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CNN Live Today

Conflict in the Middle East: Palestinian Leader Close to Freedom

Aired April 29, 2002 - 13:02   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: In the Middle East now, after months of confinement, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is on the verge of being set free. And that is where we begin our coverage now, crisis in the Middle East.

And with details now coming out on a meeting under way at this hour to end this standoff in Ramallah, Matthew Chance back with us once again from the West Bank. Matthew, good evening.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Bill, good evening to you. And we're indeed having confirmation from Palestinian officials that those security talks have now begun at a secret location inside this town of Ramallah from where I'm speaking to you right now, not inside the compound of Yasser Arafat, although we're told by Palestinian officials that one senior Palestinian security official, Haj Ismail (ph), has been released from the compound to attend the talks along with those U.S. and British security experts and their Palestinian counterparts.

Of course, both Israeli and the Palestinian leaderships have already effectively signed up to the U.S. diplomatic initiative to effectively bring to an end the siege around Yasser Arafat's presidential compound, of course, by placing British and U.S. personnel to guard over six wanted Palestinian men in that compound, holed up inside along with Yasser Arafat.

Now, what Israel wants to achieve out of these security negotiations is to prevent any kind of revolving door situation from emerging so that, for instance, when those Israeli troops eventually leave the outskirts of the compound, those six wanted men will not simply be allowed to walk free. For their part, the Palestinians are extremely concerned about providing a secure location for the Palestinian prisoners to allow them to live out their jail sentences they had been given by the Palestinian Authority court in a relative atmosphere of security. They've suggested the West Bank town of Jericho. Certainly, they want somewhere in Palestinian territory.

Details of the exact plan are still very sketchy at this stage. Palestinian officials say it hasn't yet been revealed to them exactly the arrangements that are being proposed. What we can say, though, is that if the arrangements are acceptable to both parties, both the Palestinians and the Israelis, then what we will be seeing potentially is Yasser Arafat leaving that presidential compound here in Ramallah since the -- in the first time since the end of March. He's been cooped up there. So what we are going to be witnessing tonight is the nuts and bolts of how this arrangement and this agreement can be reached, Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Matthew, thanks. Matthew Chance in Ramallah.

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