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CNN Live At Daybreak
Colin Powell in Middle East
Aired June 20, 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: Secretary of State Colin Powell is in the Middle East right now. He's been meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. And later he'll meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Our Jerusalem Bureau Chief Mike Hanna is watching what could turn out to be critical meetings.
Mike, what's the latest?
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, the secretary of State has been meeting with Israeli prime minister for about the last hour, before that he met with other Israeli leaders. We are waiting for a news conference in the next half hour or so, when the two leaders will emerge to address the media.
Colin Powell here on a trip that he says should not create too great and expectation. He was in the region, he says, for an economic forum taking place in neighboring Jordan and wants to see how the process is going in terms of implementing that U.S. backed road map.
At the same time he's likely to bring pressure to bear on Israelis and on Palestinians to meet the obligations in terms of that road map and also to hear back from his man on the ground, Assistant Secretary of State John Wolf, exactly what progress is being made.
Carol?
COSTELLO: And the big question here is who should act first, the Israelis or the Palestinians? In following the details of that road map to peace? Can Colin Powell work that out?
HANNA: Well, the situation is, is that each side is well aware of its obligations in terms of the road map. There are specified steps that each side has to take. Israel, for example, has to go about dismantling settlement outposts as a first step in meeting its obligations. The Palestinians have to stamp down on those planning terror attacks against Israeli targets, as a first step in their obligations.
So, it is very clear what each side has to do. The question is, to what extent this has been achieved. But it's all interlinked. The Palestinians say that they cannot effectively fight their militant organizations until Israel stops its policy of assassinating individual militant leaders. Israel says that it reserves the right to attack anybody that it believes is planning attacks against its people. So, all these steps are interlinked.
But what Colin Powell will be looking at is beyond the actual action on the ground is the intent and the willingness of each side to meet its obligations. Everybody understands that there are difficulties in the process but what he's looking for is goodwill and a real commitment from Israelis and Palestinians to push this thing through, Carol.
COSTELLO: I understand. Mike Hanna, many thanks, live from Jerusalem.
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 20, 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: Secretary of State Colin Powell is in the Middle East right now. He's been meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. And later he'll meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Our Jerusalem Bureau Chief Mike Hanna is watching what could turn out to be critical meetings.
Mike, what's the latest?
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, the secretary of State has been meeting with Israeli prime minister for about the last hour, before that he met with other Israeli leaders. We are waiting for a news conference in the next half hour or so, when the two leaders will emerge to address the media.
Colin Powell here on a trip that he says should not create too great and expectation. He was in the region, he says, for an economic forum taking place in neighboring Jordan and wants to see how the process is going in terms of implementing that U.S. backed road map.
At the same time he's likely to bring pressure to bear on Israelis and on Palestinians to meet the obligations in terms of that road map and also to hear back from his man on the ground, Assistant Secretary of State John Wolf, exactly what progress is being made.
Carol?
COSTELLO: And the big question here is who should act first, the Israelis or the Palestinians? In following the details of that road map to peace? Can Colin Powell work that out?
HANNA: Well, the situation is, is that each side is well aware of its obligations in terms of the road map. There are specified steps that each side has to take. Israel, for example, has to go about dismantling settlement outposts as a first step in meeting its obligations. The Palestinians have to stamp down on those planning terror attacks against Israeli targets, as a first step in their obligations.
So, it is very clear what each side has to do. The question is, to what extent this has been achieved. But it's all interlinked. The Palestinians say that they cannot effectively fight their militant organizations until Israel stops its policy of assassinating individual militant leaders. Israel says that it reserves the right to attack anybody that it believes is planning attacks against its people. So, all these steps are interlinked.
But what Colin Powell will be looking at is beyond the actual action on the ground is the intent and the willingness of each side to meet its obligations. Everybody understands that there are difficulties in the process but what he's looking for is goodwill and a real commitment from Israelis and Palestinians to push this thing through, Carol.
COSTELLO: I understand. Mike Hanna, many thanks, live from Jerusalem.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
