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CNN Live Today

Secretary of State Arrives in Tel Aviv

Aired April 15, 2002 - 12:44   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: Secretary Powell arrived in Tel Aviv hours ago. Here in Jerusalem, Andrea Koppel again continues to track his movements here. Andrea, have you been able to gauge whether or not the State Department is saying whether or not this trip was a success? Or was Secretary Powell met in any way -- any satisfactory way upon those visits on those two stops earlier today?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bill. Well, it seems as if Secretary Powell I wouldn't say hit a brick wall, but he didn't get assurances from either the Syrian President Bashar al Assad or from Lebanese officials to actually reign in the actions of Hezbollah militia in Lebanon who have been firing across border now for some time into Northern Israel.

But he said that they would speak with Hezbollah. As you know, the Syrian government supports Hezbollah both symbolically, but also let Iranian arms pass through Syrian territory to get into Lebanon to supply the Hezbollah. And the Lebanese, for their part the U.S. believes, could send their military down to the southern part of Lebanon and block the border there, and use their influence with Hezbollah literally on the ground to restrict their activities.

So while he didn't get assurances, what he did get was some, at least, nominal progress. They've agreed to talk with Hezbollah, Bill.

HEMMER: Yes Andrea. What about tomorrow? Palestinians are saying Secretary Powell will go back to Ramallah and meet once again with Yasser Arafat. Is there any firm confirmation on the U.S. side about that meeting?

KOPPEL: No, in fact, Secretary Powell came back on our way back from Damascus to Tel Aviv and spoke with reporters on the plane. And we asked him about these reports. And he said that he had made no decision yet, that his peace team who had stayed back here in Jerusalem met with the Palestinian side, some of Yasser Arafat's aides, and had had some conversations he has yet to be fully briefed by them. So he hasn't made a decision yet.

But you know that certainly out there in the air, that possibility that he could meet with Yasser Arafat. Really the other thing that's out there, Bill, that's getting quite a bit of attention right now, is an idea that had been floated out there but hadn't been confirmed yet by U.S. officials. Secretary Powell tonight for first time, saying that the U.S. was considering having a Middle East Peace Conference of some sort to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian issue. It still is one idea of many that is out there. And one of the road blocks until now had been that the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had said sure he'd go along with a peace conference and would sit down with moderate Arab leaders. But he would not sit down with Yasser Arafat who he believes is a terrorist.

Now it appears that the U.S. may have found a way to get around that at least in the short-term, Bill. And has said that they could possibly have this conference at the ministerial level, that Yasser Arafat could send a representative of the Palestinian Authority. No reaction yet from the Palestinians or the Israelis though. But we will have it soon because as you know, Wolf Blitzer's going to be interviewing the Israeli Prime Minister shortly.

HEMMER: That's right. OK, Andrea, thanks, Andrea Koppel again back in Jerusalem with us.

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