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We stand here today to remember and celebrate the lives of those who were lost 15 years
ago as they flew into Dubrovnik on a trade mission led by then Secretary of Commerce
Ronald Brown. Like many in the room I remember the day of that crashed well, and today's
ceremony is especially emotional for me as I personally worked with secretary Brown and
many of my colleagues and friends were lost that day. It's a sad day for me, my colleagues
and most of all for the families and loved ones of those who perished. This morning many
of us hiked to the memorial cross that stands atop of that mountain to mark the place of
the crash and seeing it made me a feel strong sense of appreciation for those who built
it and maintained it for the last fifteen years in honor of the lives lost there.
On April 3rd, 1996 I was totally heartbroken after losing my mother and was looking for
an answer to many questions and trying to find a way to continue with my life. I thank
the American government, especially honorable Ambassador Mr. Galbraith for providing substantial
assistance and support in those difficult days. Ever since on a April 3rd my heart and
my thoughts are here in Dubrovnik. I thank the city authorities for representing all
of us in our prayers and paying tribute and bringing flowers to our loved ones, all the
way to the cross on top of the mountain. I also thank the county of Dubrovnik and the
Croatian government for organizing this memorial house in which we can all remember
our family, friends and colleagues. Yesterday, we commemorated a terrible tragedy
that befell the United States of America. We lost our Secretary of Commerce and thirty-four
others traveling with him to Dubrovnik for a really noble purpose to bring hope to a
war-torn region. This was a very emotional experience. I'd never been to the crash
site and we climbed that mountain and it took a long time and it's very steep, forlorn place
but with a beautiful monument. We had a beautiful moving ceremony there to remember all of those
victims. So many of you welcomed me when I arrived
here that April day in 1996 with much warmth and
it really impressed upon me the importance of really being in this placed for all of
these people who died and the others, there were thirty five as you know, two Croatians,
members of the business community and today to see three of the company's here. To see
Bechtel and Parsons and to know that Bechtel has done such wonderful work right here in
this country in terms of the roads that are being built. To know that the mission still
carries such significance and that the legacy carries on.
I, myself in those days was a diplomat coming often to this part of the world. For those
of you weren't here I can tell you that was a far different place in Croatia in 1996 then
it is today. This country was just emerging from the very dark days of a long war. It
was beginning the process of rebuilding, establishing national identity,
getting itself back together. Ron Brown absolutely wanted the United
States to be part of that process, to assist this country in any way it could, in the rebuilding
process. And he wanted to be sure the United States private sector was also involved because
he believed that it had much to offer. So I think that if Ron Brown and Stu Tholan were
here in Croatia today, they'd say yes, there is still a lot to do but this country has
come a very very long way, say in fifteen years.
Croatia is taking his place certainly in europe as well as the international community and
is well on the way to a bright and prosperous future. And I think it's fair to say that
Ron Brown and Stu Tholan and all their colleagues on that delegation where there at the beginning.
The significance of today is hope and the legacy of Ron Brown and what it mean in terms
of building, renewing, prospering. What can happen for this region and what actually
kind of a retrospective of what has happened since nineteen ninety six.
Ronald Brown Kathryn Hoffman Duane Christian Carol Hamilton William Morton Charles Meissner
Gail Dobert Lawrence Payne Adam Darling Stephen Kaminski Naomi Warbasse Kathryn Kellogg James
Lewek Lee Jackson Dragica Lendic Bedek Niksa Antonini Nathaniel Nash Barry Conrad Paul
Cushman Robert Donovan Claudio Elia Leonard Pieroni John Scoville Donald Terner Stuart
Tholan David Ford Frank Maier Walter Murphy Robert Whittaker Ashley Davis Timothy Shafer
Gerald Aldrich Robert Farrington, Jr Cheryl Turnage Shelly Kelly