Word of welcome by His Majesty the King at the working dinner during the Nuclear Security Summit, Huis ten Bosch
24 March 2014
Distinguished guests,
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the palace of Huis ten Bosch. My wife and I are honoured to receive you here.
The palace dates from the seventeenth century. A Golden Age for the Dutch, in which our ships sailed the high seas and Rembrandt painted masterpieces like the Night Watch.
Huis ten Bosch has a rich history as the venue of international conferences. My great grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina, made the palace available for the Hague Peace Conferences, over a century ago. The first, in 1899, was organised at the initiative of Tsar Nicholas the Second of Russia, and laid the foundations of arbitrage as a means of settling international disputes.
The second Hague Peace Conference, initiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, was held in 1907. Forty-four countries were represented. They were united by the conviction that we - as sovereign states - needed to work together to make our world safer and more secure.
That conviction is also what unites us here today, as partners committed to nuclear security.
It means a great deal to the Netherlands to be able to contribute to a more secure world order. It is a commitment rooted in the philosophy of the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius, the father of international law. It is no accident that over the past century The Hague has developed into the international city of peace and justice.
Our motivation is simple: threats that transcend national borders can only be tackled jointly. So international cooperation is essential.
This is especially true of efforts to safeguard nuclear security. With the world more interconnected than ever, we can't afford to be divided on this issue.
A lot has happened since the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, in 2010. Despite differences in perspective; despite the complexity of the issue; and despite the many factors to be borne in mind, the foundations have been laid for a global approach that reduces the risk of nuclear terrorism.
It is vital that we continue investing in mutual trust and understanding. As we all know, this is a work in progress. A great many details still need to be fleshed out.
How can businesses, hospitals and research institutes become more involved in nuclear security?
How can we increase security awareness?
How can we promote transparency about the security of nuclear facilities and materials?
And how should the NSS process move forward in the future?
These are only some of the questions to be addressed at this Summit.
At the beginning of the 16 th century, the Dutch humanist Erasmus wrote what seems so obvious to us now, 'Prevention is better than cure'. It is up to you as united partners in the Nuclear Security Summit, to put these wise words into practice.
Your presence here and your personal commitment send the world a clear message. A message of international cooperation. A message of hope for a safer world.
I wish you every success with the rest of the Summit.
Thank you.