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Describes recent progress in Middle East peace talks and notes that if the conference convenes, it will be the first Arab-Israeli talks in more than a decade. Desire to curry favor with Washington; Spotlight on Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir; Issue of the Golan Heights.

Syria's President Hafez Assad has emerged as the chief player in attempts to arrange freedom of the American hostages. Israel's Prime Minister Shimon Peres found himself treading a dangerous mine field, fearing rising strains with the US. Shi'ite leader, Nabih Berri's handling of the hostage crisis dramatically confirmed his role as a key power broker in the Lebanese political maelstrom. See also (* Newsweek, 7/8/85, 2 c, p17, 3p) See also (* Maclean's, 7/1/85, 1c, p24, 1p)

Describes the goings-on during the four days at the Esteghlal (Independence) Hotel, formerly the Tehran Hilton, where more than 400 Muslim radicals from 45 countries gathered at the invitation of the Iranian parliament, the Majlis. Participants of Middle East terrorism, including Ahmed Jibril, leader of the Syrian-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command; Previous terrorism acts; Paranoia among conference delegates; More.

Discusses how the Middle East scorns what President George Bush now calls the `new history'--pacifism and disarmament--a history that must be forced onto this stubborn, dangerous neighborhood. It is far too late to introduce a new nation between Israel and Jordan. What Israeli-Palestinian peace must include; The part Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir must play to achieve peace; An uneasy standoff in Syrian-Israeli relations; The deadly choice Arab nations made in 1948.

Comments that Western expectations for a Middle East peace remain peculiarly Christian ones, based at heart on the premise that if only the Israelis and the Palestinians would sit down and talk they would learn to love their neighbors as themselves. Fundamental differences between the Semitic and the Western world views; The essence of Jewish morality: to perfect this world, one must hate evil, not forgive it; `What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man.'

Focuses on civilian political movements in the Middle East and former Soviet Union that reject the rule of fear. Emboldening effect of revolutions in the Ukraine, Georgia and Lebanon, on repressive countries; Observation that Arab leaders may make symbolic gestures, similar to Syrian President Bashar Assad's agreement to withdraw troops from Lebanon, for fear of losing complete control; Need for the U.S. to forge an agreed-upon common response with Europe and Japan to violence perpetrated by a Middle Eastern government if reform goes wrong.

States that the annual economic conference, taking place in November 1997 in the gulf state of Qatar, is being boycotted by most of the Arab states. The reason being to protest lack of progress in Palestinian-Israeli peace talks; Madeleine Albright representing the United States; Brief description of previous Middle East-North Africa (MENA) Economic Summits.

Looks at the infighting between two rival Kurdish factions in the Middle East, which has hindered Kurdish dreams for statehood. Competition between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) for control of a oil-smuggling route between Turkey and Iraq; Importance of this route to Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein; Jalal Talabani, leader of the PUK; Massoud Barzani, leader of the KDP; Response from the world's major powers.

Editorial. Suggests that Yitzhak Rabin, Yassir Arafat and Shimon Peres picked up their Nobel Prizes just in time, as their peace process is rapidly coming unstuck. Israel's plummeting confidence in the prospects for peace; Reluctance to withdraw Israeli security forces from West Bank towns; How Gaza is undermining any enthusiasm within Israel for an agreement to return the Golan Heights to Syria; What can break the cycle of fear; Easing Israeli security concerns.

Looks at the increasingly wobbly Mideast peace process. Meeting between Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yassir Arafat and US Secretary of State Warren Christopher; Islamic fundamentalist terrorist attacks that have killed 70 Israelis in 1994; Tough rhetoric from Syrian President Hafez Assad over the return of the strategic Golan Heights.

Editorial. Suggests that the famous handshake on the White House lawn in September 1993 has dissolved into televised funerals. How Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yassir Arafat's promise of a new epoch that is free from violence has proved to be a fraud; PLO campaign which marries violence with cynicism; How the only security solution--responsible Palestinians working with Israelis--now seems a remote possibility; More.

Editorial. Discusses how there would be no peace between Israel and Syria and Israel and Jordan if Israel, in return for promises of peace, gave back the Golan Heights, the mountain ridges of the West Bank and the buffer zone in southern Lebanon.Only the Jordanians seem serious about developing a new relationship with Israel; Why international guarantees will not resolve the issue; What the loan guarantees are needed for.

Reports that Middle East intelligence sources say the recent resignation of terrorist leader Mohammed Abbas--the mastermind of the 1985 hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro--from the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is turning out to be little more than diplomatic window dressing. The reason for the resignation; The deal with PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat; Units of the Abbas gang are now training at secret bases.

Reports that the Middle East peace parley will open with a two-day ceremonial session in a European capital. Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Denmark and Czechoslovakia have offered to serve as hosts.