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CNN Live Today

Bush to Meet with Arab Leaders

Aired July 18, 2002 - 12:08   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The Mideast is on President Bush's mind today, as he ventures to the Midwest with the president of Poland.

CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now from Rochester, Michigan. How's it going, Kelly?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, good to see you. You know, the White House will say there continue to be advances and setbacks in the Middle East, but the administration is saying despite the latest violence, President Bush still sees -- quote -- "avenues of progress."

So that is the backdrop for a meeting later today at the White House. President Bush has invited the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to meet with him; those ministers meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell this afternoon.

The president will have that meeting after finishing up a short road trip. He currently is in Michigan. He left the White House bright and early this morning with Polish President Kwasniewski -- excuse me -- the two leaders coming here to Michigan. This is the end of a state visit, the president rewarding the Polish leader for his support in the war on terror.

But back to the Middle East, Kyra, the focus, we are told, of that meeting later today, three issues really: reform of the Palestinian community, restructuring the Palestinian Security Forces, and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. We know that there is this new plan developed by the CIA, which Secretary Powell unveiled earlier this week, to restructure the Palestinian Security Forces, a plan that could involve U.S. experts, not troops or monitors, on the ground, and a plan that could involve the support of Arab countries.

But, Kyra, one conflict is developing. Arab leaders say in order to have reforms, in order to have restructuring of those security forces, the Israelis need to take steps, such as withdrawing from those recently-reoccupied Palestinian territories. The message from the White House continues to be, Israel should take those steps, but only after the security situation improves and after the terrorism comes down.

So a challenge for the president as he sits down with those leaders this afternoon -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kelly, I understand he had a bit of a challenge, too, while giving his speech there in Michigan. What was all of the commotion about?

WALLACE: Well, you know, this is largely a very favorable crowd, a group of Polish-Americans and other students gathered here. But as the president was talking, you had three protesters shouting, "Stop your war," and they shouted. The president talked over them a little bit, and then the crowd responded by getting up and giving the president a standing ovation.

So some anti-war protesters here, most of the crowd, though, supporting the president's message -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks so much.

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