'We will honour Abe's memory by redoubling work towards peaceful, prosperous Indo-Pacific': Quad leaders

New York : The leaders of India, Australia and the US - countries that make up the Quad with Japan - have expressed shock at the assassination of Shinzo Abe and recalled the former Japanese Prime Minister's formative role in the founding of the grouping as well as his tireless work to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, died in hospital on Friday morning after being shot while speaking at a political campaign event in Nara in western Japan. The 67-year-old Japanese leader's assassination has profoundly shocked a country where gun crime is very rare.

“We, the leaders of Australia, India, and the United States, are shocked at the tragic assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,” US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement released by the White House on Friday.

They described Abe a “transformative leader” for Japan as well as for Japanese relations with each one of the three countries.

“He also played a formative role in the founding of the Quad partnership, and worked tirelessly to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” they said.

Abe was one of the architects of the Quad, the US, India, Japan and Australia alliance.

The four countries had in 2017 given shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the "Quad" or the Quadrilateral coalition, amidst China's aggressive behaviour in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region.

In the joint statement, Biden, Albanese and Modi vowed to honour Abe’s memory by “redoubling our work towards a peaceful and prosperous region” and added that their hearts are with the people of Japan and with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in their moment of grief.

Police in Japan have arrested Nara resident 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, who allegedly used a handmade gun to shoot Abe, a tragedy that has shocked Japan which has some of the strictest gun laws in the world.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is deeply saddened by Abe’s "horrific killing,” calling it an "act that has profoundly shocked Japanese society in a country with one of the lowest rates of gun crime.” A statement issued by the UN chief’s spokesperson said Abe will be remembered as a staunch defender of multilateralism, respected leader, and supporter of the United Nations.

“The Secretary-General recalls Shinzo Abe’s commitment to promoting peace and security, championing the Sustainable Development Goals and advocating for universal health coverage. As the longest-serving Prime Minister, he was dedicated to reviving his country’s economy and serving the people of Japan,” it added.

The UN Secretary-General expressed his deep condolences to Abe’s family and the people and Government of Japan.

Permanent Representatives and diplomats of the 15 nations of the UN Security Council, before their meeting on the situation in the Middle East, stood up to observe a minute of silence in the memory of and to pay their respects to Abe and the former President of Angola Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who passed away in Spain.

Brazil’s Ambassador to the UN Ronaldo Costa Filho, the current President of the Council, said that on behalf of the Security Council, he expresses “our sadness and shock” at the "senseless assassination” of Abe. He also extended the Council’s sadness over Santos's passing.

“The members of the Security Council express their condolences and deepest sympathy” to the families of Abe and Santos and to the governments and people of Japan and Angola “on their tragic losses,” Filho said.

Japan will begin its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from January 1, 2023, the 12th time that Tokyo will be in the Council as an elected member since joining the UN in 1956, more than any other UN member state. Japan will begin its tenure on the UNSC as President of the 15-member Council for the month of January.