On September 15, 1983, Mario Cuomo and Tom Kean gave some unusual instructions to the

Port Authority.

That's the agency that's responsible for most of the bridges, tunnels, and ports in the

region.

It's supervised by both the governors of New York and New Jersey.

And in 1983, they were Cuomo and Kean.

Port Authority officials were told to refuse to allow André Gromico to land at any of

the airports in the region, as he'd done many times in the past.

Gromico was a Soviet Foreign Minister and he was planning to go to the 38th session of the

United Nations in New York on September 27.

Kean told reporters that he and Cuomo accomplished what we wanted to accomplish with the airport

ban.

We demonstrated the total indignation of the people of this country over the Soviet action,

and Mr. Gromico obviously received our message.

The governors of New York and New Jersey were protesting the destruction of a Korean

Airlines flight by a Soviet fighter plane over the Sea of Japan on September 1, 1983.

The missile destruction of the plane killed 269 people, including 61 Americans, and it

had departed from Kennedy Airport.

This crime against humanity must never be forgotten, here or throughout the world.

Our prayers tonight are with the victims and their families in their time of terrible

grief.

Our hearts go out to them.

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