As delivered by Ambassador Ian Kelly
to the Permanent Council,Vienna
January 24, 2013
As President Obama stated following the recent terrorist attack in Algeria, “the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the families of all those who were killed and injured. The blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms.”
“We have been in constant contact with Algerian officials and stand ready to provide whatever assistance they need in the aftermath of this attack. We also will continue to work closely with all of our partners to combat the scourge of terrorism in the region, which has claimed too many innocent lives.”
“This attack is another reminder of the threat posed by al Qaeda and other violent extremist groups in North Africa. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of the terrorist attack of last week and how we can work together moving forward to combat such threats in the future.”
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.