[ 2016-11-10 ]

The world comes to terms with President-elect Donald Trump
If the world had had a vote, polling suggested
Hillary Clinton would be the American
President-elect.

America voted, and the President-elect is Donald
Trump.

A pillar of the alliance, German Foreign Minister
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, summed up global
reaction: "The result is different to what most
people in Germany had hoped to see. But of course
we accept it."


There are congratulations to be sure as is usual
for the winner of a free and fair democratic
election; and also freely expressed concerns.

"The US is an ally of France," said French
President Hollande. "I ask for a conversation with
the new administration come January 20th on
important subjects like the fight against
terrorism ... I also urge vigilance because of
statements made by Donald Trump."

Start with NATO. During the campaign, Trump called
the military alliance "obsolete," only to
flip-flop and insist he is a "big fan," but that
allies would have to pay or lose US protection,
appearing to turn the 70-year cornerstone of
transatlantic security into a mere business deal.

No one quite knows what a Trump foreign policy
would look like.

"I, as many of you, watched the election results
with trepidation," German Chancellor Angela Merkel
said today. "The person the American people choose
to be their president in free and fair elections
has an effect far beyond the United States."

And she made this conditional offer to Donald
Trump.

"Germany and America are bound together by values:
democracy, freedom, respect of law and respect of
people regardless of their origin, the colour of
their skin, their religion, gender, sexual
orientation or their political beliefs. On the
basis of these values I I am offering to work
closely with the future President of the United
States, Donald Trump."

Lavrov denies Russian influence over US election

US election: Lavrov denies Russian influence over
2016 election

A big concern is a resurgent Russia, which has
annexed Crimea, invaded Eastern Ukraine and
intervened on behalf of Syria's President Bashar
al-Assad. Trump has repeatedly praised Putin and
his leadership style.

And today, President Putin returned the
compliment, congratulating Trump "with his
victory."

"We have heard his electoral slogans when he was
still a candidate of the elections," President
Putin said. "He spoke about resuming and restoring
relation with Russia. We understand the way to
that will be difficult taking into account the
current state of degradation of relations between
the US and Russia."

Allies expect the next president to defend the
integrity of "Brand America" -- its democratic
system that underpins its global leadership, after
Russia has been roundly accused of trying to
undermine its legitimacy with hacking of the
Democratic Party.

In Asia too, praise for the election result. And
again, concern among allies like Japan and South
Korea, who wonder whether a President Trump would
keep holding America's protective umbrella over
them, or cut them adrift to develop their own
nuclear deterrent, as he suggested during the
campaign.

While the Chinese Foreign Ministry quickly tried
to stave off tariffs and trade barriers threatened
by Trump.

"China is not hurting the US economy," Foreign
Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said. "China-US
economic relations have been beneficial to both
countries. We hope the new US government can
ensure a sound relationship with China."

Iran, meanwhile, called for the US to honor the
nuclear deal it signed with world powers, although
Trump has called it "the worst" and threatened to
tear it up, without providing any alternative.

And in Israel, a key minister, Naftali Bennett,
said that with Trump's victory, "the era of a
Palestinian state is over."

More ominously, in Europe, an outpouring of love
for Trump's victory from the far right.

The Netherlands' Geert Wilders tweeted: "A
historic victory! A revolution! We will also give
our country back to the Dutch!"

A jubilant Nigel Farage, the father of Brexit
tweeted: "I hand over the mantle to Donald Trump
... Looks like 2016 is going to be the year of two
big political revolutions."

As an array of strongmen line up from the
Philippines to Turkey, from Russia to Europe, and
now the US, the German Vice Chancellor had this to
say: "Trump is a warning to us as well."

"He is the harbinger," said Sigmar Gabriel, "of a
new authoritarian and chauvinistic international
movement."

Source - CNN

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