World leaders concerned

FROM Japan to the Atlantic, world leaders praised and worried about Ariel Sharon yesterday - a remarkable outpouring for a man not long ago seen as a threat to the Middle East.

Even the Arab world was relatively benign toward the Israeli Prime Minister, with anxiety about the future overshadowing pockets of jubilation.

European leaders showed unusual unity in their praise, reflecting a shift in the continent’s attitude toward Mr Sharon, driven in part by its own recent experiences with Islamic terrorism.Mr Sharon gained grudging respect recently by dismantling the Jewish settlements he once championed, and by allowing a European monitoring force on the Gaza-Egypt border.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called Mr Sharon “a towering figure, not only in Israel but in the whole of the region”.

Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds said her government was “depressed” upon hearing of Mr Sharon. “Sharon is a very important person right now, not least in the ongoing process to find a peaceful solution to the (Mideast) conflict.”

US President George W Bush called Mr Sharon “a man of courage and peace”.

Japan’s Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, expressed concern about the impact of Mr Sharon’s illness on the peace process.

In Europe, the timing of his illness was particularly unfortunate, as EU-Israel relations were improving.

French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Mr Sharon wishes for a speedy recovery.