The Honorable George Mitchell
Washington, D.C.
Dear George:
I want to thank you for agreeing to serve as the chairman of the fact-finding committee agreed to by Prime Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit of October 15-17, 2000. The two leaders requested that I develop with them, as well as in consultation with the United Nations Secretary-General, a committee of fact-finding on the events of the past several weeks and how to prevent their recurrence. Accordingly, I would like to provide you with my thoughts about the Committees work.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee is being established to provide an objective study of the events since last September involving violence in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. The Committee should focus on the problem of violent confrontations between Israelis and Palestinians and the politics and practices of the two sides during the crisis. It should, in particular, provide an assessment of exactly what has happened, why it has happened, and how to prevent its recurrence. The Committee should not become a divisive force or a focal point for blame and recrimination but rather should serve to forestall violence and confrontation and provide lessons for the future.
The methodology of the Committees work, including how to gather the information necessary to complete its task, will be left to the Committees judgment. The Committee may, after consultation with the United Nations Secretary-General, appoint experts to assist in its work. The two sides have also confirmed to me their intent to cooperate with the Committee. When the Committee believes it has sufficient information it should prepare a written report, which it is hoped can be completed in the first half of 2001. In accordance with the understandings reached at Sharm el-Sheikh, the report will be shared by the U.S. President with the UN Secretary-General and the two sides before the President makes it public. This will allow the Committee to examine any additional suggestions before finalizing its report.
The Committee should seek to operate by consensus to the maximum extent possible. This will lend greater authority to its findings and recommendations.
Let me thank you again for joining in this important undertaking.
Sincerely,
President Clinton