Embassy Press Release

Statement Of Charge D’affaires Jeri Guthrie-Corn On The Death Of Captain Tiberius Petre

April 3, 2009

It is with the deepest sorrow that we learned this morning of the battlefield death of one of Romania’s great heroes, Captain Tiberius Petre. Captain Petre was killed in the line of duty near Kabul, Afghanistan, while leading a mission to assist a brother NATO unit that was engaged in a firefight against insurgents. Captain Petre has our greatest respect and admiration for his courage and faithfulness to his fellow soldiers and allies. We honor him and ask everyone to pray for him, his family, friends and fellow soldiers. We are humbled by Captain Petre’s devotion to duty and sacrifice in defense of his nation and in defense of our common values and ideals.

While we commemorate this week sixty years since the founding of the North Atlantic Alliance and five years of Romania’s membership in NATO, the loss of Captain Petre underscores that we must never forget that the risks and threats that bind us as friends, allies, and partners are both real and dangerous. It is only through the exceptional commitment to duty and nation by heroes like Captain Petre that we will provide a better future for our children and for the people of Afghanistan. On behalf of the Government of the United States, we extend to his family, friends and fellow soldiers our most sincere condolences for Romania’s loss.

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