Afghanistan, whose President Hamid Karzai (left) has had strained relations with Mr Musharraf said it hoped the move would help strengthen the civilian Pakistani government. -- REUTERS
LONDON - WORLD leaders urged Pakistan - a key partner in western anti-terror efforts - to place a premium on stability and unity following Pervez Musharraf's resignation as president on Monday.
'President Bush looks forward to working with the Government of Pakistan on the economic, political and security challenges they face,' US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a statement on behalf of the US president.
Mr Bush also paid tribute to Mr Musharraf for his 'efforts in the democratic transition of Pakistan as well as his commitment to fighting Al-Qaeda and extremist groups,' the statement said.
'We're all in this together. And the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan know that,' Mr Johndroe told reporters as Bush spent time on his Texas ranch.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a statement called Mr Musharraf 'a friend to the United States and one of the world's most committed partners in the war against terrorism and extremism.'
Pakistan's regional rival India, however, declined to comment on Mr Musharraf's decision, with the foreign ministry in Delhi describing it as an 'internal matter' for its neighbour.
Mr Musharraf, the former army chief who seized power in a coup in 1999, announced on Monday in a televised address that he would stand down in the face of looming impeachment charges.
Afghanistan, whose President Hamid Karzai has had strained relations with Mr Musharraf amid a surge in Islamist extremist violence, said it hoped the move would help strengthen the civilian Pakistani government.
'We are determined to continue our cooperation in fighting terrorism and extremism, which pose challenges to both countries,' Mr Karzai's spokesman Homayun Hamidzada said in an interview.
Russia, another major player in Central Asian geopolitics, expressed hope that Musharraf's departure would not cause instability in the country.
'Russia hopes the departure of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will not have negative consequences for the internal political stability of this major Asian nation,' its foreign ministry said in a statement.
But the Iranian government expressed confidence that Pakistan would weather Mr Musharraf's departure, according to foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi, quoted by the official news agency IRNA.
In Britain, from which Commonwealth member Pakistan declared independence in 1947, Foreign Secretary David Miliband praised the 'significant dividends' of Mr Musharraf's time in office, including on the economic front, in fighting terrorism, tackling corruption and promoting dialogue with India.
'But reform depends above all on legitimacy, and that is why the United Kingdom has been at pains to stress the importance for Pakistan of strong institutions rather than strong individuals, and why we believe a strong democracy is key,' said Mr Miliband.
The French EU presidency also 'hopes that the future president and the Pakistan government can work together on developing and consolidating democracy in Pakistan, respecting the institutions and the rule of law,' it said in a statement.
The EU presidency had no comment on Mr Musharraf's departure, saying merely that it had 'taken note of the decision.'
In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said he expected no immediate change to the US-led 'war on terror' after Mr Musharraf's departure.
'What kind of changes does this bring to the 'war-on-terror' and the Afghan situation? I don't expect any significant change for now,' Mr Fukuda told reporters.
Japan is a major donor to Pakistan, a front-line ally in the US-led military efforts in Afghanistan, despite concerns about Islamabad's nuclear arsenal, public unrest and its democratic process.
Human Rights Watch nevertheless called on the Pakistani government to rewrite the country's constitution in the wake of Musharraf's departure.
'Musharraf's brazen disrespect for human rights and the rule of law for nearly a decade finally caught up with him,' said Mr Ali Dayan Hasan, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch.
'By undoing Musharraf's unlawful acts and holding him to account for his crimes, the Pakistani government would advance human rights and national security in the country.' -- AFP
