8216;Terror attack on Indian Embassy reprehensible8217;

8220;We condemn these attacks. And in the incident in Kabul, we have offered assistance, not only to Afghan but also to Indian authorities, in terms of follow-up, determining who8217;s responsible for these attacks,8221; State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

US National Security spokesman Gordon Johndroe had earlier condemned the deadly attack yesterday in which at least 41 people, including four Indians, were killed.

In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the attack was a clear attempt to undermine regional relations.

8220;I call on all parties to remain calm in the face of this provocation. The alliance remains determined to continue its mission to help bring security and stability to Afghanistan, including against the scourge of terrorism,8221; Scheffer said.

The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the attack was designed to undermine the efforts of democratic governments and the international community to bring peace and stability to the region.

8220;The perpetrators of such atrocities will not succeed,8221; Miliband said.

The UN Security Council condemned the attack and called for international efforts to bring the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this 8216;reprehensible act8217; to justice.

In a consensus presidential statement, the 15-member Council also urged all governments to 8216;cooperate actively8217; with the Afghan authorities to probe the attack.

It reaffirmed the need to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim have also called for vigorous steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In separate statements, Ban asserted that no political agenda or grievance can justify such 8216;reprehensive means8217; and Kerim said such terrorist acts are 8216;unacceptable in all their forms and manifestations committed by whosoever, wherever and for whatever purposes8217;.

In Sapporo in Japan, Chinese President Hu Jintao denounced the attack.

8220;We strongly denounce the terrorist attack on the Indian Embassy. I sincerely express my heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the bombing in Afghanistan,8221; Hu told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when they met on the sidelines of the G-8 summit.

Australia condemned the attack, saying 8220;those responsible are callous terrorists with no respect for human life. This attack further demonstrates their determination to kill and intimidate the Afghan people and to undermine international efforts to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,8221; the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.