Your Excellencies - Presidents of States, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased to be in Vilnius - the capital of Lithuania. I am extremely glad to have had the honour - together with President Algirdas Brazauskas - to invite you to the conference devoted to the significance of good neighbourly relations in the strengthening of peace and security in Europe. It is for the first time in history, that the Presidents and Heads of State of twelve Central Eastern European countries are meeting on an occasion of this nature. We are accompanied by many illustrious politicians, outstanding scientists, world famous representatives of culture and arts. In this distinguished company we are discussing a topic of utmost importance. Today, the peaceful coexistence of nations undoubtedly constitutes an essential premise of European stability and security. There are still places in Europe lacking dialogue, mutual respect and understanding. In order to achieve these values we need, above all, to openly discuss all possible issues. We also need an exchange of positive experiences gained by individual nations and States in the process of building good neighbourly collaboration. This very objective is served by the present conference. (Reconciliation of nations - a precondition of lasting peace in Europe) Ladies and Gentlemen, It is true, that the roots of present animosities and conflicts between nations, can usually be found in the past. Yet it is also a fact, that the decades that followed the war did not equally foster the definite overcoming of historical tensions and problems in every place in Europe. In countries, which fell under Soviet domination after the Second World War, friendship and brotherhood between nations belonged to the main slogans of propaganda. However, the reality was quite different. Thousands of people suffered persecutions for political, religious, as well as ethnical reasons. Others were forced to live in hypocrisy and unawareness. During many years, those chapters of history that did not fit to the set model of internationalist brotherhood, were being erased from peoples` memory. At the same time, in a difficult process, the wounds of the War were scarring in the integrating countries of Western Europe, on the other side of the ?iron curtain?. They were overcoming past wrongs and prejudices. The process was based on a dialogue, on partnership, and the search for truth. The historical reconciliation of the French and German nations appears as the best illustration, in fact, a model of the eventual crowning of such efforts. Not only did it provide a solid fundament for fruitful bilateral collaboration, but also became one of the basic factors of security and peace in Europe. The transformations in Central Eastern Europe after 1989 allowed also this part of the continent to begin shaping relations between nations based on universal values and the respect of human dignity. In many places, however, the transformation set loose the dangerous forces of nationalism, xenophobia and hostile stereotypes. Disputes and conflicts resulting from nationalist attitudes constitute some of the most serious threats to European security today. The tragedy of ethnical purges in former Yugoslavia became a terrible warning for all of us. (Poland and its neighbours) Ladies and Gentlemen Poland regards the development of fruitful, friendly relations with all neighbours as one of its fundamental foreign policy objectives. We note with satisfaction, that the nineties have been marked by significant achievements in this domain. Poland has no ethnical or territorial conflicts on its borders. We were the first country of our region to have arranged the relations with its neighbours based on treaties. Polish-Lithuanian relations are an excellent example thereof. From reciprocal distrust, fear and resentment, from more or less justified claims, Poland and Lithuania have passed in recent years to very close, multidimensional co-operation. Both parties determine the very tightly co-ordinated joint actions as strategic partnership. Drawing on the best experiences of many ages of common history, reaching to its most glorious chapters, helps us in shaping out present and future relations; independently of the unhappy moments and shadows in the history the two nations. The situation is similar in other geographical directions of Polish foreign policy. We regard the conclusive normalisation of Polish - German relations and the historical reconciliation of the Polish and German nations as a major accomplishment of our activities in the nearest external environment. The process became one of the key elements of stability in Central Europe. United Germany is today a devoted advocate of Poland`s membership in NATO and the European Union. From the very beginning Poland was among the most convinced supporters of close co-operation within the so called Visegrad group, embracing our southern neighbours: the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The multilateral agreement on the free trade zone - CEFTA - also joined by Slovenia and Romania, is an important form and product of this co-operation in the field of economy. We also attach great importance to the development of relations with our eastern neighbours. We have an increasingly close co-operation with Ukraine, and not only at an intergovernmental level. Personal contacts are developing very dynamically, the process of national reconciliation is progressing. We expressed this in a common declaration of the two presidents a few months ago. We note with satisfaction the good state of Polish-Russian relations, despite the still existing difference in positions on the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty. We appreciate the role of Russia in maintaining peace and stability both in Europe and world-wide. Russia is a great country and an international superpower. The presence of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation at today`s meeting bears evidence of interest in co-operation also with countries of our region. We greeted the Russian-Ukrainian agreement with satisfaction. It shows the will of both parties to establish relations on the grounds of equality and respect of integrity and sovereignty. It is an important political signal. We endeavour to hold an open, patient dialogue with Belorus. We are against international isolation of this country. Poland is convinced that Europe and our closest region need a democratic and independent Belorus. We are mindful, that the observation of elementary democratic standards, the freedom of political parties, the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as personal inviolability, freedom of speech and association, access of the opposition to public media, the functioning of fair judiciary and administrative procedures, all constitute the premise of peaceful and friendly coexistence of States and nations. Apart from Lithuania, an important place in Polish regional policy belongs to Latvia and Estonia, as well as the remaining Baltic Sea countries. We very highly value the efforts of Nordic States to strengthen democracy and security in our part of the continent, to develop technical and environmental infrastructure, implement educational programmes. All these actions greatly contribute to the process of integration. Concluding, I wish to emphasise, that today the development of good neighbourly co-operation in our region depends not only, or perhaps not even mainly, on governments and intergovernmental structures. They do play an important inspiring and promotional role, a good example of which is the Council of Baltic Sea States, or the Central European Initiative. Yet the decisive and increasingly growing significance belongs to actions in the non-governmental field: personal contacts and exchange, collaboration of NGO`s, joint undertakings of local authorities and borderline areas. In this context Poland attaches considerable importance, inter alia, to active participation in the expanding network of Euroregions. Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you all fruitful debates. Let the exchange of opinions and views, presented during the Vilnius conference, be perfectly honest, informal, free of official temperance - but also of old stereotypes and prejudice. Not all questions and doubts can be resolved in a satisfactory manner, over the next two days. Nevertheless, I believe that, to some degree, we shall be able to come closer to the achievement of the objective expressed in the leading motto of our meeting. I hope that here, in Vilnius, we will make the contribution of joint minds and efforts to the construction of a stable and secure Europe, based on peaceful co-operation. A Europe without artificial divisions, hostility and violence. A Europe of friendly nations. /basic version/