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President Obama Visits the Dutch Embassy: "We're All Heartbroken by What's Happened"

Summary: 
President Obama visits the Embassy of the Netherlands, signing a condolence book for those killed in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine.
President Barack Obama visits the Embassy of the Netherlands

President Barack Obama visits the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington, D.C., July 22, 2014, to sign a condolence book honoring those who were lost in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine. Standing with President Obama is Peter Mollema, the deputy chief of mission for the Netherlands Embassy. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama visited the Embassy of the Netherlands this morning, signing a condolence book for those killed in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine. In the condolence book, the President wrote:

On behalf of the American people, I extend our deepest condolences to the people of the Netherlands as they mourn the loss of so many family and friends. No words can adequately express the sorrow the world feels over this loss. It is made more acute by the deep ties of friendship between our two countries. Bound by that friendship, we will not rest until we are certain that justice is done.

While there, the President expressed his deep sympathy over the lives lost last week:

Obviously, we're all heartbroken by what’s happened. And this is an opportunity for me to extend on behalf of all the American people our deepest condolences over the loss of family and friends; to express our solidarity with the people of the Netherlands, with whom we've been friends and had the deepest ties for centuries; and to assure the Dutch people that we will work with them to make sure that loved ones are recovered, that a proper investigation is conducted, and that ultimately justice is done.

Peter Mollema, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy, also thanked the President for being there today. "There's been an outpouring of support from the American people," Mollema said, "and I can only say that on behalf of the Dutch people, we're deeply grateful. Thank you very much."


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