12 September 2001

Western Hemisphere Leaders Condemn Terrorist Attacks in United States

By Vanessa Clarke
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon, the governments of various countries in Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean are giving their full support to the United States.

President Vicente Fox of Mexico sent his country's condolences and said that Mexico has suspended its Independence Day holiday celebrations as an expression of sympathy.

"Mexico expresses its condolences to the government and the American people for the irreparable human losses," said President Fox. "We also express our energetic condemnation [of] these attacks ... and we hope that peace reigns in the world."

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien spoke directly to President Bush and expressed sadness and concern on behalf of his country.

"I reiterated directly to him the sincerest condolences of the Canadian people for the horrific attacks yesterday on innocent Americans and our offer of any security or humanitarian assistance that the United States may need," said Chretien.

The government of Colombia communicated its shock over the attacks and called them "cowardly and despicable."

"There is no justification whatsoever for the death of hundreds of innocents at the hand[s] of a few intolerant radicals," the Colombian government said in a statement. "With all our support and solidarity, we accompany President George W. Bush and all the American nation in these moments of grief and uncertainty. We [affirm] our confidence that the United States will soon overcome this tragic moment for the well-being of its citizens and of all nations that work for a peaceful world."

Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister, Basedo Panday, sent his country's condolences over the tragedy and said it was "a slap in the face of those who seek peace."

"I imagine the day -- United Nations' Day of Peace -- was deliberately chosen by the terrorists," said Minister Panday. "Trinidad and Tobago has, at both national and international forums, condemned terrorism."

The Organization of American States (OAS) Special General Assembly, which convened in Lima, Peru, on September 11, issued an official statement saying that it "condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist acts visited upon the cities of New York and Washington, D.C., today, and reiterates the need to strengthen hemispheric cooperation to combat this scourge that has thrown the world and the hemispheric community into mourning."

"The General Assembly expresses its full solidarity with the government of President George W. Bush and with the people of the United States of America," the OAS statement said.