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American Morning

Bush Seeks Support for Palestinian PM

Aired June 03, 2003 - 08:02   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: President Bush meeting with Arab leaders again today, right now, in fact, seeking support not just for the peace road map, but also for the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. There is intense coverage throughout the day and throughout the week, really, in this part of the world.
Our senior White House correspondent John King now reports in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, about the difficulties on that road map ahead.

Here's John.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Egypt is stop one in a push for Middle East peace the president says will erase any doubt about his personal commitment.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The first is I will dedicate the time and energy to move the process forward, and I think we'll make some progress. I know we're making progress.

KING: The main event is Wednesday's three way summit in Jordan with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

BUSH: My expectations, again, of the Middle East are to call all the respective parties to their responsibility to achieve peace.

KING: Mr. Bush wants both leaders to implement the early benchmarks of his so-called Middle East road map. For Prime Minister Sharon, that means dismantling illegal settlements, easing more economic restrictions on Palestinians and embracing a timetable to pull out of the Palestinian territories. And from Prime Minister Abbas, Mr. Bush wants immediate improvements in Palestinian security forces, a crackdown on militant groups blamed for attacks on Israel and an acknowledgement of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

The first stop here at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is considered critical to building momentum. Mr. Bush will hold a get to know you session with Prime Minister Abbas and he will talk strategy with Egypt's Mubarak, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and other key Arab leaders. U.S. officials say Mr. Bush will tell the Arab leaders he needs their help in isolating Yasser Arafat and enthusiastically backing Mr. Abbas as the front line Palestinian leader.

Secretary of State Powell is on hand for the talks, as well, and the Bush administration will leave a team of diplomats and security experts behind after the summit to monitor progress in implementing any new promises.

(on camera): The president calls this just the beginning of a long and difficult process, but he says there now should be no doubt that he is willing to dedicate whatever time and whatever energy is necessary. That is a promise some of the Arab leaders gathered here are not yet convinced Mr. Bush plans to keep.

John King, CNN, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: As I said, that report filed a few moments ago.

We want to go live now to John King on the scene there in Sharm el-Sheikh.

And, John, just within the past hour, strong words from the president about the approach he will take right now -- good afternoon again to you.

KING: Hello there, Bill, from Sharm el-Sheikh.

The president opening what he called a historic moment. He also said this would be a long and difficult process. But he wants to enlist the support of Arab leaders in this process. Mr. Bush meeting today for the first time with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. But also at the table, the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Gulf emirate of Bahrain.

Mr. Bush says they are critical to moving the process forward, as well.

One of the biggest questions the Arab leaders have, will this president, will President Bush lean on the Israeli government, push Prime Minister Sharon if he believes, if he needs to, to move the process along? The president, in his opening statement, tried to put to rest any doubts that he is prepared to pressure Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Israel's got responsibilities. Israel must deal with the settlements. Israel must make sure there's a continuous territory that the Palestinians can call home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: This was the first face to face meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Mr. Bush called him a man he can work with, but he also was very blunt in laying out the challenge for Prime Minister Abbas, Mr. Bush saying in that opening meeting, "You, sir, have responsibilities, too," and the president went on to say that Prime Minister Abbas cannot allow a few terrorists, a few killers, to derail the hopes for peace.

We will get more statements from the president and the Arab leaders shortly here in Sharm el-Sheikh. A cautious sense of optimism, Bill, that the early steps, anyway, are positive, that the Arab leaders will back the road map for peace, that Prime Minister Abbas is a man who will do what he can to implement the peace plan. The big question, of course, comes can they bring this all together? We'll know much more about that tomorrow when the president has that three way summit with Prime Minister Sharon of Israel and Prime Minister Abbas of the Palestinian Authority -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, there are reports that indicate today might be even more critical than tomorrow in the sense that these Arab leaders, these moderate Arab leaders meeting with the president today must embrace Mahmoud Abbas and truly give him the platform he needs to govern at this point.

Have you been given the indication so far -- have the statements that you've been hearing today in Sharm el-Sheikh lent itself toward believing that Mahmoud Abbas will, indeed, be given the platform he needs to be successful?

KING: That is an open question. This is called the city of peace. You might call it the city of unfulfilled promise. There have been so many peace summits here, most of them attended by Yasser Arafat. So in the sense that it is Mahmoud Abbas at the table, not Yasser Arafat, that is proof of the changing of the guard, if you will, and these Arab leaders here say they are willing to support Mahmoud Abbas.

But they also say they think the Bush administration is in too much of a hurry to completely push Yasser Arafat to the sidelines. They say Mahmoud Abbas does not yet have the political standing to sell a touch peace deal and that some of the Arab leaders here believe that if there is a signing ceremony down the road, that it would be Yasser Arafat who had to sign any such agreement.

I can tell you, the Bush administration says no way. It will not deal with Yasser Arafat.

So there are still some issues to be resolved. The White House would say let's get the peace process going. Let's not worry about who would be at a signing ceremony until we're making a lot of progress necessary before you can even think of such an event -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, I have a couple of seconds left here. I want to try in this one, too. Expectations in these games sometimes are set very, very low. What has the White House said best case scenario coming out of Jordan tomorrow?

KING: Well, the president is hoping for clear commitments from both sides. From Prime Minister Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, a commitment that he will immediately move to improve security forces and take other steps that Israel says are necessary to create a climate for peace. And the more difficult challenge, Mr. Bush is expecting, we are told, a statement from Prime Minister Sharon saying that he is prepared to move very quickly to dismantle illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories and to address other settlement questions. Prime Minister Sharon, we are told, is prepared to go on record saying he is prepared to begin the pullback, beginning with the illegal settlements. That will be a key development to create an early climate of progress.

The challenge then, of course, will be to sustain it -- Bill.

HEMMER: The stakes are high.

John King, thanks, live in Sharm el-Sheikh.

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 June 3, 2003 - 08:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush meeting with Arab leaders again today, right now, in fact, seeking support not just for the peace road map, but also for the new Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. There is intense coverage throughout the day and throughout the week, really, in this part of the world.
Our senior White House correspondent John King now reports in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, about the difficulties on that road map ahead.

Here's John.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Egypt is stop one in a push for Middle East peace the president says will erase any doubt about his personal commitment.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The first is I will dedicate the time and energy to move the process forward, and I think we'll make some progress. I know we're making progress.

KING: The main event is Wednesday's three way summit in Jordan with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

BUSH: My expectations, again, of the Middle East are to call all the respective parties to their responsibility to achieve peace.

KING: Mr. Bush wants both leaders to implement the early benchmarks of his so-called Middle East road map. For Prime Minister Sharon, that means dismantling illegal settlements, easing more economic restrictions on Palestinians and embracing a timetable to pull out of the Palestinian territories. And from Prime Minister Abbas, Mr. Bush wants immediate improvements in Palestinian security forces, a crackdown on militant groups blamed for attacks on Israel and an acknowledgement of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

The first stop here at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh is considered critical to building momentum. Mr. Bush will hold a get to know you session with Prime Minister Abbas and he will talk strategy with Egypt's Mubarak, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah and other key Arab leaders. U.S. officials say Mr. Bush will tell the Arab leaders he needs their help in isolating Yasser Arafat and enthusiastically backing Mr. Abbas as the front line Palestinian leader.

Secretary of State Powell is on hand for the talks, as well, and the Bush administration will leave a team of diplomats and security experts behind after the summit to monitor progress in implementing any new promises.

(on camera): The president calls this just the beginning of a long and difficult process, but he says there now should be no doubt that he is willing to dedicate whatever time and whatever energy is necessary. That is a promise some of the Arab leaders gathered here are not yet convinced Mr. Bush plans to keep.

John King, CNN, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: As I said, that report filed a few moments ago.

We want to go live now to John King on the scene there in Sharm el-Sheikh.

And, John, just within the past hour, strong words from the president about the approach he will take right now -- good afternoon again to you.

KING: Hello there, Bill, from Sharm el-Sheikh.

The president opening what he called a historic moment. He also said this would be a long and difficult process. But he wants to enlist the support of Arab leaders in this process. Mr. Bush meeting today for the first time with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. But also at the table, the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Gulf emirate of Bahrain.

Mr. Bush says they are critical to moving the process forward, as well.

One of the biggest questions the Arab leaders have, will this president, will President Bush lean on the Israeli government, push Prime Minister Sharon if he believes, if he needs to, to move the process along? The president, in his opening statement, tried to put to rest any doubts that he is prepared to pressure Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Israel's got responsibilities. Israel must deal with the settlements. Israel must make sure there's a continuous territory that the Palestinians can call home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: This was the first face to face meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Mr. Bush called him a man he can work with, but he also was very blunt in laying out the challenge for Prime Minister Abbas, Mr. Bush saying in that opening meeting, "You, sir, have responsibilities, too," and the president went on to say that Prime Minister Abbas cannot allow a few terrorists, a few killers, to derail the hopes for peace.

We will get more statements from the president and the Arab leaders shortly here in Sharm el-Sheikh. A cautious sense of optimism, Bill, that the early steps, anyway, are positive, that the Arab leaders will back the road map for peace, that Prime Minister Abbas is a man who will do what he can to implement the peace plan. The big question, of course, comes can they bring this all together? We'll know much more about that tomorrow when the president has that three way summit with Prime Minister Sharon of Israel and Prime Minister Abbas of the Palestinian Authority -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, there are reports that indicate today might be even more critical than tomorrow in the sense that these Arab leaders, these moderate Arab leaders meeting with the president today must embrace Mahmoud Abbas and truly give him the platform he needs to govern at this point.

Have you been given the indication so far -- have the statements that you've been hearing today in Sharm el-Sheikh lent itself toward believing that Mahmoud Abbas will, indeed, be given the platform he needs to be successful?

KING: That is an open question. This is called the city of peace. You might call it the city of unfulfilled promise. There have been so many peace summits here, most of them attended by Yasser Arafat. So in the sense that it is Mahmoud Abbas at the table, not Yasser Arafat, that is proof of the changing of the guard, if you will, and these Arab leaders here say they are willing to support Mahmoud Abbas.

But they also say they think the Bush administration is in too much of a hurry to completely push Yasser Arafat to the sidelines. They say Mahmoud Abbas does not yet have the political standing to sell a touch peace deal and that some of the Arab leaders here believe that if there is a signing ceremony down the road, that it would be Yasser Arafat who had to sign any such agreement.

I can tell you, the Bush administration says no way. It will not deal with Yasser Arafat.

So there are still some issues to be resolved. The White House would say let's get the peace process going. Let's not worry about who would be at a signing ceremony until we're making a lot of progress necessary before you can even think of such an event -- Bill.

HEMMER: John, I have a couple of seconds left here. I want to try in this one, too. Expectations in these games sometimes are set very, very low. What has the White House said best case scenario coming out of Jordan tomorrow?

KING: Well, the president is hoping for clear commitments from both sides. From Prime Minister Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, a commitment that he will immediately move to improve security forces and take other steps that Israel says are necessary to create a climate for peace. And the more difficult challenge, Mr. Bush is expecting, we are told, a statement from Prime Minister Sharon saying that he is prepared to move very quickly to dismantle illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories and to address other settlement questions. Prime Minister Sharon, we are told, is prepared to go on record saying he is prepared to begin the pullback, beginning with the illegal settlements. That will be a key development to create an early climate of progress.

The challenge then, of course, will be to sustain it -- Bill.

HEMMER: The stakes are high.

John King, thanks, live in Sharm el-Sheikh.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com