The Rt Hon Jack Straw M.P
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Kings Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH

Dear Secretary of State,

I wish to thank you for the impeccable manner in which you chaired the London Conference and conducted the deliberations. Your deployment of diplomatic savoir faire was simply impressive.

I was extremely happy that:

-Our cry for freedom out of captivity and bondage is being heard by the international community.
- that its was understood that reforms, constitutional pluralism, transparency, accountability and meritocracy are Palestinian aspirations and expectations, a Palestinian right and even a duty towards our people and not a condition being imposed and inflicted on us by the outside word;
- that all participants at the London Conference were aware that the issue of Reforms should not be that tree that hides the forest; the forest in this case being the ugly sight of dispossession, dispersion and destruction, a stubborn occupation and repeated
- reinvasions of Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps;
- that the London Conference will be a catalist for the reinvigoration of the Quartet. It has been my belief that with the birth of the Quartet we now have the tunnel. The vision of the Two-State solution is the light at the end of that tunnel. It is now up to the international community to abandon the steam-engined train and ride a TGV (train a grande vitesse).

Please accept, Secretary of State, the expression of my highest consideration.

I remain, yours sincerely,

Afif Safieh
Palestinian General Delegate to the UK and to the Holy See