There is no backing away by the United States in the support for the millennium summit declaration.

This summit declaration went a few steps further than the statement agreed on after the last meeting of Arab heads of state, in 1996.

Environmental groups criticized the summit declaration's position on the environment as too weak.

"It's strange, having a summit declaration on democratic reforms and not inviting a country because it has a free press," one diplomat said.

The summit declaration says clearly that "prospects are now brighter than ever before for lasting, qualitative improvements in the East-West relationship."

Did they want better language in a summit declaration?

In other words, we feel that the summit declaration is a list of missing items and missed opportunities.

It was disappointing that the summit declaration did not make any reference to parliamentary engagement at all.

But it is crucial that the summit declaration clearly spells out the need for closer dialogue.

Emphasis was given in the final summit declaration to overcoming ethnic conflict and guaranteeing minority rights (a thorny issue for all member countries).