TOP HONCHOS : CONGRATULATIONS OBAMA

HU JINTAO : I look forward to endeavor together with you," he said. "To push the Sino-U.S. constructive and cooperative relations to a new level, in order to better benefit our two peoples and the peoples of the world." Urging Obama to join China in shouldering "important common responsibilities."
SARKOZY Obama's election raised in France, in Europe and around the world "an immense hope" and that the American people "had expressed with force their faith in progress and the future."
Afghan president KARZAI said the American people have taken "themselves ... and the rest of the world into a new era, the era where race, color and ethnicity ... will also disappear as a factor in politics in the rest of the world."
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh added: "The Iraqi government has a true desire to work and cooperate with the elected president for the best interest of the two countries to spread security and ensure Iraq's full sovereignty in a way that this will guarantee the interest of Iraqi people."
German Chancellor ANGELA MERKEL also offered her congratulations and said she would work with Obama to deal with the challenges facing the world. "I'm convinced that through a close and trusting cooperation between the United States and Europe we will be able to confront new risks and challenges in a decisive manner and will be able to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that are opening up in our world," Merkel said.

British Prime Minister GORDON BROWN described a "vital" relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom and said he was excited about the prospect of working with the new U.S. president.
Hailing as "extraordinary" Barack Obama's win in the US Presidential election, Indian Prime Minister MANMOHAN SINGH said he looked forward to working with him to realise the "enormous" potential for bilateral cooperation."Your extraordinary journey to the White House will inspire people not only in your country but also around the world," he said in a congratulatory message to the Democrat leader, the first African-American set to become US President.