fundamental interest of the two countries -- and that of the rest
of the world -- that China and the United States have a healthy and stable
relationship.
''In the new historic era, I look forward to working together with you to
continuously strengthen dialogue and exchanges between our two countries and to
enhance our mutual trust and cooperation,'' he said.
In Seoul, the South Korean presidential office said President Lee Myung Bak
sent a congratulatory message to Obama and expressed hope of further
development of bilateral ties.
''We are highly attentive to President-elect Obama's stressing the importance
of the alliance between (South) Korea and the United States and supporting
solid development of relations with (South) Korea, a major ally in Asia,'' the
statement said.
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in a congratulatory message to
Obama, said, ''With the next administration of the U.S., bilateral relations
with the Philippines and the U.S. covering various aspects of political,
social, economic and cultural life, will remain strong and stable as ever.''
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in a congratulatory message, urged
Obama to take leadership to overcome the global economic crisis and maintain
strong ties with Southeast Asia.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hailed Obama's electoral victory
and said Indonesia hopes Obama ''will lead the U.S. as a force of peace, for
progress, for spreading good and for reforming the international system.''.
Yudhoyono said the U.S. presidential election is important because the world
community faces ''enormous global challenges'' such as food shortages, energy
security, financial crises and climate change.
''None of these great issues of our times can be solved without the U.S. on
board and certainly, none of these issues can be solved by the U.S. alone. We
need to work together to deliver a new age of global cooperation,'' Yudhoyono
said.
Born in Hawaii, Obama spent four years in Indonesia after his mother divorced
from his Kenyan father and married an Indonesian.
Obama went to an Indonesian Catholic kindergarten in South Jakarta and a public
school in the elite area of Menteng in Central Jakarta.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a message congratulating Obama, said,
''Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in
your country but also around the world.''
The two countries working together to address global issues and challenges will
be an important factor for world peace, stability and progress, Singh said in a
statement released by his press office.
In Islamabad, the Foreign Ministry said Pakistan's President Asif Zardari, who
is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia, has sent a congratulatory message to
Obama and expressed hope that relations between two countries would be
strengthened under the new U.S. administration.
The Pakistani government looks forward to discussions with the new U.S.
administration on ways to strengthen U.S.-Pakistan relations and to promote
peace and stability in the region and beyond, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Mohammad Sadiq said.
In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai said he hopes Obama's victory would
bring peace to Afghanistan and prosperity to the world.
''I congratulate Barack Obama for his win, and the American people, and hope
that this election of Sen. Obama coming to office will bring peace to
Afghanistan, life to Afghanistan and prosperity to Afghan people and to the
rest of the world,'' Karzai told reporters in his fortified presidential palace
in Kabul shortly after the results of the U.S. presidential election were
projected.
The United States has around 30,000 troops in addition to around 40,000-strong
NATO-led troops who are fighting Taliban and al Qaida remnants.
The Afghan Taliban urged the newly elected U.S. leader to withdraw troops from
Afghanistan and usher in an ''era of peace'' in the world.
''We want him (Obama) to change the policies of President Bush. He could end
the years-long war by withdrawing U.S. and allied troops from Afghanistan,''
Qari Mohammad Yusuf Ahmadi, spokesman for the Taliban, told the Pakistani-based
Afghan Islamic Press news agency.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, in a congratulatory message, said Obama's
victory marks a realization of Martin Luther King's dream of equal opportunity
for all.
''Forty-five years ago, Martin Luther King had a dream of an America where men
and women would be judged not on the color of their skin but on the content of
their character,'' Rudd told reporters in remarks carried by the Australian
Associated Press. ''Today, what America has done is turn that dream into a
reality.''
New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark, in a congratulatory message, said the
new U.S. leader ''will be taking office at a critical juncture,'' citing
pressing challenges facing the international community, including the global
financial crisis and global warming.
''We look forward to working closely with President-elect Obama and his team to
address these challenges,'' she said.