elgatonegro
June 7th, 2004, 05:55 PM
'He will be missed'
World leaders past and present on Sunday paid tribute to Ronald Reagan, remembering the former US president as a hero, visionary statesman and a friend.
Many recalled the instrumental role Reagan played in bringing about an end to the Cold War, despite a massive arms race with the Soviet Union during the 1980s, and the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall 10 months after he left office in 1989.
The warmest words came from former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, Reagan's closest ally and ideological soul mate during his two terms as president.
"President Reagan was one of my closest political and dearest personal friends," Thatcher said. "He will be missed... not only by the nation that he served so proudly and loved so deeply, but also by millions of men and women who live in freedom today because of the policies he pursued.
"Ronald Reagan had a higher claim than any other leader to have won the Cold War for liberty, and he did it without a shot being fired," she said in a statement.
"To have achieved so much against so many odds and with such humor and humanity made Ronald Reagan a truly great American hero."
US President George W. Bush, who was in France for D-Day anniversary celebrations, said Reagan "leaves behind a nation he restored and a world he helped to save."
With Reagan as president "America laid to rest an era of division and doubt, and under his leadership the world laid to rest an era of fear and tyranny."
Pope John Paul II learned of Reagan's death Saturday at the age of 93 with "great sorrow" while in Switzerland on a visit. His spokesman Joaquin Navarro Valls said he had contributed to "the historic events which changed the lives of millions of people, especially in Europe."
The 84-year-old Polish head of the Roman Catholic Church was, like Reagan and millions of people protesting in eastern Europe's streets in the late 1980s, instrumental in bringing down the Iron Curtain that split Europe between communist East and capitalist West.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said he felt sorrow over the passing of Reagan, with whom he held a key summit that helped end the Cold War.
"For me, Ronald Reagan is a great president," Gorbachev told Moscow Echo radio. "I feel deep regret."
The last Soviet leader first met Reagan on the sidelines of a meeting in Geneva in 1985.
The two held a historic summit in Reykjavik the following year as Reagan began a series of meetings that led to an easing of tensions, and eventually to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
'Great statesman'
Former Polish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa said Reagan contributed to the fall of the "murderous" communist system.
"Reagan was one of those who cooperated in a tacit agreement to abolish communism, this stupid and murderous system," he said.
French President Jacques Chirac in a statement paid "homage to the memory of a great statesman who will leave a deep mark in history because of the strength of his convictions and his commitment to democracy."
Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, who was in power when the Wall fell, said Reagan was a "godsend for the world and Europe in particular."
He said in a statement he would never forget Reagan's 1987 speech at the Berlin Wall in which he called on Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."
"Two years later the wall came down and 11 months later Germany was reunified. We Germans owe a lot to Ronald Reagan.
Israel was alone among countries in the Middle East in paying fond tribute to Reagan as a friend.
"President Reagan was a friend to Israel and during his presidency relations between the two countries were based on both understanding and cooperation," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said in a statement.
Iran -- at the center of the biggest scandal of the Reagan era, the arms-for-hostages deal -- refused to react to Reagan's death. "No," said Iranian government spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi when he was asked for an official comment.
Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi meanwhile regretted Reagan died without facing charges for the 1986 US air strikes against Libya.
Former Japanese prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone praised Reagan for his respect of Japan and Japanese culture. "He was Japan's best friend," Nakasone added.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi not only paid homage to Reagan the statesman, but to Reagan the cutter of taxes.
The president slashed taxes by 25 percent during his first three years in office -- which many derisively came to call Reaganomics because of the "trickle down" theory from rich to poor. Berlusconi said he had learned from Reagan how such cuts could help stimulate the economy.
World leaders past and present on Sunday paid tribute to Ronald Reagan, remembering the former US president as a hero, visionary statesman and a friend.
Many recalled the instrumental role Reagan played in bringing about an end to the Cold War, despite a massive arms race with the Soviet Union during the 1980s, and the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall 10 months after he left office in 1989.
The warmest words came from former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, Reagan's closest ally and ideological soul mate during his two terms as president.
"President Reagan was one of my closest political and dearest personal friends," Thatcher said. "He will be missed... not only by the nation that he served so proudly and loved so deeply, but also by millions of men and women who live in freedom today because of the policies he pursued.
"Ronald Reagan had a higher claim than any other leader to have won the Cold War for liberty, and he did it without a shot being fired," she said in a statement.
"To have achieved so much against so many odds and with such humor and humanity made Ronald Reagan a truly great American hero."
US President George W. Bush, who was in France for D-Day anniversary celebrations, said Reagan "leaves behind a nation he restored and a world he helped to save."
With Reagan as president "America laid to rest an era of division and doubt, and under his leadership the world laid to rest an era of fear and tyranny."
Pope John Paul II learned of Reagan's death Saturday at the age of 93 with "great sorrow" while in Switzerland on a visit. His spokesman Joaquin Navarro Valls said he had contributed to "the historic events which changed the lives of millions of people, especially in Europe."
The 84-year-old Polish head of the Roman Catholic Church was, like Reagan and millions of people protesting in eastern Europe's streets in the late 1980s, instrumental in bringing down the Iron Curtain that split Europe between communist East and capitalist West.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said he felt sorrow over the passing of Reagan, with whom he held a key summit that helped end the Cold War.
"For me, Ronald Reagan is a great president," Gorbachev told Moscow Echo radio. "I feel deep regret."
The last Soviet leader first met Reagan on the sidelines of a meeting in Geneva in 1985.
The two held a historic summit in Reykjavik the following year as Reagan began a series of meetings that led to an easing of tensions, and eventually to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
'Great statesman'
Former Polish president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa said Reagan contributed to the fall of the "murderous" communist system.
"Reagan was one of those who cooperated in a tacit agreement to abolish communism, this stupid and murderous system," he said.
French President Jacques Chirac in a statement paid "homage to the memory of a great statesman who will leave a deep mark in history because of the strength of his convictions and his commitment to democracy."
Former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, who was in power when the Wall fell, said Reagan was a "godsend for the world and Europe in particular."
He said in a statement he would never forget Reagan's 1987 speech at the Berlin Wall in which he called on Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."
"Two years later the wall came down and 11 months later Germany was reunified. We Germans owe a lot to Ronald Reagan.
Israel was alone among countries in the Middle East in paying fond tribute to Reagan as a friend.
"President Reagan was a friend to Israel and during his presidency relations between the two countries were based on both understanding and cooperation," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said in a statement.
Iran -- at the center of the biggest scandal of the Reagan era, the arms-for-hostages deal -- refused to react to Reagan's death. "No," said Iranian government spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi when he was asked for an official comment.
Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi meanwhile regretted Reagan died without facing charges for the 1986 US air strikes against Libya.
Former Japanese prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone praised Reagan for his respect of Japan and Japanese culture. "He was Japan's best friend," Nakasone added.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi not only paid homage to Reagan the statesman, but to Reagan the cutter of taxes.
The president slashed taxes by 25 percent during his first three years in office -- which many derisively came to call Reaganomics because of the "trickle down" theory from rich to poor. Berlusconi said he had learned from Reagan how such cuts could help stimulate the economy.