World leaders expressed horror Friday at the bloody end of the Russian hostages crisis and condemned terrorists' killing of hostages, including children, in the incident.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed on Friday his horror at the large number of children and others killed or injured in the school hostage crisis in southern Russia.

"The secretary-general has been following closely the tragic developments regarding the situation of the hostages in Beslan, the Russian Federation," a statement issued by his spokesman in New York said. "He was horrified to learn that a large number of children and others have lost their lives or were injured during the last few hours.

"The secretary-general reiterates his condemnation of all terrorist acts," the statement concluded.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer Friday condemned the hostage-taking in Russia where more than 100 people were killed following an assault by security forces.

"Today I called Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov to express my condolences, and to express my profound sorrow for the suffering caused to the victims -- including many children -- of this act of terrorism," de Hoop Scheffer said in a statement.

"NATO condemns this and all acts of terrorism, and will continue to work with Russia to combat this menace," he said.

European Union (EU) foreign ministers, whose back-to-work meeting after the summer holidays was overshadowed by the Russian drama, called it a "deep human tragedy" but conceded that Moscow seemingly had no choice in the outcome.

US President George W. Bush, speaking just days before the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, said the large-scale hostage taking in Russia was "another grim reminder" of terrorist tactics and he mourned the loss of life in a raid to end the standoff.

"We stand with the people of Russia, we send them our thoughts and prayers in this terrible situation," he said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed "revulsion at the inhumanity of terrorists prepared to put children through such suffering," while Queen Elizabeth voiced her "profound shock at the events," asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to convey her "deepest sympathy to the bereaved and injured."

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, "Terrorism must be fought wherever it presents itself." "Terrorists with no conscience tried to achieve political objectives by killing people."

China also expressed support to the Russian government for its efforts in solving the hostage issue.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said China supports the Russian government's efforts in fighting terrorism and is willing to join hands with the international community to resolutely fight terrorism and to maintain justice and peace.

The terrorist activity, which led to many deaths and injuries, was atrocious and should be strongly condemned by the international community, Kong said.

The Indonesian government condemned on Friday the hostage-taking of hundreds of school children by gunmen in Russia's North Caucasus town of Beslan.

"We condemn such terrorist act against innocent children in the strongest possible terms," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda said at the State Palace in the country's capital.

Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik called the hostage-taking "a senseless and nauseating terrorist act," while Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi expressed his "horror and pain" at the crisis.

In a statement, he condemned the "blind barbarism of terrorism," but also acknowledged the "relief of the hostages who were freed thanks to the actions of the Russian forces."

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on Friday strongly condemned the "dastardly acts of terrorism" that has taken place in Russia, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Chile, Peru, Colombia and some other countries also denounced the horrible terror act.

Chechen separatists had been holding more than 400 hostages, most of them children, in a school in Beslan, the North Ossetia Republic of Russia since Wednesday.

The Russian government forces stormed the school on Friday and exchanged gunfire with the terrorists in an unplanned rescue operation.

The latest reports said more than 100 bodies have been found inside the school and hundreds of others wounded including many children.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2004)