Following the death of the American Henry Kissinger, international reactions followed one another this Thursday, November 30, to pay tribute to an immense – controversial – figure in international diplomacy, from Ukraine to China, via Russia .
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The announcement of the death of Henry Kissinger, a great controversial figure in American diplomacy during the Cold War, who died on Wednesday at the age of 100, sparked a flood of tributes across the world on Thursday, November 30. world. The diplomat’s family will hold a private funeral, the statement said, referring to a subsequent public tribute ceremony in New York.
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With his death, America has lost one of its surest and most listened to voices in foreign policy “, greeted former American President George W. Bush, a Republican like him, in a press release. Initiating rapprochement with Moscow and Beijing in the 1970s, Henry Kissinger saw his image tarnished by dark pages in the history of the United States, such as support for the 1973 coup d’état and especially the Vietnam War. Moreover, Ukraine welcomed the “ intellectual heritage », of Kissinger while noting that he was a character at the same time “ controversial ” And ” exceptional “.
Emmanuel Macron preferred to pay tribute to “ a giant of history “, who had “ a lasting influence on his era “. British Foreign Minister David Cameron, for his part, spoke of a “ great statesman ” who will be “ very much regretted “, because ” even at 100 years old, his wisdom and reflection shone through “.
Russia and China salute his work
Several reactions also recall Kissinger’s key role in some of the most thorny issues in the history of international relations. Vladimir Putin highlighted the man’s work on “ relaxation of international tensions and very important US-Soviet agreements which contributed to the strengthening of global security “.
In the wake of the Kremlin’s reaction, China, via his Minister of Foreign Affairs, also wanted to recall the “ historical contributions » of Kissinger to Sino-American relations, emphasizing that he had visited “ in China more than a hundred times ” For ” promote standardization ” links. “ He will forever remain alive in the hearts of the Chinese people as a precious friend », added the Chinese ambassador in Washington. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, for his part, highlighted the “ significant contributions to peace and stability ” in Asia.
(With AFP)