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Bush, Abdullah Meeting will Happen

Aired April 16, 2002 - 13:35   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, we now know his third meeting concluded with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Tomorrow, Wednesday, he's back to Ramallah for his second meeting with Yasser Arafat before Secretary Powell goes to Egypt and then back to the United States. And speaking of the U.S., to the White House now and Major Garrett, where we had another briefing today. Major, what more are we learning about the White House strategy related to the Middle East crisis at this point?

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, one thing was confirmed today here, Bill. There had been speculation around the White House as to whether or not the announced meeting between the President of the United States and the Crowned Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, that was scheduled to happen later on this month at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas, would, in fact, occur.

Well, the White House announced a definitive date for that meeting, April 25, at the president's ranch in Crawford Texas, putting an end to speculation that because of Saudi disenchantment with the Bush administration's lack of aggressively pushing Israel to remove itself more rapidly from the West Bank, the Saudis might, in fact, cancel that meeting. It is now on. April 25 is the date. A wide range of issues will be discussed, chief among them the ongoing violence and ways to cope with it in the Middle East.

As to Middle East strategy itself, Bill, the strategy right now is one of trying to put the best face on what is clearly a limited success for the secretary of state in the region. When the secretary of state's trip was announced, the White House made it clear he was going to the region with no new ideas and no particular agenda. Well, the agenda has been flushed out at lots o meetings. What is clear now is the process has taken over.

The very fact that there are meetings and conversations is, in fact, viewed by the White House as a success itself, even if there is no tangible proof that any real movement has been made toward a political solution or even a cease-fire. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer made it very clear at today's briefing just how limited the goals of the secretary of state's mission have become.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: This trip is not quite over. He has additional important meetings that remain. As the secretary said this morning, he cited progress. There will be continued contacts that he will have with various parties. The whole purpose of his trip was to try to bring about diminution in the violence so that the chances of having meaningful political talks that can begin can be enhanced.

GARRETT: The chances of having meaningful political talks - that's pretty nebulous, Bill. I think everyone in the region would agree with that. The White House also concedes that privately. They hope for more tangible, concrete achievements by the secretary of state. But as long as the Israeli incursions continue and the Palestinians make absolute withdraw a precondition for any talk of a full and implementable cease-fire, it is very hard to move these two sides apart from where they are right now, which is engaged in intense, not only recriminations publicly, but, of course, ongoing violence on the ground. Bill?

HEMMER: Major, thanks. Major Garrett at the White House.

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