BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- More foreign parties and organizations have sent messages of condolence to Chinese President Hu Jintao, and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the CPC Central Committee, following the devastating earthquake that hit southwest China on May 12.

Sonia Gandhi, president of the All India Congress Committee, said President Hu and the Chinese government have been exemplary in their response to the quake.

"I hope you will be able to soon overcome the effects of this calamity on your people, your country," she said in her message.

The South African Communist Party's General Secretary, Blade Nzimande, lauded the rescue work led by the CPC and the Chinese government and wished the Chinese people greater success in battling the disaster.

Mehdi Karubi, general secretary of Iran's National Trust Party, said his party and the Iranian people will offer all possible help within their power to those in the affected areas.

Condolatory letters were also received from Debabrata Biswas, general secretary of the All India Forward Bloc; L.K. Advani, leader of the India's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party; Zurab Melikishvili, general secretary of Georgia's United National Movement; Shodi Shabdolov, leader of the Tajik Communist Party; Habi Mahamadou Salissou, secretary-general of Niger's National Movement for the Development of Society; Donald Ramotar, general secretary of the People's Progressive Party of Guyana; Mauricio Mulder, general secretary of the Apra Party of Peru; Beatriz Paredes, president of Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party; Vojtech Filip, chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia; Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, chairman of the Democratic Party of Mongolia; Ismail El Alaoui, general secretary of Morocco's Party of Progress and Socialism; Sultan Al Barakani, assistant secretary general of Yemen's General People's Congress and Antonio Cafiero, president of the Permanent Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Political Parties.

The National New Party of Mongolia and the African Independence Party for Guinea and Cape Verde also sent letters of condolence to China in view of the deadly quake.

Seyyed Haddi Khamanei, general secretary of Iran's Emam Line Force Union, and Doureid Yaghi, vice president of Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party, also expressed their sympathy.

The Ukrainian Peace Council, the New Zealand Peace Council, the Korean National Peace Committee, the Korea-China Cultural Association, MRA/Initiatives of Change-Korea, Mongolia's Union For Peace and Friendship, the India-China Friendship Association in Karnataka and the Delhi Study Group of India also extended their sympathies to China through different channels.

Source: Xinhua