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CNN Live Today
Summit at Aqaba: Charting 'Road map' to Peace
Aired June 04, 2003 - 10:03 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: Let's now go to Aqaba, Jordan, where our John King, who has been traveling with President Bush, is posting his report for us right now.
John -- what is the word there?
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, the White House is cautiously optimistic. The president believes finally there is again an Israeli-Palestinian peace process, a powerful day here in Aqaba. Mr. Bush getting together for the first time -- in fact, the first time in two-and-a-half years a president of the United States standing literally in the middle of Middle East peace-making.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel here, Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah of Jordan serving as host and is promising himself that Arab leaders would stand by and stand with this process.
Key promises from the leaders: Prime Minister Sharon says he will immediately dismantle some settlements, and that he recognizes there needs to be an independent, free Palestinian state. Prime Minister Abbas saying he will work quickly to clamp down on terror, calling on militant groups to lay down their arms, saying there can be no military, no violent solution to the political concerns and desires of the Palestinian people.
It was Mr. Bush, who brought this summit about, and it was Mr. Bush who was in a very upbeat mood, saying that he believes after years of deadly violence and frustration the peace process this time has a chance to succeed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The journey we're taking is difficult, but there is no other choice. No leader of conscience can accept more months and years of humiliation, killing and mourning, and these leaders of conscience have made their declarations today in the cause of peace. The United States is committed to that cause. If all sides fulfill their obligation, I know that peace can finally come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, Prime Ministers Sharon and Abbas are promising to implement the early steps in the so-called road map for peace. The steps down the road are much more difficult. The much more significant Israeli pullback from the Palestinian territories, political and economic reforms within the Palestinian Authority, a provisional Palestinian state, and then negotiations on the borders of a final Palestine set to be declared under the road map in 2005. Those will be challenging decisions for the parties to make in the days and months that lie ahead.
Mr. Bush says his commitment will be unwavering. He is dispatching a new special envoy to the Middle East quickly, and he also says in addition to Secretary of State Colin Powell having a lead role, his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, will also take a major role in shaping the peace process, a reflection, the president said, of his commitment from the Oval Office -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, thank you very much, John -- John King reporting to us there from Aqaba, Jordan.
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 - 10:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's now go to Aqaba, Jordan, where our John King, who has been traveling with President Bush, is posting his report for us right now.
John -- what is the word there?
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, the White House is cautiously optimistic. The president believes finally there is again an Israeli-Palestinian peace process, a powerful day here in Aqaba. Mr. Bush getting together for the first time -- in fact, the first time in two-and-a-half years a president of the United States standing literally in the middle of Middle East peace-making.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel here, Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah of Jordan serving as host and is promising himself that Arab leaders would stand by and stand with this process.
Key promises from the leaders: Prime Minister Sharon says he will immediately dismantle some settlements, and that he recognizes there needs to be an independent, free Palestinian state. Prime Minister Abbas saying he will work quickly to clamp down on terror, calling on militant groups to lay down their arms, saying there can be no military, no violent solution to the political concerns and desires of the Palestinian people.
It was Mr. Bush, who brought this summit about, and it was Mr. Bush who was in a very upbeat mood, saying that he believes after years of deadly violence and frustration the peace process this time has a chance to succeed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The journey we're taking is difficult, but there is no other choice. No leader of conscience can accept more months and years of humiliation, killing and mourning, and these leaders of conscience have made their declarations today in the cause of peace. The United States is committed to that cause. If all sides fulfill their obligation, I know that peace can finally come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, Prime Ministers Sharon and Abbas are promising to implement the early steps in the so-called road map for peace. The steps down the road are much more difficult. The much more significant Israeli pullback from the Palestinian territories, political and economic reforms within the Palestinian Authority, a provisional Palestinian state, and then negotiations on the borders of a final Palestine set to be declared under the road map in 2005. Those will be challenging decisions for the parties to make in the days and months that lie ahead.
Mr. Bush says his commitment will be unwavering. He is dispatching a new special envoy to the Middle East quickly, and he also says in addition to Secretary of State Colin Powell having a lead role, his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, will also take a major role in shaping the peace process, a reflection, the president said, of his commitment from the Oval Office -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, thank you very much, John -- John King reporting to us there from Aqaba, Jordan.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
