July 28, 1983
Yesterday's attack in Lisbon on the residence of the Turkish Ambassador to Portugal was only the latest in a series of brutal and increasingly indiscriminate terrorist attacks against Turkish diplomats and other innocent civilians. In yesterday's attack, for which the Revolutionary Armenian Army claims responsibility, the wife of a senior Turkish diplomat was killed and a young child was seriously wounded. Only 2 weeks earlier, a Turkish diplomat was murdered outside his home in Brussels, and 1 day later 7 other individuals were killed as they waited to board a Turkish airliner in Paris. No real or imagined grievance could possibly justify these modern-day horrors.
On behalf of the people and Government of the United States, I extend the deepest sympathy to the Turkish Government and to the families of the victims of this attack. But more than sympathy is required. This senseless violence must cease. To that end, I will be speaking to other heads of state in the days ahead regarding urgent and more effective cooperative measures to eliminate from the civilized community such barbaric and inhuman acts.