Madrid Conference of 1991 facts for kids
The Madrid Conference of 1991 was a big meeting held in Madrid, Spain, from October 30 to November 1, 1991. The United States and the Soviet Union helped organize it.
The main goal of the conference was to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Other Arab countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria also took part.
After the main conference, leaders started more specific talks. These included "bilateral" talks (between two sides, like Israel and the Palestinians) and "multilateral" talks (involving many sides) about working together in the region.
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Why the Conference Happened
After the Gulf War in 1991, the United States wanted to create a new sense of order in the Middle East. President George H. W. Bush believed it was a good time to push for peace between Arabs and Israelis.
He wanted to find a way for Israel and its neighbors to live peacefully. A key idea was "land for peace," meaning Israel would give back some land in exchange for peace agreements.
Getting Ready for the Talks
President Bush decided to hold a big international peace conference in Madrid. The U.S. government thought that winning the Gulf War gave them a good chance to help start peace talks.
James Baker, the U.S. Secretary of State, made many trips to the Middle East. He worked hard to get everyone to agree to come to the conference. The U.S. and the Soviet Union sent invitations to Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Palestinians.
Money and Settlements
During the preparations, Israel asked the U.S. for $11 billion in loan guarantees. These loans would help Israel welcome new immigrants. However, the U.S. had concerns.
The U.S. did not want these loans to be used for building new settlements in areas that were part of the peace talks. This disagreement caused some tension between the U.S. and Israel.
Secretary Baker worked tirelessly to find a way for everyone to agree on how the conference would work. The issue of Palestinian representation was also tricky, as Israel did not want official PLO members in the delegation.
President Bush strongly believed that the loan guarantees should not be linked to building settlements. He even asked the U.S. Congress to delay the loans. This showed how determined he was to make the peace conference happen. Eventually, the parties agreed to meet in Madrid.
The Conference Itself
The Palestinian team was part of a joint delegation with Jordan. They were from the West Bank and Gaza. Israel did not want official PLO members or people from East Jerusalem to be part of the Palestinian group.
However, the Palestinian delegation stayed in close contact with the PLO leaders in Tunis. An unofficial "advisory delegation" from the PLO was also present to help guide the Palestinian team.
The Madrid Conference was mainly an opening event. It did not have the power to force solutions or agreements. Instead, it started the process for future talks, both bilateral (two sides) and multilateral (many sides).
This conference was also special because it was the last time both the Soviet Union and the U.S. were present at such a major meeting. The Soviet Union broke apart later that year in December 1991.
Talks After Madrid
After the Madrid Conference, two main types of negotiations began:
Bilateral Negotiations
These talks involved two sides at a time. They aimed to create peace treaties between Israel and Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinians. These talks started right after the conference ended in November 1991.
Many meetings followed in Washington, D.C. The talks between Israel and the Palestinians were difficult at first. Later, secret talks began, which eventually led to the Oslo I Accord.
Multilateral Negotiations
These talks involved many countries and focused on shared regional issues. These issues included water, the environment, arms control, refugees, and economic development.
The first multilateral meeting took place in Moscow in January 1992. The European Union also took part. Israel sometimes did not attend meetings about refugees and economic development because Palestinians from outside the West Bank and Gaza were present. Syria and Lebanon also sometimes refused to join if there wasn't enough progress in the bilateral talks.
What the Conference Achieved
The Madrid Conference had several important impacts:
- One key outcome was the repeal of a UN Resolution that had called Zionism a form of racism. Israel had made this a condition for its participation.
- The conference and the peace process helped Israel gain recognition from many more countries around the world. This included major powers like China and India. Some Arab countries like Oman and Qatar also started diplomatic relations with Israel.
- The Arab boycott against Israel also began to decline.
While some people believe the conference's actual achievements were small, its symbolic importance was huge. It was the first time all these countries met "face-to-face" to discuss peace.
At the end of the conference, everyone seemed hopeful for the future.
- Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir said, "With an open heart, we call on the Arab leaders to take the courageous step and respond to our outstretched hand in peace."
- The head of the Palestinian Delegation, Haidar Abdel-Shafi, thanked the organizers for listening.
The bilateral talks between Israel and the Palestinians eventually led to the signing of the Oslo I Accord in 1993. The talks between Israel and Jordan led to a peace treaty in 1994. While Israel and Syria also had many meetings, they did not reach a peace treaty.
See also
- UN General Assembly Resolution 43/176
- List of Soviet Union–United States summits (1943 to 1991)
- List of Middle East peace proposals
In Spanish: Conferencia de Paz de Madrid para niños
