Former U.S. Middle East Peace Envoy Talks Israel, Iran, Egypt
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On
Tuesday, the Honorable George J. Mitchell spoke to members of the
Pacific Council on International Policy about tensions between
Israel and Hamas, challenges posed
by Iran's nuclear program, and the
current crisis in Egypt. Although
it has as yet been impossible to reach an agreement for
Israeli-Palestinian peace, Senator Mitchell expressed hopefulness
that this will eventually happen, because it is in the interest of
both sides. Meanwhile, the United
States is in the best position to help negotiate.
Senator Mitchell's discussion with former California congressman Mel Levine, who served as moderator, also
touched on events of the Arab Awakening. He noted that western
nations should not expect quick resolutions to continuing unrest in
the region: historically, similar transitions have taken years.
Furthermore, governments overturned in revolutions have not always
been replaced by something better, he pointed out.
Senator George Mitchell served in
the U.S. Senate from 1980 to 1995 and was Senate Majority Leader
from 1989 to 1995. He was instrumental in negotiating a peace
agreement in Northern Ireland, and
was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Senator Mitchell
most recently served as the U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East
Peace from 2009 until 2011.
The Pacific Council in International Policy
(www.pacificcouncil.org), headquartered in Los Angeles, is the premier membership-based
international affairs organization on the west coast of
the United States. The Pacific
Council is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the
Honorable Mickey Kantor, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S.
Trade Representative, and Ambassador Robert
H. Tuttle, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Dr. Jerrold D. Green serves as President and CEO of
the Pacific Council.
CONTACT:
Melissa Lockhart Fortner
Senior External Affairs Officer
Pacific Council on International Policy
213-221-2016 (direct)
mlockhart@pacificcouncil.org
SOURCE Pacific Council on International Policy