Ambassador Adolph Dubs Remarks at Ceremonies Honoring the Late U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan.

THE PRESIDENT. This morning I would like to say to Mary Ann Dubs and to Lindsey, to the members of Spike Dubs' family and his many friends that this is indeed a sad and painful moment for the United States of America. We've come here on this occasion to pay tribute to a good man, a courageous man, who served his country well and who gave his life for it.

We've come here to express our outrage at the senseless terrorism among those who pay inadequate value to human life. And we condemn those who perpetrated and who participated in such a despicable act of violence.

As President, I would like to pay honor, also, to the other men and women in the Foreign Service of our country, who serve with dedication and often great risk to their own lives so that all of us might enjoy a more peaceful existence in a world with better understanding, one for another.

Mary Ann, Lindsey, we share with you your great loss. The grief of our Nation can be expressed by me as President. And we also share with you a great pride in what your husband, what your father, did for our country. We are ready to help you in every way possible to share your loss. And I want you to know that our Nation, in every sense of the word, shares this loss with you and your family.

SECRETARY OF STATE VANCE. Mary Ann, Lindsey, your loss and ours is a profound one. Spike deeply loved this country, his family, and his friends. He was one of our very best, a fine officer and a fine person. It is tragic that a man, whose whole life and career was dedicated to the cause of peace, was killed as a result of terrorism and violence.

Events in Kabul and Tehran this week are terrible reminders that the diplomatic profession is dangerous as well as demanding. Courageous and selfless men of the Foreign Service like Spike Dubs have all too often in recent years sacrificed their lives for their country. We owe them a debt beyond price.

I pledge to you that we will spare no effort to protect our diplomats overseas, and we will fight terrorism with all of our resolve and our resources.

As a symbol of my respect and regard for Ambassador Dubs and tribute to him from the Foreign Service, to which he devoted his life, I have the sad honor to present to you, Mary Ann, in Spike's memory, the Secretary's Award, the highest award the State Department can give. As I present this award, I note with regret that for health reasons Spike's parents could not be here as we honor him. The citation reads: "To Adolph Dubs, for inspiring leadership, outstanding courage and devotion to duty for which he gave his life. Kabul. February 14, 1979."