04 November 2004	Thursday	20 Ramazan 1425

Russian President Vladimir Putin: "I can only feel joy that the American people did not allow itself to be intimidated, and made the most sensible decision."

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi:"Bush will continue with the policy that assigns the United States the role of defender and promoter of freedom and democracy".

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero:"I would like to express the desire of the Spanish government to contribute to a relationship based on efficient and constructive cooperation with the US government."

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: "Mr Kerry would have been a very friendly president to Israel as he proved to be for a long time in the Senate. now that Mr Bush is elected, we are very happy and we congratulate the American people for their choice."

Grigory Yavlinsky, Russian politician: "The Republicans will push even harder their extremely dangerous neo-conservative policy."

Gennady Zyuganov, Russian politician: "I see no principal difference for Russia. U.S. presidents have always been tough in pursuing policies defending their national interests and interests of national business. As far as Bush is concerned, he will continue his global sabre-rattling."

Portuguese Nobel Literature Laureate Jose Saramago: "The next four years are going to be catastrophic if Bush does not change his policy of trying to govern the world as if the United States was the only country."

John Kent, researcher in international relations at London School of Economics: "...in many ways this is worse than a Kerry victory for transatlantic and US-British relations and it makes British Prime Minister Tony Blair more vulnerable ... Blair will push to try to represent European views to President Bush and he will get nowhere, as he has got nowhere before ... "Nothing will change in the Middle East ... The U.S. position is that it supports Israel and (Prime Minister) Sharon and that policy will remain."

Greek analyst Thanos Veremis: Bush managed to convey to the people that terrorism and not economics, not the mismanaged war in Iraq, was the most important factor in the election. This certainly can be attributed to superior campaigning tactics. For Europe, a Bush victory means the problematic relationship between the U.S. and Europe will continue." -Reuters