It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to all who have gathered in Cairo for this very timely conference. The International Alliance for Arab-Israeli Peace, the Government of Denmark, the European Commission and all others involved merit our recognition for this important contribution to the cause of peace.
The United Nations has been involved in the Middle East since the Organization`s earliest days, reflecting the international community`s abiding interest in a comprehensive, just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians and throughout the wider region.
During my own visit to the region last year, I witnessed the hardship and deprivation caused be decades of conflict, I heard villagers in Lebanon and on the Golan Heights express hope that their homes and fields would never again become battle zones. I learned more about the deep yearning of the Jewish people for a haven among the family of nations. I saw the Palestinian Authority coping with its new and formidable responsibilities. I met with Palestinian refugees who had known no life but that in the refugee camps, and who were trying to maintain their dignity under dismal conditions and restrictions.
Alliances such as yours break down the fear and suspicion that poison relations between peoples. You are sending a vital message of peaceful coexistence. And you are building the courage needed for the difficult road ahead. All the parties must preserve, on all tracks, without losing sight of the gains the peace process has brought thus far, and with an understanding on just how much there is to lose if the process falters yet again. As is written in the Copenhagen Declarations, "Let the State of War end, let the State of Peace begin". In that spirit, please accept me best wishes for a successful conference.
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