An international conference on terrorism was opened here Tuesday ahead of the first anniversary of the Madrid train bombings that killed 192 people on March 11.

About 165 anti-terror experts will be divided into 17 workshopsto discuss the root cause of terrorism and better ways to fight it.

The three-day event will culminate on Thursday when 22 former heads of state and government will have a meeting.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan are expected to deliver speeches. President of EU Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer are also expected to attend.

"We must counter the totalitarian mentality of the terrorists with our passion for life, liberty, justice and democracy," said Spanish Crown Prince Felipe in his opening speech.

The conference was organized by the Club of Madrid, an independent association of 56 democratically elected former heads of state and government.

Source: Xinhua