PEACE PROCESS WORLD PLAYERS

PEACE PROCESS PLAYERS (WORLD)

William Burns U.S. assistant secretary of state Washington's new envoy to the Mideast peace process.

William Burns, had served as ambassador to Jordan since 1998 after beginning his diplomatic career there 16 years earlier. President George W. Bush has nominated Burns as assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, although his nomination is still awaiting Senate confirmation. At a confirmation hearing before the Senate, Burns advocated a strong U.S. role in the push toward solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Because of his long service in Jordan and close relations with King Abdullah II, he is regarded as sensitive to Arab positions among Arabs who have often complained that the United States shows a marked bias toward Israel.

George W. Bush U.S. president

George W. Bush, the former Texas governor and son of former President George Bush, succeeded Bill Clinton as president of the United States on January 20, 2001 -- in the midst of increasing violence between Palestinians and Israelis. Bush initially favored a less active role in Mideast affairs for the United States than that of his predecessor, but he has shifted his position somewhat following the release of a report from former U.S. Sen.

George Mitchell's investigative committee that urged quick implementation of several proposals aimed at ending the violence. Bush had spoken with the late Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, urging both men to do whatever is necessary to stop the violence, but he has so far allowed Secretary of State Colin Powell to take the lead on the issues.

Bill Clinton Former U.S. president

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton stepped up efforts in the final months of his second term to achieve a breakthrough agreement between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Despite going to great lengths, Clinton failed to bring the two sides to agreement before he left office January 20 and was succeeded by President George W. Bush.

In October 1998, Clinton played host to a summit in Wye Mills, Maryland, that resulted in an agreement between Arafat and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Fully implementing the terms of the Wye accords -- including a release of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli troop withdrawal from Palestinian territory in exchange for better security for Israel -- proved more difficult.

Clinton did manage some powerful symbolic gestures, however, such as paying a historic visit in December 1998 to the Palestinian self-ruled territory of Gaza -- the first by an American president.

Colin Powell U.S. secretary of state

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is a retired four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving under Presidents George Bush -- father of current President George W. Bush -- and Bill Clinton. In that capacity, he oversaw Operation Desert Storm and the victory over Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Previously, Powell served as assistant to the president for National Security Affairs under the senior Bush and President Ronald Reagan. As the top U.S. diplomat, Powell was one of the point persons for U.S. policy on the Middle East and he was regarded as a moderate in the Bush administration. In November 2004, after Bush was re-elected, Powell announced that he would leave the administration. Bush has nominated National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to replace him.

Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni

U.S. envoy to the Middle East Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, the new United States envoy to the Middle East, is trying to broker a cease-fire between the Israelis and Palestinians.The four-star general, who retired in 2000 after serving as commander of the U.S. Central Command, was the leader of Operation Desert Fox, the 1998 air campaign aimed at forcing Iraq to comply with United Nations weapons inspectors.Zinni, a Purple Heart recipient who served in Vietnam, also supervised the 1995 withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia and the military reprisal following the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa.

His diplomatic experience includes work with Ethiopia and Eritrea to resolve a border dispute.

AGREEMENTS PEACE PROCESS (GENEVA ACCORD)

Reaffirming their obligation to conduct themselves in conformity with the norms of international law and the Charter of the United Nations; Confirming that this Agreement is concluded within the framework of the Middle East peace process initiated in Madrid in October 1991, the Declaration of Principles of September 13, 1993, the subsequent agreements including the Interim Agreement of September 1995, the Wye River Memorandum of October 1998 and the Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum of September 4, 1999, and the permanent status negotiations including the Camp David Summit of July 2000, the Clinton Ideas of December 2000, and the Taba Negotiations of January 2001;

Reiterating their commitment to United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 1397 and confirming their understanding that this Agreement is based on, will lead to, and - by its fulfillment - will constitute the full implementation of these resolutions and to the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in all its aspects;Declaring that this Agreement constitutes the realization of the permanent status peace component envisaged in President Bush's speech of June 24, 2002 and in the Quartet Roadmap process;

Declaring that this Agreement marks the historic reconciliation between the Palestinians and Israelis, and paves the way to reconciliation between the Arab World and Israel and the establishment of normal, peaceful relations between the Arab states and Israel in accordance with the relevant clauses of the Beirut Arab League Resolution of March 28, 2002; and Resolved to pursue the goal of attaining a comprehensive regional peace, thus contributing to stability, security, development and prosperity throughout the region;