I'll say it again: The significance of the events that FP has been reporting may be hard to overstate. However, because of minor doctrinal differences, it's doubtful many of God's people will hear about them.

Monday Secretary General Kofi Annan formally introduced the Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) to the UN General Assembly. You may recall, AoC co-sponsor, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called the AoC, "the global peace project of the 21st century." Also on Monday, the AoC's other co-sponsor -- Spanish Prime Minister Luis Rodriguez Zapatero -- said, "We are here today for the formal christening of the project. Today we are fulfilling a new phase, with the objective of strengthening alliances, adding up to efforts that can translate into concrete actions to contribute to peace, and to enhance a dialogue amongst civilisations," Read about it here

Yesterday, on C-SPAN, I saw British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair was on his Middle East peace tour and visiting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at Olmert's residence in Jerusalem. The two leaders were having a joint press conference and among questions addressed to Olmert, a reporter asked:

"You said he [Blair] has put forward new ideas and new initiatives. Could you tell us about some of these ideas?" (I'm working from rough notes, so I may not have it perfect)

After Olmert responded that it wouldn't be wise to discuss the details, Blair stepped in by saying:

"What I can say is that it all comes from the European Council [EU's December summit]. It was important that the door remain open to Turkey's EU membership. There are implications to this issue. It involves everybody of good will working together."

If you recall, Turkey is a co-sponsor of the AoC -- the global peace project of the 21st century. And, as I reported yesterday, immediately after the EU's summit was over, Blair started his Middle East peace tour by first going to Turkey.

As we put this all together, we might be finding out why President Bush decided to wait until after the first to announce his new strategy in the Middle East. He may want to wait until after he completes his discussions in early January with the EU's Javier Solana.

Friends, if you read the report, you are aware that it specifically states that the AoC isn't intended to take the place of either the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace, or the European Neighborhood Policy. The AoC is only meant to complement these programs, like a bridge over troubled (Mediterranean) water.

And Monday, the bridge was formally christened.