In the name of God, the most merciful, the passionate, Mr. President, ladies and
gentlemen, I would like to express our tremendous appreciation to President
Clinton and to his administration for sponsoring this historic event which the en-
tire world has been waiting for.

Mr. President, I am taking this opportunity to assure you and to assure the
great American people that we share your values for freedom, justice and human
rights—values for which my people have been striving.

My people are hoping that this agreement which we are signing today marks
the beginning of the end of a chapter of pain and suffering which has lasted
throughout this century.

My people are hoping that this agreement which we are signing today will
usher in an age of peace, coexistence and equal rights. We are relying on your role,
Mr. President, and on the role of all the countries which believe that without
peace in the Middle East, peace in the world will not be complete.

Enforcing the agreement and moving toward the final settlement, after two
years, to implement all aspects of U.N. resolutions 242 and 338 in all of their as-
pects, and to resolve all the issues of Jerusalem, the settlements, the refugees and
the boundaries will be a Palestinian and an Israeli responsibility. It is also the re-
sponsibility of the international community in its entirety to help the parties
overcome the tremendous difficulties which are still standing in the way of reach-
ing a final and comprehensive settlement.

Now as we stand on the threshold of this new historic era, let me address the
people of Israel and their leaders, with whom we are meeting today for the first
time, and let me assure them that the difficult decision we reached together was
one that required great and exceptional courage.

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