Guide to Preparing International Summits

July 18, 2007

Do your homework
Preparation in advance of the summit is essential in working with conflicting parties. In preparation for the 1979 Camp David summit, President Carter corresponded extensively with Israeli and Egyptian officials while greatly utilizing the full range of executive resources to gain a complete understanding of the parties’ interests. After the conclusion of the Gulf War Secretary of State James Baker made eight trips to the region in preparation for the Madrid Peace Conference.

Start with everyone with a vested interest
An Israeli-Palestinian agreement affects regional neighbors, and often requires various kinds of support. The Arab League Initiative is indicative of the nature of inter-locking issues in the region. The Madrid Conference included delegations from Syria, part of the U.S.-led coalition during the first Gulf War, Lebanon, which maintained neutrality during that war, in addition to Jordan and the Palestinians, both critics of that war.

Don’t forget U.S. role in bridging divides is critical
The presence of the U.S. is integral to the Arab-Israeli peace process. The U.S. worked to bridge conflicting positions while providing incentives and guarantees to each side in numerous instances. This commitment was clear in the Israel-Egypt peace treaty in 1979 and was illustrated through the 1990s’ with the Madrid Peace Conference, Israel-Jordan peace accord in 1994 and the Wye River Accord in 1996.

Do not miss windows of opportunity
President Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem in 1977 provided a breakthrough that led to Camp David and the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty. The conclusion of the first Gulf War, the initiation of the Madrid Conference by President Bush, the subsequent election of Prime Minister Rabin, laid the foundation for the Oslo process, from which emerged not only consensus around a two- state solution to the still unresolved Israeli Palestinian conflict, but also, by 1994, the Israel-Jordan peace accord.



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In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

08/20/10
Center for American Progress Welcomes Resumption of Direct Talks  —
08/10/10
A View from the Ground  —Darbaz Kosrat Rasul, chair, Rebaz Foundation. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
08/03/10
U.S.-Turkish Relations  —Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr., recently returned deputy ambassador in Afghanistan; former ambassador to Egypt (2005-2008); and deputy chief of mission and charge d'affaires in U.S. embassy in Turkey (1995-1999). Congressional Testimony.

Setting the Record Straight

Eye Still on the Ball

“Adverse developments in Iraq will be (and will look to be) increasingly a function of the Obama Team taking their eye off of the ball and rushing to declare mission accomplished. Yes, in such a scenario the Iraqis should bear most of the blame, but the part that is due to U.S. action or inaction will be Obama's responsibility. And it will matter. Iraq is at the center of a region that every president since Jimmy Carter has identified as vital to our national security. Iraq is next door to, and the playground for mischief from, the most thorny national security challenge the United States faces: a nuclear-weapons-seeking Iranian regime. These inconvenient facts mean that if the Iraqi situation demands more focused and costly U.S. attention, it will likely get it. At that point, what sort of domestic coalition will be available for President Obama's Iraq policy?”
—Peter Feaver, director, Triangle Institute for Security Studies; former director for defense policy and arms control, National Security Council, “Obama’s Iraq Speech: Another Missed Opportunity,” Foreign Policy, August 3, 2010versus
  • “Iraq is a strategically important place in the Middle East, just by its geographic location, by its population, by the influence it's had in the Middle East for a long time. So neighboring countries from around the Middle East have an interest inside of Iraq.

    “But I will tell you that I think Iraqis themselves are nationalistic in nature, and that's why it's important. A strong Iraq will defend itself against interference from outside countries, and I think as we build a strong Iraq and as we continue to build a strong security mechanism and as we continue to help them economically and diplomatically, that will make it less likely of others from the outside being able to interfere.

    “Now, for the vacuum as we see today, again, I remind everyone is that we still have a significant presence here, and we are not going to—we will not allow undue maligned influence on the Iraqi government as they attempt to form their government. What we're trying to do is provide them the space and time for them to do that, and we will continue to do that post 1 September. We'll still have a significant civilian presence, and again, we'll still have 50,000 troops on the ground here to ensure that this government can be formed by the Iraqis. And that all the other nations respect their sovereignty as they go about forming their government.”
    —General Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, interview, “This Week” with Christiane Amanpour, August 8, 2010

    • Middle East Analysis

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