Roundup: World leaders mourn passing of former Israeli President Peres

World leaders sent messages or issued statements on Wednesday to mourn the passing of former Israeli President Shimon Peres.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he was deeply saddened by the passing of Peres and offered his condolences to the people of Israel.

Ban said in a statement that Peres played a central role in Israel's founding, and served his country throughout his life.

"He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region, a commitment duly recognized when he shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat," said the statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a condolence message to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday over the passing of Peres.

Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government, the Chinese people and himself, extended his sincere condolences to Peres' relatives and the Israeli people.

Xi also stressed that China attaches great importance to the development of China-Israel relations and is willing to work with Israel to continuously push forward the development of bilateral ties.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday also sent a message of condolence to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu over the passing of Peres.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow for Peres' passing.

"He (Peres) exerted unremitting efforts to reach a permanent peace since Oslo agreement was signed with Israel in 1993 until the last moment in his life," Abbas said in a condolence letter to Peres' family, carried by state news agency WAFA. ' French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday mourned the passing of "Israel's most illustrious statesmen" Peres and paid tribute to him as an ardent defender of peace.

In a statement released by his office, Hollande called Peres a "man of peace" who defended the creation of a Palestinian state which he considered as the only guarantee for Israel's security.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the main opposition Congress party's chief Sonia Gandhi Wednesday condoled the demise of Peres, saying their country lost a steadfast friend in him.

In his message to Israeli President Rivlin, Mukherjee said India remembers Peres as a steadfast friend of India, "whose lasting contribution to strengthening of the close bilateral partnership between India and Israel will be long remembered."

Modi also condoled the death of Peres and tweeted: "In former President Shimon Peres, we lost a key world leader and a friend of India. Pained by his demise. Our condolences to people of Israel."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday expressed sorrow for the passing of Peres.

"Deeply saddened by the loss of Shimon Peres. His commitment to peace and reconciliation in the Middle East remains as timely as ever," Tsipras posted on Twitter.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday praised Peres as one of few people who changed the course of human history.

"There are few people who we share this world with who change the course of human history, not just through their role in human events, but because they expand our moral imagination and force us to expect more of ourselves. My friend Shimon was one of those people," Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

Brazilian President Michel Temer lamented in a statement the death of Peres, saying "his fight for peace will remain as his most important legacy for humanity."

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Peres, 93, passed away in a hospital outside Tel Aviv, two weeks after suffering a stroke.

During his nearly 70-year political career, he twice served as Israel's prime minister, and he also served as foreign minister, defense minister, and finance minister.

In 1994, he shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the late former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for reaching the 1993 Oslo Peace Accord. Endi