Related Special: Saddam Hussein Sentenced to death

The execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on Saturday drew mixed reactions from governments and organizations.

British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Saddam had been "held to account", but reiterated the British government's opposition to the use of the death penalty.

She said that the British government welcomes the execution of Saddam for some crimes he committed against the Iraqi people, but advocates "an end to the death penalty worldwide".

"But we respect their decision as that of a sovereign nation," said Beckett.

"Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq", said U.S. President George W. Bush in a statement. He also described the execution as "an important milestone" on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy.

France, which opposes the death penalty, said in a statement that the decision of execution belongs to the Iraqi people and the Iraqi sovereign authorities. The statement called on the Iraqi people to work for reconciliation.

Iran's official IRNA agency reported that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Reza Asefi hailed Saddam's execution as a victory for all Iraqi people.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in a statement that Australia respects Iraq's decision and that the execution "marks an important step in pursuing a process of reconciliation now and in the future," adding that Australia supports the abolition of capital punishment.

Tomohiko Taniguchi, deputy press secretary of Japan's Foreign Ministry, said Japan respects the decision made by Iraqi government according to due process and legal procedures, and hopes the execution would become a source of reconciliation among the Iraqi people.

Brazilian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Brazil doesnot believe the execution would contribute to bringing peace to Iraq.

Malaysia, which currently holds the chair of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), expressed its surprise on Saddam's execution and questioned the legal procedures under whichthe sentence had been carried out.

U.S.-based human rights group Human Rights Watch condemned the hanging, saying history would judge Saddam's trial and execution "harshly".

India's governing Congress Party called the hanging as "unfortunate". Janardhan Dwivedi, general secretary of the party, said in a statement that India hopes the execution "will not standin the way of the process of restoring normalcy and reconciliation in Iraq."

Editor: Yan