INT'L COMMUNITY WANTS OBAMA TO BE NEX U.S. PREZ

Silicon Valley, June 16 (PTI) - If the international
community was allowed to vote, presumptive Democratic
candidate Barack Obama would more likely to be the next U.S.
president, according to a latest Pew Global Attitudes survey.

The survey of more than 24,000 people in 24 countries,
including India, conducted between March 17 and April 21,
found there is considerable interest in the U.S. presidential
campaign in the surveyed nations.

A large majority of Japanese say they are following
the election very closely (24 percent) or somewhat closely
(59 percent). As a point of comparison, a third of Americans
are following the election very closely, with another 47
percent saying they are tracking the campaign somewhat
closely.

At least half or more of respondents in such countries
as Germany, Australia, Great Britain and Jordan are closely
following the election. In India, 46 percent are focusing in
the campaign.

The survey found that people around the world who have
been paying attention to the American election express more
confidence in Obama than in presumptive Republican candidate
Senator John McCain to do the right thing regarding world
affairs.

McCain is rated lower than Obama in every country
surveyed, except for the U.S. where his rating matches
Obama's, as well as in Jordan and Pakistan where very few
people have confidence in either of the two candidates.

In India 52 percent expressed confidence in Obama,
compared with 17 percent in McCain.

Obama's advantage over McCain is overwhelming in the
Western European countries, with 84 percent of the French who
have been following the election saying they have confidence
in Obama to do the right thing regarding world affairs,
compared with 33 percent who say that about McCain.

The survey also measured international perceptions of
Democrat Hillary Clinton. Her ratings generally tend to be
higher than those for McCain, but lower than those for Obama,
although there are some notable exceptions. Clinton is rated
higher than Obama in India (58 percent to 33 percent), South
Africa (57 percent to 36 percent), and Mexico (36 percent
to 30 percent).

The U.S. President George W. Bush continues to receive
mostly negative ratings. Majorities in only three countries --
Tanzania, Nigeria, and India -- say they have a lot or some
confidence in Bush to do the right thing in world affairs.

Not surprisingly, the survey also finds a widespread
belief that U.S. foreign policy "will change for the better"
after the inauguration of a new American president next year.