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Road Map Delivered to Sharon
Aired April 30, 2003 - 10:01 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, a developing story coming to us out of the Middle East. On a day of renewed violence, new leadership, and a new initiative for peace. Let's begin with the road map to peace, which the U.S. delivered to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a short time ago.
And for more on that, we turn now to CNN's Kelly Wallace, reporting to us live from the West Bank town of Ramallah -- hello, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon. Well, this road map for Middle East peace is viewed as the most ambitious peace plan to try and end the now-current two and a half- year-old conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
And any moment from now, we are expecting the U.N. envoy to the Middle East to present a copy of the road map here inside this building behind me. It is the office of the newly sworn-in Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. And Leon, as you said, just about an hour and a half ago, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon received a copy of that same document from the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
It is not clear if Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, and the U.N. envoy to the Middle East, Terje Larsen, will make any comments. Again, international diplomats are hoping the release of this road map to both sides will push the two sides back to the negotiating table and hope to bring an end to the conflict.
But we saw overnight just how difficult this is going to be. A suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv cafe in the early hours of the morning. Three innocent civilians killed, as many as 50 people wounded. This suicide bombing seems to represent a huge challenge to Mahmoud Abbas, because two radical Palestinian groups are claiming responsibility for the attack. And in a statement, they appear to be trying to send a message to Mahmoud Abbas, that they do not support his call for an end to terrorism, and for a negotiated settlement with Israel.
Now, of course, a lot of questions from both sides about what exactly happens next with this road map. It is a three-year, three- phase document that is expected to bring about a Palestinian state and a secure Israel by 2005. What it requires is both sides to take reciprocal steps, steps that both sides have been resisting. The Palestinians, for their part, will be called on to end all the violence, all terror attacks against Israelis. The Israelis will be called on easing travel bans and restrictions on the Palestinians, and also, easing economic restrictions currently on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian community. And, Leon, we have been saying all day, already, both sides have very different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this document to be implemented immediately as it was written and drafted in December. But the Israelis say they want at least 15 changes made, and they also say they don't believe any steps should be taken until there is an end to all attacks committed by radical Palestinian groups against Israelis -- Leon.
HARRIS: That is why it is going to be continued to be called a peace process, not a peace deal as yet. Thanks, Kelly. Kelly Wallace in 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
Aired April 30, 2003 - 10:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first, a developing story coming to us out of the Middle East. On a day of renewed violence, new leadership, and a new initiative for peace. Let's begin with the road map to peace, which the U.S. delivered to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a short time ago.
And for more on that, we turn now to CNN's Kelly Wallace, reporting to us live from the West Bank town of Ramallah -- hello, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon. Well, this road map for Middle East peace is viewed as the most ambitious peace plan to try and end the now-current two and a half- year-old conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
And any moment from now, we are expecting the U.N. envoy to the Middle East to present a copy of the road map here inside this building behind me. It is the office of the newly sworn-in Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. And Leon, as you said, just about an hour and a half ago, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon received a copy of that same document from the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
It is not clear if Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister, and the U.N. envoy to the Middle East, Terje Larsen, will make any comments. Again, international diplomats are hoping the release of this road map to both sides will push the two sides back to the negotiating table and hope to bring an end to the conflict.
But we saw overnight just how difficult this is going to be. A suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv cafe in the early hours of the morning. Three innocent civilians killed, as many as 50 people wounded. This suicide bombing seems to represent a huge challenge to Mahmoud Abbas, because two radical Palestinian groups are claiming responsibility for the attack. And in a statement, they appear to be trying to send a message to Mahmoud Abbas, that they do not support his call for an end to terrorism, and for a negotiated settlement with Israel.
Now, of course, a lot of questions from both sides about what exactly happens next with this road map. It is a three-year, three- phase document that is expected to bring about a Palestinian state and a secure Israel by 2005. What it requires is both sides to take reciprocal steps, steps that both sides have been resisting. The Palestinians, for their part, will be called on to end all the violence, all terror attacks against Israelis. The Israelis will be called on easing travel bans and restrictions on the Palestinians, and also, easing economic restrictions currently on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian community. And, Leon, we have been saying all day, already, both sides have very different interpretations about what should happen next. The Palestinians want this document to be implemented immediately as it was written and drafted in December. But the Israelis say they want at least 15 changes made, and they also say they don't believe any steps should be taken until there is an end to all attacks committed by radical Palestinian groups against Israelis -- Leon.
HARRIS: That is why it is going to be continued to be called a peace process, not a peace deal as yet. Thanks, Kelly. Kelly Wallace in 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
