08 March 2002

Ceremonies to Mark September 11 Attacks

BUSH TO MAKE MAJOR SPEECH ON SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPT. 11

President Bush will make a "major speech" on Monday, March 11 at a mid-morning event planned for the South Lawn of the White House to mark the six-month anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters on board Air Force One en route St. Petersburg, Florida March 8.

"The President will give a major speech at this event, where (he) will commemorate what took place, express the nation's sorrow and sympathy to the families, speak to the nation about the importance of the cause and discuss the future of the missions that lie ahead in protecting the world from terrorism," Fleischer told reporters as they accompanied the President on a one day trip to Florida.

"You can expect the President to share with the nation the importance of the mission that lies ahead," the Press Secretary said. "As he has always said, that mission is a multiple-front mission involving diplomacy, involving the war on finance, involving training, involving stopping the terrorists wherever they are."

Six months after a devastating attack on our country is "a perfect moment to commemorate what took place and to discuss what the implications are for our country in the future," Fleischer said.

"This is an opportunity, a real shining moment to again speak to our democracy and underscore the importance of the mission. It's the job of the President. He understands that and it's something the nation wants to hear, as they look to the President through what's been powerful, powerful support from everybody in the nation -- Democrats and Republicans are wonderfully united," said Fleischer.

Bush, speaking March 8 in Florida said his March 11 speech "will outline where we are in this war on terror...."

Fleischer said that approximately 1300 people will join the President at the March 11 event on the South Lawn of the White House. They will include members of the U.S. Congress, along with ambassadors from around the world. More than 150 ambassadors who are currently in Washington have been invited to join the President on the South Lawn, along with approximately 300 family members who have relatives who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, aboard Flight 93 in Pennsylvania and as a result of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

The President will also welcome to the South Lawn military representatives of U.S. allied coalition leaders who are based at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, the White House Press Secretary added.

A special event is also scheduled at the Pentagon on March 11. Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld "will welcome to Washington military leaders who are based at CENTCOM, representing all the coalition allies who are fighting with the United States in the war on terrorism," Fleischer said. "He'll have an event at the River Entrance Steps to thank the coalition countries. Then he will take the coalition military leaders on a tour of the reconstructed area of the Pentagon and will have a working lunch with these coalition leaders."

New York City will also hold an event to mark the anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, said Fleischer. Christie Todd Whitman, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will represent the Bush administration at that event.

And, in London on March 11, Vice President Dick Cheney will join with Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street to commemorate the attack on the United States and to remember the lives of people from other nations who were lost that day, Fleischer said.

Fleischer announced that five top U.S. officials will be discussing the war on terrorism on the March 10 Sunday talk shows in the United States. They are Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, CentCom Commander General Tommy Franks, and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge.