As they say one thing led to another and ultimately the British and Irish governments asked me to serve as chairman of the peace negotiations which ironically began six years ago this week.

I came here as a practical man to talk not simply on the question of peace and war but to treat another question which is of hardly less importance - the enormous and burdensome standing armaments which it is the practice of modern Governments to sustain in time of peace.

From 1836 down to last year there is no proof of the Government having any confidence in the duration of peace or possessing increased security against war.

We as the Afghan people and government are willing to help Pakistan work for peace in Afghanistan and work for peace in Pakistan together.

I believe however that peace is attainable regardless of the Arabs mentality society or government.

Nothing is more important in the preservation of peace than to secure among the great mass of the people living under constitutional government a just conception of the rights which their nation has against others and of the duties their nation owes to others.

It is not uncommon in modern times to see governments straining every nerve to keep the peace and the people whom they represent with patriotic enthusiasm and resentment over real or fancied wrongs urging them forward to war.

Certainly protecting oppressed people stopping ethnic conflict and promoting responsible governance are worthy goals. But none is as important for American security and prosperity as keeping the peace in the Middle East Europe and East Asia.

When a peace agreement is concluded between the Lebanese government and Israel we would surely disagree with the Lebanese government about that but we would not make any turmoil out of it.

On the other hand if the free world is concerned with how a new Palestinian leader governs then the peace process will have a real chance to succeed.