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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bush's Diplomatic Skills Put to Test

Aired June 04, 2003 - 05:32   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: Important steps are being taken today on the difficult road to peace in the Middle East. President Bush is in Jordan this morning for crucial talks with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers.
CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president and joins us live from Aqaba, Jordan -- good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

This is a day in which President Bush's personal diplomatic skills and his perseverance are being put to the test. Also being put to the test, the willingness of the Palestinians and the Israelis to enter back into peace negotiations two and a half years after the Camp David Accords collapsed, violence and mistrust resulting once again in the Middle East.

Mr. Bush making the rounds here in Aqaba before a dramatic three way summit. Mr. Bush will meet later today jointly with the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. Mr. Bush at this hour is meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, seeking from the Palestinian leader a statement we are told will come later today in which Mr. Abbas promises to crack down on terror, promises to immediately improve security and also promises to continue political and economic reforms within the Palestinian Authority.

Those are critical, as well as security. Israel says it needs to see those reforms to be certain that an independent Palestine would be a good and trustworthy neighbor.

Earlier today, we saw President Bush with his friend, as he says, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel. The two leaders briefly coming out to pose for the cameras. Summits are very scripted affairs, but there was a bit of a logistical jinx in getting the handshake pulled off. The two leaders finally did that and then went inside for their session.

From Prime Minister Sharon, Mr. Bush needs risky political concessions. The prime minister, we are told, will commit today to immediately dismantling illegal settlements. He also will agree to ease some economic restrictions still in place on the Palestinians and down the road will face even tougher decisions as the Bush road map calls for Israel to pull out of the Palestinian territories and dismantle even more settlements.

Now, Mr. Bush came here from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he received the blessing of key Arab leaders who promised to help him in the tough days that will come in the future. One question the Arab leaders raised and that many are asking, President Bush, of course, is involved on this day of hope here in Jordan. Will he be here down the road when things turn tough?

His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, tells CNN emphatically yes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This president will not back away. This is a president who's known for his determination, who's known for keeping his word. When he says that he's going to do something, he does it and he does it with great determination.

Now, I don't want to say that driving the cart was a metaphor. All I know is that we looked up and he was driving the cart. But he had wonderful personal interaction with these leaders today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the leaders will make their statements later this afternoon. Mr. Bush will head back to Washington shortly, one more stop on this Middle East trip. But when Mr. Bush goes home, he will quickly send a new special envoy to the Middle East and Mr. Bush will once again state publicly today that when things get tough down the road, he is prepared to dive back in and personally be involved in this difficult diplomacy that begins in earnest here today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Good enough.

John King reporting live from Aqaba, Jordan this morning.

You heard John mention the Jewish settlements. Well, today's summit and the road map itself are a hard sell in the Jewish settlements.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel is in the Ofra settlement in the West Bank -- Jerrold, tell us about it.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Hard sell, I'd say more than that, no sell at all. These are people who are firmly against. But we're here right in the heart of the West Bank. This is a community of some 300, 400 families who have been here for 300 -- I'm sorry, a big problem -- for 30 years or so, one of the first of the Jewish settlements to be set up right in the heart of the big Palestinian population areas. It's in the heart of also what the Israelis call the biblical part of their homeland.

And then through the settlement up on the hill, I want to show you there up on the top of the hill, if you look, if our camera goes in there, that's one of those famed or notorious outposts that have been set up in the last several years, perhaps illegal, perhaps quasi legal, perhaps a nod and a wink from some Israeli government. These are the places that the first stage of the road map calls for Israel to dismantle and to put a freeze on other settlement activity.

The settlement itself here is not called for to be dismantled other than in the final stage of negotiations when its future will be decided. But apart from being a crucial element, a litmus test of how far this road map is being implemented, this new peace initiative, I think there's a way of judging from the mood of the people here of just whether that question that everybody asks -- is there a chance for this new peace initiative? And I think you might say the answer is yes.

And I deem this from the way people are talking here. Just a few weeks ago, whenever we spoke to the settlers when the road map was first presented, they say no problem. George Bush is our friend. Ariel Sharon is our friend. He's our mentor. He set up the settlements. The Palestinians won't commit, they won't be able to stop terror. We won't be asked to move.

All of a sudden in the last week, they've heard Ariel Sharon talk of ending the occupation of Palestinians. They heard President Bush say yesterday Israel must deal with the settlements. Suddenly there's a great deal of consternation in the settlement community. A quarter of a million Israelis live in the West Bank. A lot of them feel maybe the time will come when they'll be asked to move or made to move. It could just happen. That's what they feel here and that's why they're so worried -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I understand.

Jerrold Kessel, thank you very much for a live report this morning.

For a complete look at the Mideast peace summit, including an interactive explanation of the road map to peace, log onto our Web site, cnn.com.

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 4, 2003 - 05:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Important steps are being taken today on the difficult road to peace in the Middle East. President Bush is in Jordan this morning for crucial talks with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers.
CNN's senior White House correspondent John King is traveling with the president and joins us live from Aqaba, Jordan -- good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

This is a day in which President Bush's personal diplomatic skills and his perseverance are being put to the test. Also being put to the test, the willingness of the Palestinians and the Israelis to enter back into peace negotiations two and a half years after the Camp David Accords collapsed, violence and mistrust resulting once again in the Middle East.

Mr. Bush making the rounds here in Aqaba before a dramatic three way summit. Mr. Bush will meet later today jointly with the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas. Mr. Bush at this hour is meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, seeking from the Palestinian leader a statement we are told will come later today in which Mr. Abbas promises to crack down on terror, promises to immediately improve security and also promises to continue political and economic reforms within the Palestinian Authority.

Those are critical, as well as security. Israel says it needs to see those reforms to be certain that an independent Palestine would be a good and trustworthy neighbor.

Earlier today, we saw President Bush with his friend, as he says, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel. The two leaders briefly coming out to pose for the cameras. Summits are very scripted affairs, but there was a bit of a logistical jinx in getting the handshake pulled off. The two leaders finally did that and then went inside for their session.

From Prime Minister Sharon, Mr. Bush needs risky political concessions. The prime minister, we are told, will commit today to immediately dismantling illegal settlements. He also will agree to ease some economic restrictions still in place on the Palestinians and down the road will face even tougher decisions as the Bush road map calls for Israel to pull out of the Palestinian territories and dismantle even more settlements.

Now, Mr. Bush came here from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he received the blessing of key Arab leaders who promised to help him in the tough days that will come in the future. One question the Arab leaders raised and that many are asking, President Bush, of course, is involved on this day of hope here in Jordan. Will he be here down the road when things turn tough?

His national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, tells CNN emphatically yes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This president will not back away. This is a president who's known for his determination, who's known for keeping his word. When he says that he's going to do something, he does it and he does it with great determination.

Now, I don't want to say that driving the cart was a metaphor. All I know is that we looked up and he was driving the cart. But he had wonderful personal interaction with these leaders today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the leaders will make their statements later this afternoon. Mr. Bush will head back to Washington shortly, one more stop on this Middle East trip. But when Mr. Bush goes home, he will quickly send a new special envoy to the Middle East and Mr. Bush will once again state publicly today that when things get tough down the road, he is prepared to dive back in and personally be involved in this difficult diplomacy that begins in earnest here today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Good enough.

John King reporting live from Aqaba, Jordan this morning.

You heard John mention the Jewish settlements. Well, today's summit and the road map itself are a hard sell in the Jewish settlements.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel is in the Ofra settlement in the West Bank -- Jerrold, tell us about it.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Hard sell, I'd say more than that, no sell at all. These are people who are firmly against. But we're here right in the heart of the West Bank. This is a community of some 300, 400 families who have been here for 300 -- I'm sorry, a big problem -- for 30 years or so, one of the first of the Jewish settlements to be set up right in the heart of the big Palestinian population areas. It's in the heart of also what the Israelis call the biblical part of their homeland.

And then through the settlement up on the hill, I want to show you there up on the top of the hill, if you look, if our camera goes in there, that's one of those famed or notorious outposts that have been set up in the last several years, perhaps illegal, perhaps quasi legal, perhaps a nod and a wink from some Israeli government. These are the places that the first stage of the road map calls for Israel to dismantle and to put a freeze on other settlement activity.

The settlement itself here is not called for to be dismantled other than in the final stage of negotiations when its future will be decided. But apart from being a crucial element, a litmus test of how far this road map is being implemented, this new peace initiative, I think there's a way of judging from the mood of the people here of just whether that question that everybody asks -- is there a chance for this new peace initiative? And I think you might say the answer is yes.

And I deem this from the way people are talking here. Just a few weeks ago, whenever we spoke to the settlers when the road map was first presented, they say no problem. George Bush is our friend. Ariel Sharon is our friend. He's our mentor. He set up the settlements. The Palestinians won't commit, they won't be able to stop terror. We won't be asked to move.

All of a sudden in the last week, they've heard Ariel Sharon talk of ending the occupation of Palestinians. They heard President Bush say yesterday Israel must deal with the settlements. Suddenly there's a great deal of consternation in the settlement community. A quarter of a million Israelis live in the West Bank. A lot of them feel maybe the time will come when they'll be asked to move or made to move. It could just happen. That's what they feel here and that's why they're so worried -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I understand.

Jerrold Kessel, thank you very much for a live report this morning.

For a complete look at the Mideast peace summit, including an interactive explanation of the road map to peace, log onto our Web site, cnn.com.

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