Worldwide Observers Express Relief at Lack of Violence : Reaction: The story is played prominently by newspapers and television. Some commentators see the jury’s decision as a compromise.

LONDON —  Reaction to the Rodney G. King verdicts by overseas political figures and editorialists Saturday appeared to be one of collective relief that the jury’s decision did not lead to Los Angeles erupting again in violence.

In many foreign television and radio news broadcasts, the King verdicts were either first or second in precedence along with the latest reports from Bosnia.

Although the British prime minister’s office said that John Major--like similar government leaders--does not comment on justice matters in other countries, aides privately said the government was relieved by the verdicts.

As Geoffrey Ampthill, chairman of the House of Lords, said: “I think everyone is greatly satisfied that the results seem acceptable to . . . Los Angeles. This has to be good news.”

George Robertson, Labor member of Parliament and opposition spokesman on foreign affairs, commented: “Most people watched events at the first trial last year and were puzzled by the outcome because all they had seen was the video.

“The outcome of the second trial was largely welcomed not just because there appears to be no violence, but that justice seems to have been better served than in the previous verdict.”

In Ireland, Willie Kealy, news editor of the Irish Independent in Dublin, said: “There has been a lot of interest in the case. With two convicted, and two freed, maybe this will satisfy people with strong feelings about the case.”

In Sweden, Olaf Fors, an editor of the daily Expressen, said: “It’s too early to make an informed assessment--though we have all been watching the case. But the verdict did look like a compromise, so we are not yet sure whether the decision was justice--or politics.”

Germany, a country just beginning to come to terms with the reality that it, too, is now a multicultural society, gave prominent news coverage to the trial and to the verdicts.

The lead item on the main evening TV news, a nearly three-minute report, included a live commentary from central Los Angeles from a staff correspondent who told viewers: “This time, the streets of Los Angeles have stayed quiet. The black population of the city can apparently live with this verdict.”

In Italy, one major Italian TV commentator said Saturday night: “A Solomonic verdict. Los Angeles heaves a sigh of relief.”

Both major Italian TV networks aired film contrasting burning buildings from last year’s riots with African-Americans dancing for joy after the verdicts were announced.

The Italian media had correspondents in Los Angeles to record what one called “a victory for civic order.” One newspaper correspondent borrowed an Americanism to call the verdicts “politically correct.”

In South Africa, the King verdicts were the leading story on a South African independent radio station and were featured high on the evening news on state-run TV--on a day when two black South Africans were killed during demonstrations.

In Mexico City, the King verdicts were played at great length, as a straight news story. Headlines in the afternoon edition of El Universal declared: “Two Guilty,” with subheads saying: “Solomonic Decision of the Jury in Declaring Other Two Police Innocent,” and “Climate of Violence That Threatened City Calmed.”

As in Britain, Mexican government officials declined to comment on the internal affairs of other countries.

Denise Dresser, a Mexican political scientist who specializes in California-Mexico relations, said the verdicts represent a “significant advance” in confronting issues of police brutality and racial divisiveness.

“It sends a message to the police force that brutality will not be sanctioned. That will have a positive effect on Latin immigrants in Los Angeles and probably elsewhere.”

Times staff writers Tyler Marshall in Berlin, William D. Montalbano in Rome, Scott Kraft in Johannesburg and Marjorie Miller in Mexico City contributed to this report.