Peace Talks in Madrid

After all the rancor and vitriol had filtered down in that conference room in Madrid, Secretary of State James Baker raised his hands in a time-out signal (Nov. 2). Let’s hope that sign will still the venom for all future meetings. The conferees must get on with things of substance. Forget the past’s slings and arrows. Forget such petty things as where future meetings will be held. Find neutral sites if those suggested beforehand are not satisfactory.

It is an opportunity not to be missed. Above all, justice must be served. We must give to each party that which it deserves. Each party must acknowledge the just claims of the other. That won’t be easy. But the problems of the Middle East were created by humans and they can be solved by humans.

DON RADEMACHER, Los Angeles