Please allow me to mention, in this connection, first and foremost to direct my talk to Mr. Bill Clinton for the long hours which he exerted during the past 10 days, particularly those 24 hours that he spent continuously, where he was always alert and understanding, creative in order to bring back history between the cousins.

This friendliness that had been separated through war and destruction and violence for many years.

And please allow me to present my tribute and acknowledgement to Mr. Al Gore for whatever he did and whatever he does for pushing forward and protecting the peace process, the peace process of courageous people.

My dear friend, we quite feel grateful to you and to the U.S. people and, indeed, I am quite comfortable about the future of my people and that of the small peoples, having you as a great leader of the world at this great level of youth and sincerity and wisdom. This mixture of great things is a gift from God to you and to your American people, and for humanity as a whole. Your presence at the head of the international politics brings justice in the balance of peace and coexistence, which is just and well balanced.

I would also like to send this tribute from my heart to His Majesty King Hussein for his efforts, even though he has very special health concerns, and in spite of the difficulty of the negotiations that we have gone through.

Please allow me also to talk to Mrs. Mbright and to Mr. Sandy Berger and Mr. George Tenet. You have worked a lot for long months, which was strenuous indeed, during which, my dear minister, you crossed for thousands of miles for peace and the future of our children and contributed through your understanding. We all appreciate your efforts.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr. Dennis Ross and the U.S. team working with him for their efforts with us for long hours and long days because they did believe in the importance of peace for us, for our children, others.

This reconciliation between the two peoples, the Palestinian and the Israeli people, will not divert its path, and will go through negotiations on the table and not through tanks, grenades and barbed wires.

We have achieved today a large step, but it is important, my co - partner, Mr. Netanyahu, it is important in establishing the peace process because this is the peace of courageous people, the implementation of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the principle of land for peace, achievement of political rights of the Palestinian people, and putting every effort possible in the service of achieving security for all, particularly for the Israeli people.

All this will bring us to begin at once and quickly in the negotiations of the final solution that will try to achieve just and peaceful and permanent peace in order to complement what takes place also on the Syrian and the Lebanese paths very soon.

What we achieve together with the leading and effective role of President William Clinton and his U.S. team is something, if fully and sincerely implemented, will open the door, Amam ( ph ), before the Palestinian and Israeli people for more achievements, more hope, and more optimism, not only for ourselves, but also for the Middle East regions as a whole.

Once again, I'm saying that it is a big step that came late, but it is indeed an important one because it will allow the return of 13 percent of the Palestinian land on the West Bank to the

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