PRESIDENT John Agyekum Kufuor has, on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, expressed the country’s sympathies to the government and people of the United States for the tragedies in New York and Washington which destroyed the World Trade Centre and parts of the Pentagon.

In a message to President George W. Bush, signed by Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Media Relations Minister, hours after the incidents, President Kufuor said “we in Ghana received with shock and dismay the news of the tragedies in Washington D. C. and New York cities. On behalf of the government and people of Ghana and on my own behalf, I wish to express my sincere sympathies to you and the people of the United States on this sad occasion”.

The message assured President Bush that “our thoughts and prayers are with you as the events unfold. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem”.

At a press briefing at the State House in Accra to state the general position of the government on the two tragedies, Ms Ohene said the government is monitoring the situation carefully as the world condemns the perpertrators of the tragedies which have caused fatalities in both New York and Washington.

The government, the minister said, has ensured that Ghana’s embassy staff in Washington were evacuated minutes after the tragedy at the Pentagon.

“Since Ghana’s mission and that of Israel share a common wall, it is only prudent that we take the precautionary measures to ensure the safety our embassy staff”, the Minister said.

Ms Ohene further disclosed that the President is being briefed at short intervals by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, and added that he kept himself busy all day yesterday monitoring the events in the United States.

The Minister appealed to the international community to let peace prevail despite differences of opinion and interests.

“Ghanaians are a peaceful people and, therefore, it is our prayer that the world will let peace prevail”.

Asked to comment on whether or not President Kufuor’s impending trip to London enroute to New York for business talks and to address the UN General Assembly would come on as scheduled, the Minister said “no decision has yet been taken on the trip in view of the tragic developments in Washington and New York”.

She said the government, has, in the meantime, taken adequate measures to protect American buildings and interests in Ghana.

“We believe that although Americans are capable of looking after themselves, we are definitely taking no chances in securing American buildings in Ghana,” the Minister said.