United Nations International Meeting

 In Support Of The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

23 May 2010 – The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People is inviting journalists to cover the United Nations International Meeting in Support of the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process, being held under the theme: “Ending the occupation and establishing the Palestinian State.” The Meeting’s official languages will be English and Arabic. There will also be simultaneous interpretation from and into Turkish.

WHERE: Sheraton Hotel Istanbul Ataköy, Istanbul, Turkey

WHEN: 25-26 May 2010

WHO: The opening session, on 25 May, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., is expected to feature:

  • Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey
  • Robert Serry, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, representing Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
  • Zahir Tanin, Head of Delegation, Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
  • Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
  • Ibrahim Khraishi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority

Plenary I, on the state of the political process and prospects for peace, will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on 25 May, and is expected to feature:

  • Michele Dunne, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, D.C.
  • Jad Isaac, Director General, Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem, Jerusalem
  • Eti Livni, Former Member of the Knesset, Tel Aviv
  • Ghassan Khatib, Director, Government Media Centre, Palestinian Authority, Ramallah
  • Richard Murphy, Adjunct Scholar, Middle East Institute, New York
  • Danny Seidemann, Legal Counsel, Ir Amim, Jerusalem

Plenary II, on the Palestinian Authority programme of ending the occupation and establishing the Palestinian State, will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 26 May, and is expected to feature:

  • Bassam Al-Salhi, General Secretary, Palestinian People's Party, Jerusalem
  • Thomas Neu, Field Director, Carter Center Field Office, Ramallah
  • Güven Sak, Director, Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, Ankara
  • Jennifer Tonge, Member of the House of Lords, London

Plenary III, on breaking the deadlock and creating a political climate conducive to the advancement of the peace process, will run from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on 26 May, and is expected to feature:

  • Mensur Akgün, Director, Global Political Trends Center, Istanbul Kültür University, Istanbul
  • Nils Butenschøn, Director, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, Oslo
  • Nabil Fahmy, Ambassador and Dean of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy,  American University in Cairo, Cairo
  • Chinmaya Gharekhan, Former Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India for West Asia and the Middle East Peace Process, New Delhi

The closing session, on 26 May, from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., is expected to feature representatives of Turkey, Palestine, and the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

MEDIA ENCOÄ¢¹½ÊÓÆµTERS: The entire Meeting will be open for media coverage. In addition, a press conference is expected to be held at on 25 May immediately following the opening statements (at approximately 11:15 a.m.). Expected participants include:

  • Ahmet Davutoğlu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkey
  • Zahir Tanin, Head of Delegation, Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People  
  • Ibrahim Khraishi, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority

BACKGROÄ¢¹½ÊÓÆµD: The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was established in 1975 by the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ General Assembly. It exists to promote the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people; raise international awareness on the question of Palestine; mobilize international support for and assistance to the Palestinian people; and work towards a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine. As part of fulfilling its mandate, the Committee organizes conferences throughout the world.

ACCREDITATION: Journalists are invited to register in advance. Registration forms, which are attached to this message, can be returned to: dpr-meeting@un.org. [Registration forms can also be obtained by e-mailing: dpr-meeting@un.org.] Upon arrival, journalists should pick up their colour-coded badges in Room “Vasco da Gama 3,” on the second floor of the Annex building, on 21 May or 23 May from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; or 24 May from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Starting on 25 May, at 8:30 a.m., a registration area will be set up in the foyer to the conference room, the “Ceremony Ballroom,” on the mezzanine level (one flight up from the main lobby).

MORE INFORMATION: For additional information about the Meeting or Committee, or to arrange interviews with any of the speakers, please contact: Mr. Brenden Varma