CHAIRMAN'S CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE CLOSED MIDDLE EAST SESSIONS:

1. These sessions evinced the open exchange of ideas and were guided by the intention to follow up with further future contact.
   
   
2. The participants individually and the sessions as a whole acknowledged the importance of a broad vision of human resources and development within the region and respect for all the cultures and religions therein as the context within which to address the specifics of Palestine - Israel relations.
   
   
3. The essential centrality of sharing, tolerance and respect between members of differing faiths was stressed with regard to the issue of Jerusalem.
   
   
4. The sessions held have acknowledged the extensive groundwork already undertaken by all parties, be they with or without external mediation. President Clinton's role was also duly noted.
5. Participants have compared their views on the ways and degrees to which the regional and global context has changed since the events of Sept. 11, and the responses to those events seen throughout the world. Overall, a renewed sense of urgency with regard to the need to achieve Israel-Palestine peace is shared.
   
   
6. Recent indications, at both leadership and civil society levels, pointing to a European wish to play a helpful role in galvanizing a new move toward a peace process have been welcomed by the participants.
   
   
7. This group itself has expressed its own desire to make its own modest contribution toward the goal of peace by seeking to encourage, guide and pressure political and civil society leaders into creating an atmosphere conducive to the resumption of meaningful and well-intentioned negotiations.