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American Morning

Powell Has Been Talking to Middle Eastern Leaders About Peace Talks

Aired February 25, 2002 - 07:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There is word this morning that Secretary of State Colin Powell has been talking to a number of key Middle Eastern leaders about efforts to get Middle East peace talks rolling once again.

Last week, we told you about a proposal by Saudi Arabia, which might break the Middle East log jam, and the man we have been talking about it with, Richard Butler, our ambassador-in-residence joins us now -- good morning.

RICHARD BUTLER, FORMER U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: Do you deny any ties with your home country of Australia? Did you have any idea of what Daryn was just talking about?

BUTLER: Well, "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" I understand, but what was the other bit?

ZAHN: "Oi! Oi! Oi!"

BUTLER: "Oi! Oi! Oi!" -- I don't go around sounding like a pig normally. I try not to. I have not heard that one. That's what I meant.

ZAHN: All right. So let's talk about the Middle East, an area...

BUTLER: Indeed.

ZAHN: ... you are very familiar with and know something about. You talked -- twice last week we touched on this issue on the Saudi Arabian proposal.

BUTLER: Right.

ZAHN: And you mentioned that since that idea was being floated, now was the time for the U.S. to become more actively involved in the process.

BUTLER: Right.

ZAHN: Well, wallah (ph), Colin Powell now apparently is. What do you make of this effort? And was he listening to you, Richard?

BUTLER: What a wise man he is, Paula, listening to A.M. No, seriously, I think it's a terrific development. This Saudi plan is gaining support. First of all, in the Arab world, and that's very, very important, Egypt in particular, but others as well. But you know, there are so many voices saying that it is time for the U.S. to get back in there. This is a very dangerous situation, and it needs U.S. leadership.

Colin Powell has been out there on the weekend doing it, calling around, ringing around leaders in the region, looking towards the Arab summit that will take place next month in Beirut, where it's expected that the Saudi crown prince will actually read a speech in which he will advance this plan. I think it is gaining support, and with the U.S. behind it, that should give it a good push.

ZAHN: Could anything significant happen in advance of the Arab summit? Is that the plan?

BUTLER: No, I don't know, other than perhaps what we are seeing on the ground in Israel. They have given a little liberty to Arafat, although the Palestinians are very angry that it's not enough. And I also see a report that Prime Minister Sharon, notwithstanding the rather I think problematic speech he made at the end of last week, but he too has been putting out feelers on the Saudi plan. I think he maybe somewhere inside himself recognizes that this is something that he will have to face, and I think he will.

A few weeks from now in Beirut that plan, especially if the U.S. is behind it, may well look like the best show in town -- the best for a long, long time as a way of bringing it into the balance and getting a real leap forward towards a settlement in the Middle East.

ZAHN: Let's move on to the issue of the situation in Afghanistan. You know how interim leader Karzai actually having made a visit to Iran and encouraging improved U.S.-Iranian relations.

BUTLER: Right.

ZAHN: Now, this comes at a time when there have been reports that Iranians have had intelligence officers in Afghanistan that al Qaeda leaders and members have reportedly crossed the border from Afghanistan into Iran. Is this the time for the U.S. to be improving relations with Iran?

BUTLER: I think so, a bit difficult after the reaction to the "axis of evil" remarks, but nevertheless, it's very important. Iran has a border with Afghanistan. It has been involved there in the past. A couple of years ago, it actually went to the edge of going to war with the Taliban government. As you pointed out, it has had intelligence officers inside Afghanistan in recent months, because of its concern about stability there.

Iran is a major country. It will have an influence over what happens in Afghanistan. Karzai knows that, and he was right to say, come on, you guys, U.S., Iran, try and get back together in some way. It will help us. It will help stability in the region. I think what he said was positive.

ZAHN: In closing, last week on a number of occasions, you took the opportunity to make some very pointed criticisms of this so-called Office of Strategic Influence that was supposed to produce, among other things, disinformation in some countries on the war on terror. Now, it appears that this plan will not go ahead. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has said just that. Was this -- and furthermore, he has gone on to say that he had no prior knowledge of this office. Do you believe that?

BUTLER: No. I think that's incredible. I am glad that they have pulled back from what was plainly a silly and possibly dangerous idea, not only we, but many other people said so too. But for the secretary to say, hey, I didn't know about this, quite specifically, Paula, he said, "I never saw its charter." That implies the existence of a charter, and we don't know whether that's true or not. And his claim that he never saw it.

I find that hard to believe, and I actually raise the question: How could it be? If what he says is true, that he didn't know anything about this, what else doesn't he know about what happens in his department? This was to be a major activity, and he says -- he is asking us to believe he didn't know about it. I find that a bit of a problem.

But thank heavens, this rather dangerous and silly idea seems to have been sent to the trash heap...

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: There was a small paragraph buried in a "Washington Post" story this morning where a person said that Donald Rumsfeld was fully briefed on this plan. So...

BUTLER: Well, Paula, it raises that question. If he didn't know, why didn't he? Frankly, I think it's disingenuous of him to say I knew nothing of it. Anyway, it's gone, and that's probably a good thing.

ZAHN: "Oi, Oi, Oi," whatever that Australian expression was.

BUTLER: Now, I know what it means.

ZAHN: I have no idea what Daryn was talking about.

BUTLER: Probably it means something positive.

ZAHN: But it's something an Australian athlete...

BUTLER: Yeah. OK.

ZAHN: ... said going home from the Olympics.

BUTLER: Good.

ZAHN: Thank you very much, Ambassador Richard Butler. BUTLER: Good to see you.

ZAHN: See you tomorrow morning.

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