International condemnation of the killing of Algerian diplomats in Iraq

The Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika described the assassination of his country's two diplomats in Iraq as an "ugly crime." Employees of the Algerian foreign ministry observed a one minute silence in memory of the two diplomats.

In Cairo, the Egyptian foreign ministry condemned the crime and said it had underwent the same "horrible experience" when its charge de affairs was killed in Iraq on July 7th. The Saudi crown prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz condemned this "brutal" act in a telephone call with Butaflika.

In Damascus, the Syrian foreign ministry considered the incident as an ugly crime expressing its condemnation and denunciation to the "terrorist act." In Sanaa, the Yemeni foreign ministry said in a statement that the aim of what it described as terrorist groups is to affect the efforts aiming at restoring back security and stability in Iraq.

Internationally, the French President Jack Chirac appealed for the release of all hostages and halt what he called the brutal practices. Madrid described this act as "ugly and coward," stressing categorical rejection of any terrorist act. The UN secretary general Kofi Annan deplored what he called "the brutal and random killing."