As prepared for delivery...

September 11th Commemoration

A generation ago, you could ask any American where he or she was on November 22nd 1963, and they would have told you down to precise details. Had you asked the parents of those Americans a generation earlier where they were on December 7th, 1941, they would have responded with the same lucid recollection. Pearl Harbor, the assassination of JFK and now September 11th, 2001. These are all events seared in our national memory.

We will never forget watching with horror as events three years ago today unfolded on television - commercial airliners crashing into modern buildings, the unimaginable collapse of the twin towers turning day into night, the panicked cell phone calls to locate loved ones, grieving with friends or for strangers who lost a member of their family that day. We still carry images of true heroism: people running into the burning World Trade Center and the quaking Pentagon to save others. We will also remember, as took place here in Nicosia but also in Hong Kong, where I was at that time, and many other capitals with U.S. missions, the outpouring of empathy for the citizens from 90 countries who perished September 11 - flowers left at our gates, and passers bye who stopped and lowered their heads in silence and grief.

We still hold our children a little more closely and hug them a little more tightly when we recall that devastating day. It's cathartic for us to gather three years later, and to remember what took place. It is important for the families who lost loved ones that we remember and honor the victims. I am most grateful that Achilleas Taros, the uncle of Michael Tarou, the only Cypriot who perished in the attacks on September 11th, has joined us here today. Please know that we share in your loss. Our thoughts remain with your family. 

Today is a day of remembrance and reflection. The history of September 11, 2001, I am convinced, will not be written by the perpetrators of that tragedy. Instead it will be a record of everyday people doing extraordinary things. People on the spot who put their lives on the line to rescue others. The extraordinary efforts of emergency services personnel, some of whom have come to Cyprus to tell their story. The world's leaders who joined together to confront this international challenge. 9/11's history will record the triumph of humanity over terror.

I hesitate in evoking this cliché, but it's true: the world changed on September 11th, 2001. It certainly changed for those of us who work for the United States government. On that day Secretary of State Powell charged us with a new mandate - we became the "first line of offense" in the war on terror. All of you here today in the Embassy play an integral role in this effort. I would like to thank you for your contributions. Whether it is preventing would-be terrorists from getting visas, responding to threat warnings, working to stop the flow of terrorist financing, or seeking to strengthen our multilateral cooperation to halt the proliferation, the work you do is key.

I would also like to thank our embassy wardens, many of whom have joined us today. You are an essential link in communication between the Embassy and about 4,000 American citizens living in Cyprus. By serving as wardens, you enhance the security of Americans on this island. You do this voluntarily and we very much appreciate it. I thank you for your service.

Cyprus itself has played its role in the campaign against terrorism as well. We welcome its cooperation and look forward to deepening it further in specific areas.

The dedication and service of everyone here today is part of a worldwide effort-- citizens of over a hundred countries, not just Americans, who have resolved to stop terrorism. During the past three years, Al-Qaida's capabilities have been reduced by relentless international action on many fronts. We have captured almost two-thirds of the known Al-Qaida leaders, including the mastermind of the September 11th attacks. Afghanistan, once ruled by the brutal Taliban regime that sheltered Al-Qaida, has adopted a new constitution and is following the path of democracy. Libya has now pledged to disclose and dismantle all of its weapons of mass destruction programs. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein has been overthrown and captured, and Iraqis are assuming responsibility for their own security and governance. It's hard work, but it's work that must be done. Laying the foundation of peace and supporting the development of democracy is the key to winning the war on terrorism.

Each of us has a responsibility in our own way to make the world we share more secure for all of us. We live in a world in which developments in a remote region can wreak havoc on one of the most advanced cities in the world ten thousand miles away. We need to turn tables on terrorists and use our interdependence and common humanity as a force multiplier.

This isn't a stump speech, despite all the political conventions going on in the United States. Each of us here today is a citizen of our global community. Cypriots and Americans alike share the calling to make the world more secure, democratic and prosperous by confronting terrorism. It is right that we pause on anniversaries such as today's to remember those who were lost September 11 and to rekindle our commitment to build a world in which that will never happen again. 

Thank you for joining us here today. I ask you now to join me in a moment of silence to commemorate the victims of the attacks on September 11th.