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CNN Live Saturday

Bush Calls Middle East Envoy Home

Aired December 15, 2001 - 15:13   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, President Bush is expressing his frustration with Yasser Arafat by calling his envoy to the region home. CNN White House correspondent Kelly Wallace joins us now. Good afternoon, Kelly. Does this mean that the Bush administration is throwing in the towel on the peace process there?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon to you, Carol. The administration very sensitive about that very point and saying, no, it does not mean it is throwing in the towel, that it will remain engaged. The State Department, in fact, releasing a statement today to say that General Zinni would be coming back to Washington to consult with the secretary of state and also the president to figure out how to proceed from here.

And in that statement, it said that General Zinni would remain engaged and return to the region. The statement also going on to say, quote: "The U.S. is committed to doing everything it can to help the two sides end the violence and return to a political process. We will remain engaged with Israel and the Palestinian Authority in working toward a durable cease-fire."

So, clearly the administration trying to make the case that it is going to remain involved. On this day, in fact, retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. After that meeting, we understand he will probably start making his way back to Washington.

This meeting, another step by this administration to encourage Arab allies to put more pressure on Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat. This White House has continued to put the onus on Mr. Arafat, President Bush saying as recently as yesterday that he believes Chairman Arafat is not doing enough to arrest and apprehend Islamic militants, that he needs to do much, much more.

And of course, you see there General Zinni meeting with Chairman Arafat weeks ago. General Zinni going to that region, Carol, three weeks ago, saying he would remain in that region until he could broker a viable and lasting cease-fire. Clearly, those plans have changed. The administration very frustrated with Mr. Arafat, but you also have the Israelis saying that they can consider Mr. Arafat irrelevant and you have Israel taking matters into its own hands trying to crack down on suspected terrorists in the region.

And as for really, Carol, where the administration goes from here -- again, General Zinni likely to have these talks with Mr. Bush and Secretary Powell early in the week to plot strategy about where the U.S. goes from here -- Carol.

LIN: You talk about pressure on the Palestinians. Is the Bush administration also putting equal pressure in some other way, and perhaps a more quiet way, on the Israelis to show restraint?

WALLACE: Definitely more quiet. Certainly not publicly. You have not heard any calls from this administration calling for the Israelis to exercise restraint. What I am told is that U.S. officials are urging the Israelis to, number one, know that the Palestinian leader is the elected leader of the Palestinian people, that they will at some point have to deal with him. And number two, that the Israelis have to know that there will be repercussions and consequences to their actions.

U.S. officials like to say publicly and privately, the Israelis have to know that there will be a tomorrow. There will be a time when Israel and the Palestinians have to try to resume security talks to end the cycle of violence. So, that is a message we understand U.S. officials are conveying to the Israelis, but clearly their public emphasis is on the Palestinian leader -- Carol.

LIN: And certainly a difficult situation as the violence continues. Thank you very much. Kelly Wallace reporting live from the White House.

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