Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Members of the Government
Ambassadors and Chiefs of Mission
Esteemed clergy
Ladies and Gentlemen

Today we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  On this day five years ago a group of men with the futile goal of trying to turn back the clock coldly murdered three thousand innocent victims who were simply going about their daily business.

Terrorism which kills in order to sow fear is unforeseeable, arbitrary, and strikes indiscriminately. Whatever our nationality, we owe it to ourselves to respond as one against the acts of terrorists.

Mr. Minister, Excellencies, Ladies, Gentlemen

The victims of the attacks of 11 September 2001 were of diverse religious faiths such as Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Citizens of more than 90 nations found their deaths. Among them, citizens of Germany, Spain, France, and several other European Union countries as well as China, Egypt, Gambia, Israel, Morocco, Mali, Russia, and Yemen. Since then, terrorism has spread hatred, rained destruction, and brought about the deaths of innocent people throughout the world, from Indonesia to Morocco to Spain, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and Egypt.

The international community has come together to stand up to this horror. The United States has worked with its friends and allies, including Mauritania, to fight terrorism through a range of actions including the destruction of training camps, blocking terrorist assets, and by prosecuting its leaders.

As Americans we cherish our freedom of religion and continue to welcome a great number of people to our land, whatever their religious beliefs. And Islam is a religion of peace and its members have made major contributions to our country and the world. In working together for freedom and mutual understanding we are creating a future of hope and progress.

Mr. Minister, Honored Guests, Ladies, Gentlemen

I would like to thank all Mauritanians for their open-mindedness and their staunch solidarity. This testifies to their attachment both to their religion of tolerance and to their Arab and African traditions.

Steven C.Koutsis
Chargé d'Affaires