Vehement condemnations are pouring in following the triple blasts that ripped through three hotels in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday and caused nearly 200 casualties.

The death toll has reached at least 57 including three Chinese. Most of the slain were Jordanians. The 115 injured were of different nationalities, including Germans, a U.S. citizen of Arab origin, Egyptians, Saudis and Iraqis, according to Jordanian sources.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is on a state visit to Britain, condemned the killings in a message of condolence to Jordanian King Abdullah II.

Hu stressed that the Chinese government condemns all forms of terrorism and is willing to strengthen cooperation with the international community, including Jordan, on fighting terrorism.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly condemned the bombings after the explosions that rocked the US-headquartered Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels just before 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).

"The Secretary-General stressed the need for member states to adopt a comprehensive convention against terrorism as soon as possible," UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said Wednesday.

The UN chief, who was in neighbouring Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, has postponed a trip to Jordan scheduled for Thursday.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council decided to hold an unscheduled meeting Thursday to discuss "threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist activities."

Jordan's King Abdullah II denounced the "terrorist" and "criminal" acts against the Arab kingdom, vowing that "justice will pursue the criminals."

Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Moasher lashed out at Al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, as a "prime suspect."

"Al-Qaeda and Abu al-Zarqawi were certainly involved in the rocket attacks in Aqaba a few months ago ... I'm positive he's a prime suspect in this case as well," Moasher said.

The United States on Wednesday strongly condemned the "cowardly" attacks and offered to help its key Middle East ally bring to justice the "terrorists" responsible for the attacks.

"Today's terrorist bombings in Amman were cowardly attacks on innocent Jordanians and their guests," President George W. Bush said.

"These barbaric acts again demonstrated the terrible cruelty of the terrorists and the great toll they take on civilized society, " he said in a statement.

The US leader said he sent his "prayers and condolences" to the victims' families.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France condemned the attacks and offered his "deep sympathy... to the families and all the Jordanian people."

Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern expressed shock at the appalling attacks. "It seems all too likely that this was a terrorist attack aimed at killing and maiming entirely innocent people," said the minister.

Syria condemned the attacks. "We have painfully learned the news that attacks aimed at hotels lead to the deaths of innocent people," the official SANA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry sources as saying.

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas denounced the blasts as a "crime against humanity and Arab security." Palestinian flags were lowered to half-mast on government buildings Thursday.

Source: Xinhua