Some foreign leaders have sent messages of sympathy and solicitude to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao over a rare snow havoc in south of China.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the messages are from Kim Jong Il, chairman of National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and general secretary of DPRK's Workers' Party of Korea; Lao President Choummaly Saygnasone and Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh; South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun; Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

In their messages, the leaders expressed their deep sympathy and sincere regards for the Chinese government and the people in the affected areas, and spoke highly of the effective measures by the Chinese government to resume normal life in disaster areas.

They expressed the belief that the Chinese government and people will be able to tide over the disaster at an early date.

The worst snow in five decades in China has snarled China's central, southern and eastern regions over the past three weeks and caused huge economic losses.

The snow has so far killed 60 people and forced nearly 1.76 million people to relocate. From January 25 to 31, a total of 5.8 million passengers were stranded throughout the railway system and more than 8,000 cargo trains were affected.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2008)