The participants shared their assessment of Christian-Muslim relations to day and their evaluation of dialogue efforts and worked together on a draft document. It was meant to analyze present trends and offer some elements of prospective reflection. Also, it tried to articulate converging positions on various thorny issues debated in the last ten years, Thirdly, it suggested areas of priorities for future initiatives and attempted to order them according to the perceived needs and possibilities. Finally, it discussed ways of continuing to deal with divisive issues.

The drafted document, to be made public in February 2001, revisits, in light of the changes in the last decade, the text approved, in 1992, by the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and entitled "Issues in Christian-Muslim Relations: Ecumenical Considerations".

No official or authoritative status of this document is envisaged. But it will hopefully be used as an invitation to reflection by some and a contribution to an ongoing debate by others.

This conference followed up, and broadened the scope of, a previous one held in Beirut last March which dealt with the communal tensions in the Middle East. The "Arab Group On Christian-Muslim Dialogue" convened both conferences in collaboration with the Middle East Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.

There were presentations and extensive discussions on the situations of countries represented. Emphasis was laid on recent developments and their significance for the future of Christian-Muslim dialogue and cooperation.

In the case of Palestinians, the interest in, and solidarity with, the Palestinian uprising that binds Muslims and Christians strongly together overshadowed the preoccupations expressed during the few previous years concerning Christian-Muslim relations.

The Limassol conference debated on the similarities between the various situations examined. The emphasis on the specificity of each situation prevailed. While many questions about one situation mirrored, in the understanding of some, their own situations, participants warned against "essentializing" conflicts involving Christians and Muslims and considering increasingly plausible a global "war between Christianity and Islam" scenario.

Finally, the conference discussed the draft of a document entitled " Towards a Christian-Muslim Covenant" to be used as a tool for a wider reflection and discussion on the meaning of dialogue, its conditions and guidelines in the context of building co-citizenship and consolidating a shared living.