Reaction to the death of US diplomat Henry Kissinger

(Reuters) – Here are reactions to the death of Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner who left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy:

WINSTON LORD, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA AND KISSINGER’S FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL:

“The world has lost a tireless advocate for peace. America has lost a towering champion for the national interest. I have lost a cherished friend and mentor.

“Henry blended the European sense of tragedy and the American immigrant’s sense of hope.

“During more than seven decades, he transformed America’s role in the world, held the nation together during a constitutional crisis, crafted visionary volumes, counseled world leaders, and enriched the national and international discourse.”

CINDY MCCAIN, U.S. DIPLOMAT AND WIFE OF LATE SEN JOHN MCCAIN:

“Henry Kissinger was ever present in my late husband’s life. While John was a prisoner of war, and in the later years, as a senator and statesman. The McCain family will miss his wit, charm, and intelligence terribly.”

MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATIONS AND AUTHOR OF ‘MASTER OF THE GAME: HENRY KISSINGER AND THE ART OF MIDDLE EAST DIPLOMACY’:

“Kissinger was a man of history, but he was also a student of history, and his knowledge of history, his deep understanding, particularly of European 19th-century history, informed his whole approach to the world.

“He was deeply skeptical of those who would aim to try to achieve a peaceful world. He was much more focused on establishing order because order was more reliable than peace.

“He was skeptical that nation-states could ever end their conflicts but if they did it would take a long time and, in the meantime, what would matter would be the order in the world … that would ameliorate conflict, reduce the chances for war, and create conditions in which … nation-states could learn to settle their differences, short of going to war.

“His was a very conservative approach, based on the need for a balance of power on the side of those who would maintain the order and against those who would seek to disrupt it.”

FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:

“America has lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs with the passing of Henry Kissinger. I have long admired the man who fled the Nazis as a young boy from a Jewish family, then fought them in the United States Army.

“When he later became secretary of state, his appointment as a former refugee said as much about his greatness as it did America’s greatness.

“He worked in the administrations of two presidents and counseled many more. I am grateful for that service and advice, but I am most grateful for his friendship.

“Laura and I will miss his wisdom, his charm, and his humor. And we will always be thankful for the contributions of Henry Kissinger.”

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