Prospects for Peace in the Middle East: Israeli Palestinian Dialogue

From 3 to 5 June 1991, Department of Public Information (DPI) convened an Encounter in Helsinki, Finland, to discuss issues connected with the concept of an international peace conference on the Middle East, as proposed by the General Assembly. Backed by the Finnish Government, the encounter was moderated by Vasiliy Safronchuk, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Security Council Affairs. Participating in the panel were policy makers and analysts from Palestine, Israel and Egypt, as well as from China, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States. Attending the Encounter were 58 senior representatives of the media, including columnists, senior editors and editorial writers from all European States, as well as representatives of the Palestinian and Israeli media. DPI believes the discussions at the Helsinki Encounter provide useful insights into many themes which remain at the core of the Palestinian question, and hopes that their publication will add to public understanding of issues critical to the success of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.