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CNN Live Saturday

White House Criticized for Meeting With Arafat

Aired April 13, 2002 - 18:04   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back in Washington, there continues to be essentially a string of criticisms launched at the White House right now about the current mission here and whether or not the legacy of President Bush, still just a bit past one year old in the White House, is essentially on the line. More on that criticism now, the White House, here's Kelly Wallace on that front.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Exactly one week ago, a confident President Bush said the Israelis would adhere to his demand to halt their military offensive and withdraw from Palestinian areas without delay.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think they will heed the call.

WALLACE: But they have not. Neither have the Palestinians heeded Mr. Bush's call to take concrete steps to prevent Palestinian suicide bombings like the bloodshed Friday in Jerusalem. Calls to Arab leaders to put pressure on Yasser Arafat and stop incitement of terror on state-owned media have, it appears, also gone unheeded.

So nine days after demanding results in his Rose Garden speech, Mr. Bush doesn't have many results to tout other than this public statement by the Palestinian leader Saturday condemning terror.

Critics say the president has put his personal prestige and American influence into the region on the line. White House aides say Mr. Bush is not worried.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president doesn't look over his shoulder, he doesn't look left, he doesn't look right. He doesn't worry on a day-by-day basis about what people are saying. His focus is on how to bring the parties together to achieve peace.

WALLACE: But some lawmakers think the president, who was reluctant to get deeply immersed in the Middle East, needs to get even more involved. And consider new initiatives, such as convening an international conference to bring the parties together.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Because something drastic has to happen to get us off this dime that we're on now, this vortex that is just sucking everybody in and making I think the president look not as effectual as he can be.

WALLACE: For now, the administration's focus is on Secretary Powell's mission, but even some of the president's biggest supporters say the chances of success are slim.

SEN. JON KYL (R), ARIZONA: People kept saying to the president, you've got to engage, you've got to get involved in this. And I think reluctantly he said, all right, I'll do my best. But I don't think they expect him to necessarily pull off a miracle.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: That being said, most Middle East observers believe the United States is the only country which can bring the violence down. So there is enormous pressure on this White House, enormous pressure on Secretary Powell's mission. And just where that mission goes from here, Bill a lot of that will be decided on what, if anything, the secretary can achieve in that Sunday meeting with Yasser Arafat -- Bill.

HEMMER: Kelly, why is it the White House has had no public statement regarding the news of the day here and the meeting coming up tomorrow morning?

WALLACE: Well, that's because U.S. officials say President Bush has given, in their words, "maximum flexibility" to the secretary of state, that he is the one on the ground. He is the one talking to the parties, that he is the one who is ultimately deciding whether or not to go forward with such a meeting. So they are obviously backing what is coming out of the State Department, but really saying little else, really trying not to micro manage what is going on there.

We do the president though went over the statement with his advisers at the presidential retreat at Camp David and that he definitely supports Powell's decision to meet with Arafat on Sunday, Bill.

HEMMER: Kelly, back to your report. Senator Biden calling for some sort of international meeting or get together to talk about the current situation. What is the White House saying regarding that move?

WALLACE: Well, it's interesting. What the senator's talking about is bringing together a conference, bringing together the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Europeans, Arab leaders just like President Bush's own father did back in Madrid I believe back in 1991 paving the way really for the Oslo Accords in 1993.

It's interesting the administration's view, President Bush's own view, is the only way to bring the parties together is if they are ready to reach an agreement. Right now the view is they are not. Right now the focus is on Secretary Powell's meeting with the two sides trying to get them to a cease-fire and then obviously expediting talks on some political settlement -- Bill.

HEMMER: OK, Kelly, thanks. Kelly Wallace at the White House this evening.

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