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CNN Live At Daybreak

Tenet's Mission Hampered by Tensions

Aired April 24, 2002 - 06:35   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's military action in the Palestinian territories have left Palestinian security services unable and unwilling to function, and that's directly affecting CIA Director George Tenet's planned peace mission to the region.

We get details from our national security correspondent, David Ensor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Middle East last week, Secretary of State Colin Powell said the president was prepared to send CIA Director George Tenet to the region soon to try to get the Palestinian and Israeli security chiefs cooperating again, something he has been able to do in the past, since the CIA has the confidence of both parties.

Other officials said Tenet might go the following week, but he will not go this week, aides say. In fact, administration officials privately say Tenet has advised the president not to send him yet to avoid a public failure. After all, Arafat's West Bank security chief, Jabril Rajoub, is now saying he won't work with the Israelis. And one look at his headquarters building and you can see his ability to function against terrorists or in any other way has been decimated by Israeli forces.

(on camera): U.S. officials say when the president wants Mr. Tenet to go, of course, he will. But a large part of the job, at least initially, will be assessing what the Palestinian security services will now need in the way of money, equipment, support to get them back to where they can be useful against terrorism, and to get them back to where they feel like being useful.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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