Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of the Government of the State of Israel I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the participants and organizers of the International Conference on Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe.

This Forum has gathered the most authoritative and globally recognized experts to discuss the key challenge that the international community is facing today - the ways to prevent a nuclear catastrophe, so its importance and significance can hardly be overestimated.

Life has proved that, given advanced technologies and globalization, we are becoming close to each other, and evil tends to spread fast over our small planet.

The world must remain united in the face of the pending nuclear threat posed by extremist regimes and terrorist organizations, which are capable of obtaining weapons of mass destruction.

That is why it is of utmost importance that representatives of many countries are gathered here, in the heart of Europe, to elaborate joint decisions to prevent a nuclear catastrophe.

I wish all participants and organizers of the Conference the best of luck and hope you will achieve the objectives set forth!

Sincerely yours,

Avigdor LIBERMAN
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Strategic Affairs