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CNN Live At Daybreak
Abu Mazen Approved as First Prime Minister by Palestinian Parliament
Aired April 30, 2003 - 06:06 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: Farther west, the crisis in the Middle East now. The first Palestinian prime minister and his cabinet are being sworn in this morning. Already, Abu Mazen, though, has to get past this: a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed three Israelis and injured at least 50 more.
Let's go live now to Kelly Wallace, who is in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Good morning -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Carol.
Well, the overnight suicide bombing overshadowing what Palestinians had hoped would be a very celebratory day, the swearing in of Abu Mazen and his 24-member cabinet, and that happened just a short time ago.
And then, as it was expected, the word coming out that the so- called road map for Middle East peace will be presented to the Israelis and the Palestinians later on this day. The U.N. envoy to the Middle East will make the presentation to the Palestinian prime minister, Abu Mazen. And the expectation, sources say, is that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will receive it from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer.
But now, of course, the big question: What happens next? Because already the two sides have very different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this road map to be implemented immediately as it was drafted in December.
It is viewed as an ambitious peace plan, calling for both sides to take reciprocal steps right away, for the Palestinians to crack down on all forms of terrorism, and for the Israelis to ease travel restrictions on the Palestinians and freeze settlement activity.
But the Israelis are saying they want to see more than a dozen changes made to this document, and they also believe there should be an end to all attacks by radical Palestinian groups against Israel before any steps are taken.
And, as you noted at the top, overnight this suicide bombing, Israelis condemning it, many Palestinians saying this shows the real challenge to Abu Mazen in trying to crack down on these Palestinian groups -- Carol. COSTELLO: Yes, you know, I was just going to ask you, Israelis want all of these changes to the road map for peace. But will the United States be willing to make changes? Or is it a document that it is what it is?
WALLACE: Fair to say, Carol, the Americans are a bit noncommittal about that. They are saying that they will listen to comments from both sides -- from the Israelis and the Palestinians -- and give those comments serious consideration.
But at the same time, Americans -- the Americans are likely to put some pressure on the Israelis to try and see Israel take some steps that might move the peace process forward, steps such as maybe pulling out of some Palestinian towns, lifting some travel restrictions on the Palestinians.
But, again, the Israelis continue to say they won't do that until they see tangible evidence Abu Mazen and his team are cracking down on radical groups on the ground -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks very much -- Kelly Wallace reporting live from Ramallah.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Parliament>
Aired April 30, 2003 - 06:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Farther west, the crisis in the Middle East now. The first Palestinian prime minister and his cabinet are being sworn in this morning. Already, Abu Mazen, though, has to get past this: a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that killed three Israelis and injured at least 50 more.
Let's go live now to Kelly Wallace, who is in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Good morning -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Carol.
Well, the overnight suicide bombing overshadowing what Palestinians had hoped would be a very celebratory day, the swearing in of Abu Mazen and his 24-member cabinet, and that happened just a short time ago.
And then, as it was expected, the word coming out that the so- called road map for Middle East peace will be presented to the Israelis and the Palestinians later on this day. The U.N. envoy to the Middle East will make the presentation to the Palestinian prime minister, Abu Mazen. And the expectation, sources say, is that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will receive it from the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel Kurtzer.
But now, of course, the big question: What happens next? Because already the two sides have very different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this road map to be implemented immediately as it was drafted in December.
It is viewed as an ambitious peace plan, calling for both sides to take reciprocal steps right away, for the Palestinians to crack down on all forms of terrorism, and for the Israelis to ease travel restrictions on the Palestinians and freeze settlement activity.
But the Israelis are saying they want to see more than a dozen changes made to this document, and they also believe there should be an end to all attacks by radical Palestinian groups against Israel before any steps are taken.
And, as you noted at the top, overnight this suicide bombing, Israelis condemning it, many Palestinians saying this shows the real challenge to Abu Mazen in trying to crack down on these Palestinian groups -- Carol. COSTELLO: Yes, you know, I was just going to ask you, Israelis want all of these changes to the road map for peace. But will the United States be willing to make changes? Or is it a document that it is what it is?
WALLACE: Fair to say, Carol, the Americans are a bit noncommittal about that. They are saying that they will listen to comments from both sides -- from the Israelis and the Palestinians -- and give those comments serious consideration.
But at the same time, Americans -- the Americans are likely to put some pressure on the Israelis to try and see Israel take some steps that might move the peace process forward, steps such as maybe pulling out of some Palestinian towns, lifting some travel restrictions on the Palestinians.
But, again, the Israelis continue to say they won't do that until they see tangible evidence Abu Mazen and his team are cracking down on radical groups on the ground -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thanks very much -- Kelly Wallace reporting live from Ramallah.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Parliament>
