As delivered by Ambassador Ian Kelly
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
April 18, 2013
On behalf of my government I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of you who have offered your expressions of solidarity and of condolences to us for this terrible and senseless attack that occurred on Monday in Boston.
As the investigation continues into this attack, I’d like to share with you a few words of President Obama—words that helped to comfort those affected by the attacks, and words that indicated how the United States is responding to the attacks:
“… the American people refuse to be terrorized. Because what the world saw … in the aftermath of the explosions were stories of heroism and kindness, and generosity and love: Exhausted runners who kept running to the nearest hospital to give blood, and those who stayed to tend to the wounded, some tearing off their own clothes to make tourniquets. The first responders who ran into the chaos to save lives. The men and women who are still treating the wounded at some of the best hospitals in the world, and the medical students who hurried to help, saying ‘When we heard, we all came in.’ The priests who opened their churches and ministered to the hurt and the fearful. And the good people of Boston who opened their homes to the victims of this attack and those shaken by it. So if you want to know who we are, what America is, how we respond to evil — that’s it. Selflessly. Compassionately. Unafraid.”
Again, on behalf of my country, I thank you all for your expressions of sympathy and support.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
