| About the Center: History |
The
Center for
Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation was established
in 1989 by Slim Fast Foods
Chairman S. Daniel Abraham and Utah Congressman Wayne Owens. A World
War II combat veteran, Mr. Abraham had experienced the horrors of war and
committed himself to the prevention of future conflicts. When he met
Congressman Owens, who served on the then House Foreign Affairs and Select
Intelligence Committees, the two men recognized that they shared a determination
to achieve a peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Ms. Sara Ehrman, long time peace activist and former Senior Political Advisor at the Democratic National Committee, became Senior Advisor at the Center in early 1997. Toni Verstandig, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton Administration, joined the Center in 2001. Notably, Dr. Stephen Cohen served on the Center’s staff between 1990 and 2000. Robert Malley, a Special Assistant to President Clinton for Arab-Israeli Affairs and Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council also served on the Center’s staff from 2001 to 2002.
Since its founding, the Center’s officers have traveled extensively and regularly throughout the Middle East. The Center has also sponsored numerous fact-finding missions to the region for Members of Congress, government officials, and private citizens to meet with Middle East leaders. Visiting Israel and more than 20 Arab countries, the Center has enabled American decision makers to witness first hand the challenges facing leaders who seek peace in the region.
During these visits, the Center was able to open unprecedented channels of communication as it formed close relationships with the leadership of all parties involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Through the discussions with Middle Eastern leaders, it became apparent that there is a role for the private sector to play in promoting and protecting the Middle East peace process.
The Center also sponsored several “Consultations on the New Middle East.” The consultations brought groups of business leaders and policymakers together for private, off-the-record meetings which seek to create an environment that encourages the prospects for peace in the Middle East. Previous consultations were outstandingly successful and included the following participants: Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat, James Baker, George Mitchell, numerous foreign ministers and ambassadors, Members of Congress, senior level officials from the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce, and several CEOs from large international corporations.
The Center also conducted “Retrospectives on the Peace Process” – a public forum where leading policymakers from the Middle East and the United States exchange fresh ideas on the peace process. Participants in the retrospectives program included: Osama El-Baz, Senior Egyptian Undersecretary of State; Dennis Ross, U.S. Special Middle East Coordinator; Uri Savir, former Chief Israeli negotiator for the Palestinian and Syrian tracks; Dore Gold, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations; Ahmed Abdel Rahman, General Secretary of the Palestinian Authority Cabinet; Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister of Jordan; and Thomas Friedman, author and columnist for The New York Times.
Over the past 16 years, the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation has sponsored numerous activities aimed at bringing policymakers and influential leaders in the private sector together to foster the atmosphere necessary for the promotion and protection of Middle East peace. As a result of these efforts, the Center has become an address for leaders seeking a dialogue among government officials and the private sector.
|
"During
the years I served as Secretary of State, we were assisted in our efforts
to promote peace in the Middle East by the Center for Middle East Peace
and Economic Cooperation. Dan Abraham and Wayne Owens contributed by simply
traveling and talking to leaders in all the involved countries and carrying
messages. Eventually, most of the leaders in the region received them
on a regular basis, and their efforts genuinely helped advance peace in
this complex and most dangerous part of the world."
-
James A. Baker, III |
| Fact Finding Missions |
Since its inception in 1989, the Center has sponsored more than 60 fact-finding missions to Israel and every Arab country (except Libya). Participants have included Members of Congress, Senators, government officials and leading businesspeople. The trips have provided American leaders the opportunity to meet with numerous public officials in each country, including:
