Leaders of the GCC countries have expressed their shock and condemnation at the assassination of the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a city in western Japan.
Abe was giving a speech for a candidate in Nara just ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections, when a man shot him from behind with a handmade firearm.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia has sent a cable of condolences to the Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida on the death of the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The King expressed deepest condolences and most sincere sympathy to the Prime Minister, the family of the deceased and the friendly people of Japan.
The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan joined the world leaders in expressing his condolences and sympathy to the Japanese government and people, and the bereaved family.
In a statement, Sheikh Mohamed said, “We are deeply saddened to learn about the death of our dear friend Shinzo Abe who served his nation with honor and contributed to strengthening the fruitful relations between the UAE and Japan. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and the people of Japan.”
Shinzo Abe was a loyal friend of the UAE. He played an active role in consolidating the relations of the two countries, which witnessed unprecedented development and prosperity at all levels. The late leader also worked to strengthen his country’s role in supporting peace and stability at the regional and global levels.
The UAE President also expressed the UAE’s condemnation of this senseless act, as well as any form of violence, adding that the UAE will always remember his efforts to enhance the friendship and cooperation between their countries.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also condemned the killing of Shinzo Abe.
The Qatari leader said he was “saddened by the news of the assassination of our friend Shinzo Abe,” describing him as a “a loyal friend of Qatar and a supporter of the close relations between our two countries.
“As we strongly condemn this heinous crime, we express our deepest condolences to his family and the friendly Japanese people,” Sheikh Tamim said on Twitter on Friday.
Prime Minister of Iraq Mustafa Al-Kadhimi also condemned the assassination of Shinzo Abe, stressing that political violence is unacceptable and results in nothing but destruction.
Al-Kadhimi said in a tweet: “We offer our condolences to the friendly government and people of Japan and the family of the deceased, with the departure of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and we recall his positions in support of democracy in Iraq, and we condemn in the strongest terms the treacherous crime of his assassination.”