ABSTRACT
The year 1992 was by general agreement a terrible year for enthusiasts of European union. It began with the high hopes engendered by the successful conclusion of the intergovernmental conferences at the Maastricht summit of December 1991. Europe was distrusted by one of the key disputants, Israel, while it lacked the clout of the most obvious mediator, the US. The achievement of lasting peace in the region is of vital importance for Europe. This is why the Community and its member states are fully committed to playing a consistent role in this process, bearing in mind that the Middle East is a neighboring region, with which Europe has long-standing political, historical, cultural, economic and commercial ties, and whose stability and security are essential to Europe's own stability and security. European Community statement on the ME process, 17 February 1992.
