The EPLO and La Trobe University Centre for Dialogue hosted and facilitated the Athens Dialogue on Establishing in the Middle East a Zone Free of "Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Means of Delivery" on 14-16 november, 2012 at the EPLO premises in Sounion, Greece.
The gathering of Middle East representatives was marked by extraordinary respect and empathy between participants coming from the areas of conflict. Using the dialogue method developed and refined over many years by the centre for Dialogue, the meeting generated a range of connections, new opportunities for networking and new ideas on ways forward for Middle Eastern governments and communities.
Proposals emerging out of the Dialogue included new confidence-building measures to promote Middle East denuclearization, such as the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to be ratified by all states in the region, new regional processes to pursue denuclearization, such as a regional agreement by governments not to attack nuclear installations anywhere in the region and new civil society initiatives to encourage Middle Eastern governments to enter into negotiations, for example the creation of a Middle east Regional centre for Peace and Disarmament.
Around forty participants including Israeli, Palestinian, Arab, Iranian and other Middle Eastern civil society leaders, former diplomats, and some diplomatic representatives attended the Dialogue. The Athens Dialogue was also supported by the University of Queensland and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
The full report of the "Athens Dialogue" is available online in ftp format. Click here
