Death of Henry Kissinger: Condolences from the international community – Messages from leaders

His news caused worldwide sadness death of Henry Kissingerwith many leaders expressing their deepest condolences.

Henry Kissinger, a historical figure of American diplomacy but with particularly controversial dimensions, US Secretary of State during the days of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the presidency, has died at the age of 100, as announced by the foundation founded by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1973 ) and bears his name.

George W. Bush: US has lost one of its ‘most trusted and distinguished voices on foreign policy’

Republican former US President George W. Bush paid tribute to former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, saying America had lost “one of the most trusted and distinguished voices on foreign policy.”

The fact that the refugee who fled Nazi Germany was able to become the head of American diplomacy and a key shaper of the country’s foreign policy attests to “his own greatness as well as the greatness of America,” the former president said in a press release made public from the center that bears his name.

Macron for Kissinger: A giant of history – Cameron: Great statesman

French President Emmanuel Macron today paid tribute to US diplomat Henry Kissinger, who died yesterday, Wednesday, at the age of 100, saluting “a giant of history” in a message he posted on the social networking platform X.

“His century of ideas and diplomacy had a lasting influence on his time and on our world,” the French head of state says of this protagonist of global diplomacy during the Cold War, who served as secretary of state under Richard Nixon and then under Gerald Ford.

In London, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said today that, with the death of Henry Kissinger, the world has lost a “great statesman”.

“Even at 100, his wisdom and thought shone through. He was a great statesman and a deeply respected diplomat, who will be sorely missed on the international stage,” the British Foreign Secretary saluted X.

“If diplomacy…were an art form, Henry would be an artist,” said Tony Blair – End of an era after his death, says Benjamin Netanyahu

“Dr. Kissinger’s passing marks the end of an era, an era in which his remarkable mind and diplomatic skill shaped not only the course of American foreign policy, but also the world stage. I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Kissinger in many occasions most recently just two months ago in New York. Every meeting with him was not only a lesson in diplomacy but also a seminar in political skill. His understanding of the complexities of international relations and his unique insight into the challenges facing our world were unparalleled,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said of the death of veteran US diplomat Henry Kissinger.

For his part, European Council President Charles Michel commented: “My deepest condolences to the American people and the family of the late Henry Kissinger. I had the privilege of meeting Henry many times. A kind man and a brilliant mind, the who, for 100 years, shaped the fate of some of the most important events of the century. A strategist, he paid attention to even the smallest detail.”

Ukraine hailed Kissinger’s “spiritual legacy,” which continues to weigh heavily on world diplomacy.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Kissinger was in awe of him.

“There is no one like Henry Kissinger. From the first time I met him as leader of the opposition New Labor Party in 1994, struggling to formulate positions on foreign policy, to the last time I visited him in New York, and then, when he delivered a speech at an annual function of my institute i was in awe of him.His breadth of knowledge, his ideas coming out effortlessly, his clarity, his command of the english language, it was a joy to hear him speak on any subject and above all his ability to take all the disparate elements of the most complex diplomatic challenge and to synthesize from them something amazing in its coherence and completeness … If it is possible for diplomacy, at its highest level, to be a form art, Henry would be an artist.”

Blair, whose reputation has been partly tarnished by the war in Iraq, added: “Of course, like everyone who has dealt with the most difficult problems of international politics, he has at times been criticized, even criticized. But I think the motivation to him was always not a vulgar ‘realpolitik’, but a genuine love of the free world and the need to protect it”.

Soltz praised the great diplomat Kissinger

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has eulogized the late Henry Kissinger, the German-born World War II refugee who became US secretary of state and top diplomatic broker during the second half of the 20th century.

Henry Kissinger died yesterday, Wednesday, at his home in Connecticut at the age of 100.

“Henry Kissinger shaped American foreign policy like few others. His commitment to the transatlantic friendship between the US and Germany was important and he always remained close to his German homeland. The world is losing a great diplomat,” Soltz wrote in a social media post today.

Kissinger was born into a Jewish family in Fürth, Bavaria as Heinz Alfred Kissinger on May 27, 1923. He arrived in New York at the age of 15 after his family fled the Nazis in 1938. He later discovered that 13 of his relatives had died. them in the Holocaust.

During the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford he dominated as one of the leading proponents of the policy of detente – easing tensions with Russia. Critics point out that many of this Nobel Peace Prize laureate’s victories were short-lived and that he was a key player behind the scenes of many American foreign policy machinations, including supporting dictators from Latin America to Asia.

– Putin: “Wise and visionary” –

Russian President Vladimir Putin today saluted the memory of a “wise and visionary statesman”.

“Henry Kissinger’s name is closely associated with a pragmatic policy that allowed us to reach a lull in international tensions and very important US-Soviet agreements that contributed to strengthening global security,” Putin recalled, according to a Kremlin statement, in condolence message addressed to the wife of the deceased.

“I had the opportunity to communicate personally many times with this profound, extraordinary man and will undoubtedly retain the warmest memories of him,” he added.

‘An old good friend’: Beijing hails veteran diplomat’s ‘historic contribution’ to Sino-US relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to his American counterpart Joe Biden over the death of veteran US diplomat Henry Kissinger, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said today.

Kissinger was an “old good friend” of the Chinese people and will be remembered for his sincere dedication to China-US relations, ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said during a press conference.

The ministry hailed Kissinger’s “historic contribution” and as his spokesman said: “Mr. Kissinger has long supported the development of China-US relations, visited China more than a hundred times and has historically contributed to promoting the normalization of relations between of the two countries”.

‘A huge loss’: State television and social media users in China today paid tribute to former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

“An era in the history of the United States is ending,” wrote a user on the Chinese social network Weibo.

“He was an indispensable and important figure in Sino-American relations,” wrote another.

“This is a huge loss for our two countries and for the world,” Chinese ambassador to the United States Shi Feng wrote on X (formerly Twitter), saying he was “devastated.”

In a lengthy obituary published on Thursday, China’s state broadcaster CCTV praised his “historic contribution to opening the door to Sino-US relations”.

Kissinger had seen his image tarnished by dark pages in United States history, such as support for the 1973 coup in Chile or the 1975 invasion of East Timor and, of course, the Vietnam War.

But in China, he has long been revered as an “old friend of the Chinese people” because he was one of the major players in the Washington-Beijing rapprochement in the 1970s, helping the Asian country break its isolation.

Kissinger visited China in July 2023, where he met with President Xi Jinping.

Henry Kissinger secretly traveled to Beijing in July 1971 to forge ties with the People’s Republic of China, paving the way for President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to the Chinese capital in 1972.

This hand extended to China ended the Asian giant’s isolation and contributed to Beijing’s rise, initially economically, to the world stage.

The former US Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize laureate made his fortune advising companies on how to invest in China.

During a joint press conference this year in Beijing, China’s current foreign minister, Wang Yi, said that “American policy toward China needs Kissinger-style diplomatic wisdom.”