*  *  Introduction  Dear Mr. Zhu, Dear Otmar Issing, Ladies and gentlemen, Good morning and welcome to the 3rd IMF Statistical Forum. It is probably safe to say that the Bundesbank has seldom had the opportunity to welcome such a large body of international statistics experts.
Nowadays, we are not relying on Aladdin’s lamp, but on efficient payment systems to receive our money efficiently and safely. I am grateful for your work in ensuring that this is the case. Thank you for your attention. 8  BIS Review 8/2008