It is both a pleasure and an honor for me to be here today. Child pornography on the Internet must be an issue of international concern, it must be at the forefront of the global agenda.
Children are our most precious and fragile resource, they are our future.
This is true regardless of what nation they come from. Their protection must be an international priority. I would like to thank Foreign Minister Schuessel for his personal initiative in proposing this conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff led by Ambassador Cede for its strong efforts to turn the concept of this conference into a reality, and the staff of the European Commission for its counsel and support. I would also like to recognize the efforts of Tom Burrows, from the US Department of Justice, for his outstanding efforts on the conference. As we gather here in this beautiful city for the next three days, there is no doubt that much will be learned and that much will be accomplished.