World Leaders Prematurely Congratulate Bush
Nov. 8 -- Republican GeorgeW. Bush has traveled rarely outside the United States aside from trips to Mexico and his international experience is negligible compared to Democrat Al Gore, but politicians around the world were apparently delighted with Bush’s apparent win.
So delighted that in their rush to congratulate Bush for his apparent win, politicians around the world were left with diplomatic egg on their faces today.
Bush appeared to win Tuesday’s presidential election but Democrat Al Gore, who had called the Texas governor to congratulate him, later retracted his concession—throwing the election outcome into confusion.
Russia, China, Germany, Britain, France, the Netherlands, the European Union, Turkey and Indonesia were some of the countries that swiftly issued congratulatory statements in the minutes after U.S. television networks broadcast reports of a Bush win.
“We are much looking forward to working with Mr Bush,” European Commission President Romano Prodi told reporters in Brussels.
German President Johannes Rau said: “We know you (Bush) as a good friend of our country and look forward to the continuation of close friendship of our people during your time in office.”
Russia’s RIA news agency quoted a government official as saying: “We believe that Russia is not a new theme for Bush Jr. at least in terms of his family history with Russia.”
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said relations with the United States would remain strong under Bush.
“I am confident that we can build the same relationship with the new president,” Cook told BBC television.
China Jumps In
China congratulated Bush on his apparent victory in the U.S. presidential election today, the official Xinhua news agency said.
“China on Wednesday extended its congratulations to Republican George W. Bush, who has taken 271 electoral votes of the total of 538 to win the U.S. presidential election,” itquoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.
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