Our society is the product of several great religious and philosophical traditions. The ideas of the Greeks and Romans, Christianity, Judaism, humanism and the Enlightenment have made us who we are.

Bitter experience has taught us how fundamental our values are and how great the mission they represent.

Day after day we must remember we can take freedom for granted. Day after day we must keep the bond between freedom and other values in mind.

We can prevent Europe from becoming a spiritless machine that, in the end, grinds to a halt.

The necessity for co-operation between Europe and the United States is bigger than ever. Only by close transatlantic co-operation can we face the world's challenges.

Freedom is a universal value.

Terrorism is an evil that threatens all the countries in Europe. Vigorous cooperation in the European Union and worldwide is crucial in order to meet this evil head on.