Asian countries congratulate Obama on inauguration+

TOKYO, Jan. 21 Kyodo - Several Asian countries and their leaders on Wednesday congratulated new U.S. President Barack Obama on his inauguration while voicing hopes for the 44th presidency.

In Japan, Prime Minister Taro Aso issued a statement congratulating the new
U.S. administration under Obama and pledged to make the Japan-U.S. alliance
stronger by joining hands with the new president.
''Japan and the United States are allies sharing universal values and strategic
interests,'' Aso said in the statement. ''I am confident that Japan and the
United States, which are in the position of leading the world, can create a
better future, by putting together our expertise, will, passion and strategy.''
Aso also expressed hope that Obama ''will exercise outstanding leadership and
achieve great success, leading his distinguished team in each field including
foreign policy, national security, economy, environment/energy, in overcoming
the serious economic situation and other difficult challenges.''
Survivors of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki expressed
hope that Obama will work to abolish nuclear weapons as he vowed to lessen the
nuclear threat in his inauguration speech.
In South Korea, President Lee Myung Bak sent a congratulatory message to Obama,
calling on him to continue to further enhance bilateral ties between Seoul and
Washington.
''President Lee expressed hopes the United States, under President Obama's
leadership, would continue to play its leading role in the world peace and
prosperity,'' Lee's spokesperson said.
Under the title, ''Good Luck, President Obama,'' South Korea's JoongAng Daily
said in its editorial, ''The dream of America's founding fathers, that everyone
is born equal, has finally come true.''
Singapore urged Obama to take leadership in solving the global economic crisis.
''Many countries that are grappling with the consequences of the global
economic downturn will be looking to the United States for leadership in
addressing the global economic situation, as well as security and environmental
challenges,'' President S.R. Nathan said in a congratulatory letter to Obama.
He called on Obama to take ''active initiatives'' on these issues, according to
the letter, a copy of which was released to the media.
In Indonesia, where Obama spent four years of his childhood, people celebrated
the inauguration, hoping that his time in the world's most populous Muslim
nation will open a new chapter with the Muslim world.
Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the world expects Obama to
immediately withdraw U.S. soldiers from Iraq.
''So, hopes for peace will be bigger under Obama's administration,'' the vice
president said.
In Pakistan, President Asif Zardari sent a message of congratulations in which
he expressed hope that the new U.S. administration will respect Pakistan's
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The tribal areas in northwestern Pakistan have come under increased U.S. drone
attacks in recent months as they provide haven for al-Qaida remnants and its
sympathizers.
Pakistani leaders have said they hope that the attacks will stop with the
induction of the Obama administration into office.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pledged to work closely with the new
government on the challenges of the future.
''This is a great moment not just for the people of America but for all people
around the world who believe in democracy, who believe in freedom, who believe
in progress, and who believe in fairness,'' Rudd told reporters.
He said although the challenges of the economic crisis, climate change and the
war in Afghanistan loomed ahead, the United States would always have a ''firm
ally'' in Australia.
Many Australians who followed the U.S. election process closely woke at 4 a.m.
to witness the inauguration of the first African-American president.
It was not immediately known whether the Chinese government sent a message of
congratulations to Obama. However, state-controlled media censored parts of
Obama's inauguration speech, it was revealed Wednesday.
A reference made by Obama to previous U.S. generations' fight against fascism
and communism was removed from a transcript of the speech published in Chinese
by the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Another part of Obama's speech criticizing governments that ''cling to power
through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent'' was also removed
from the speech translated into Chinese, although both sections were carried in
English.
North Korea's official press reported Obama's inauguration in a short dispatch,
without comment.