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CNN Live Saturday

Annan Praises Israeli-Palestinian Cease-Fire

Aired June 16, 2001 - 16:04   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, praise for the three-day cease-fire from the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He's in the region to help make sure that the fragile cease- fire holds.

CNN's Mike Hanna has more on his efforts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): The diplomatic initiative to secure an Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire continues. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrives in the region for talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. His aim: to cement a cease-fire as a first step in the tortuous process of resuming negotiations about a wider peace deal.

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: Luckily we have a cease-fire which both parties have accepted. We have to try and consolidate the peace -- cease-fire and make sure it holds so that we can move on to the other essential and important aspects of the Mitchell Report. That will give a sense of hope to the population, and for both sides to know that sooner or later -- but sooner rather than later one will be back at the negotiating table trying to resolve these issues politically.

HANNA: The cease-fire has survived three days. But only just. Israel insists that Palestinians are still not doing enough to end acts of violence on the ground, charging in particular that Yasser Arafat has yet to take action against known militants planning attacks against Israel.

DAN MERIDOR, HEAD, FOREIGN AND DEFENSE COMMITTEE: He can order people not to shoot again. He can order people back in jail that had been put in jail by him, that have been released out of jail, that have been planning and are planning terrorist activity against us.

HAYNES: Palestinians charge in turn Israel is not meeting its commitments to lift restrictions on the free movement of Palestinians. A CNN producer reports spending one and a half hours waiting to pass a roadblock near the West Bank area of Kalandia (ph) Saturday, and reports, too, that Israelis manning the checkpoint broke the headlights of at least two waiting cars with the butts of their rifles. The Israeli defense force says it's investigating the incident. "We have asked the secretary-general to approve the deployment of international monitors," says Yasser Arafat, "so they can see for themselves what is and what is not being done."

(on camera): One positive point in the ongoing dispute is that contacts continue between security chiefs on both sides. They will meet again Sunday to review the situation on the ground and to discuss a timetable for the implementation of obligations in terms of the cease-fire.

Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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