Ambassador Michael Klosson led a brief, private memorial ceremony at the Embassy in honor of those who died and the survivors of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  It was attended by Mr. Achilleas Tarros, the uncle of Michael Tarrou who died aboard United Airlines flight 175 that crashed into the South tower of the World Trade Center that day.  Following is the text of the remarks Ambassador Klosson made on the occasion.

As prepared for delivery...

Remarks by Ambassador Michael Klosson

on the Occasion of the Commemoration of

the Terrorist Attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001

Nicosia

September 11, 2003

American community wardens, Members of the U.S. Embassy community,

Good afternoon, and welcome to this observance of the events of September 11, 2001.

I want to thank especially Mr. Achilleas Tarros, the uncle of Michael Tarrou, the Cypriot who lost his young life in this tragedy, for being with us.

Today, on what has been designated Patriot Day in the United States, we gather here to remember the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, and to honor their families.  We gather here to rededicate ourselves to our global mission to eliminate terrorism of all kinds and in all places.  And we gather here to reflect on the new chapter the world began that day, and the great progress the international campaign against terrorism has recorded in a short two years.

September 11, 2001 started out as a beautiful day on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, as beautiful as it is today in Nicosia.  I’m told that now, when New Yorkers step outside their brownstones or apartments on a clear, cool morning, they sometimes remind each other that it’s “a 9/11 kind of day”.

September 11, 2001, unfortunately, did not stay beautiful for New Yorkers, for the workers at the World Trade Center or Pentagon, nor for the passengers of the four hijacked airliners, nor the rescue teams – indeed it did not stay beautiful for all Americans and all freedom loving people around the world.  Lives were destroyed, shattered or marred forever on that day by the unimaginable act of flying fully loaded civilian airliners into office buildings.  The images – just look over there -- remain seared in our minds as vividly as Joel Meyerowitz recorded them at the time.

Let us think about the victims, their families and those who responded to these attacks that day.  As Secretary Powell has observed, history will record that when the terrorists struck, citizens from almost 90 countries were murdered along with our fellow Americans -- men and women of every continent, culture and creed, of every region, race and religion. History will record the stories of ordinary men and women performing extraordinary acts of heroism in the face of horror, showing kindness in the face of cruelty – individuals rushing into flaming buildings or straight at armed hijackers to save the lives of others, even at the cost of their own. History will record accounts of people all over the world reaching out to us.  The world came together that day in solidarity and resolve.

As we remember the sacrifices and the courage of those heroic people on September 11, let us pay tribute to their valor, thank them and their families for their inspiration and honor them in our work.

For they have shown us that the scourge of terrorism can never defeat a free people.  Terror defiles the human spirit; its blind hatred and sheer vengeance know no noble cause.  It can never be justified and stands as the antithesis of human dignity.

 Our fellow citizens who suffered on September 11 and those who rushed to their rescue showed us the good side of the human spirit.  They showed us that terrorism can not break a people dedicated to liberty and democracy, to tolerance, hope and freedom.  And today, as we absorb that lesson on this second anniversary, the pain is subsiding, the wounds are healing, the city is rebuilding, and people are getting on with their lives.  Our resolve, however, remains as rock hard as it was that day two years ago as we work relentlessly to bring terrorists to justice all around the world.

The people of the United States, whether civilian or military, government or non-governmental workers, have committed themselves to the struggle against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, in Asia, in Europe, yes, in the United States.  That mission involves a heavy burden, but we are resolved to bear it.

But this struggle does not concern only the United States.  As historians look back on these first years of the twenty-first century, I am sure they will describe how the civilized nations of the world came together as one to declare terrorism a common threat to what they hold dear and to proclaim their duty defeat it.

The time of trial ushered in by September 11th will not soon be over.  We will be tested again.  Even here in Cyprus, we must be focused, prepared and determined to play our part.  This is likely to be a lengthy war, a different kind of war, fought on many fronts and in many places with many different tools.  Afghanistan was the first theater, Iraq the second.  It will take military might, energetic diplomacy, shrewd police work, sophisticated intelligence, never-ending vigilance and unflagging commitment, but we will prevail.   The nations of the world will triumph over this great evil, and in the process, bring new freedom and fresh hope to mankind.

In the name of the victims of those unimaginable attacks, let us work toward that end.

Now, let us have a minute of silence to honor the victims of 9/11 and to show solidarity with their families.