Records Regarding the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid, Spain

The materials in FOIA 1998-0497-F are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. FOIA 1998-0497-F contains materials related to the planning and organization of the October 1991 2 1998-0497-F Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid, Spain. This FOIA primarily contains correspondence, memoranda, cables, diplomatic dispatches, reports, studies, maps, and printed material which document all aspects of staging the conference as well as the conference itself. The materials in this FOIA date from roughly November 1990 through November 1991. Correspondence, memoranda, cables, and diplomatic dispatches are almost entirely classified and provide detailed information about the role of the United States in convening the peace conference. The materials also document the interactions of Middle Eastern nations and the role of European nations in the peace process. All of the materials reveal the detailed, highly complex nature of the negotiations leading up to and during the peace conference and highlight the positions of the various parties involved. The correspondence in particular documents the exchanges among heads of state throughout the negotiations, whereas memoranda, cables, and dispatches reveal the world of the professional negotiators and diplomats involved in the process. All materials shed light on the constantly evolving Middle East peace process. However, it should be emphasized that the vast majority of these materials are not currently available to the public due to security classifications. As stated earlier above, previously restricted materials are added as they are released. Routine correspondence, reports, studies, maps, and printed material also document the peace process and the efforts to convene a Middle East peace conference in Madrid. These materials provide insight into the attitudes and opinions of interest groups as they promoted particular ideas and proposals regarding the Middle East. Some routine correspondence was created by members of Congress or the general public interested in the peace process. Read less