Mister Chairman,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues,

Allow me, first of all, to greet all of you on behalf of the State Union Serbia and Montenegro, to and wish the successful work to all of us during this important conference. At the same time, I would also like to offer my special thanks to the host who has shown during this brief period all the traits of the well-known Tunisian hospitality.

History teaches us that the foundation stone of each civilization is ¬knowledge. During the times when a man forgot the knowledge of his predecessors, the civilization regressed, and those were the times of distress and suffering. On the other hand, at times when the man returned to his natural curiosity and desire for knowledge, those were the times of the progress of civilization. Let us remember the Ancient Greece, Renaissance, development high technology of the second half of the twentieth century.

When we discuss the Information Society today, at the beginning of the third millennium, we actually try to provide the right to knowledge for every man. It is necessary since only in that way we can secure the possibility for the civilization to give, in that way, another chance to the mankind.

Serbia and Montenegro being a democratic state and the state that abides by the rule of law, maintains the continued commitment to observe all the international norms and documents: starting from the fundamental ones, like respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every state and observance of human rights and liberties, to respect of the rule of law in international and state affairs. Therefore, we are quite ready to accept all the obligations in building of the information society and to give, like we did so far, our contribution to the development of human thought and knowledge.

I would like to underline that in this field we must be guided by the principle of equal standards for everybody. Accepting the double standards policy in any matter ¬as- the history teaches-is a dangerous undertaking with, as a rule, a bad conclusion.

Dear friends, allow me in the end to express my deep conviction that if we are reasonable and wise and have a vision, we will succeed in building the happier world, worthy of the 21st century.

Thank you.