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CNN Live Saturday

U.S. Envoy to Middle East Returns to Region

Aired January 05, 2002 - 20:41   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: In the Middle East, violence seems to be dying down just as a new peace effort has stepped up. U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni has returned to the region on a four-day visit, where controversy over some smuggled guns is raising tensions once again. CNN's Rula Amin has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He says he is determined, so General Zinni held more lengthy talks in Abudes (ph) on the West Bank with the Palestinian speaker of Parliament. The U.S. envoy also went to Jericho for a meeting with a chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat.

Zinni's visit had been overshadowed by Israel's capture of this ship, loaded with weapons, in the Red Sea, 500 kilometers away from the Israeli port of Ilat (ph). Israel says the vessel came from Iran. It was bound for the Palestinian Authority. It says it was loaded with 50 tons of weapons, including sophisticated long-range missiles and explosives.

LT. GEN. SHAUL MOFAZ, ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF: This attempt point directly as the close cooperation between the Palestinian Authority, Iran and the terror organizations.

AMIN: General Zinni raised the issue with the Palestinians. He emerged from the meeting saying he was hopeful and optimistic that progress to consolidate the cease-fire was possible. Palestinian officials flatly denied the Israelis' claims, saying the Palestinian Authority has no connection to the ship. They say Mr. Sharon is trying to create another delay to avoid implementing the Mitchell Plan to consolidate the cease-fire.

Saeb Erakat says Mr. Sharon's government has not even officially approved the Mitchell Plan.

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: And all they're doing is a game a deceit, whether the conditions are seven days or nine days, or accusing the Palestinian Authority of a ship or escalating violence. This is just to avoid the moment of truth about implementing Mitchell, and we urge General Zinni, we urge General Zinni to introduce the timeline and the mechanisms to implement Mitchell immediately and without any further delay. AMIN: Mr. Sharon insists there has to be seven days of complete calm before he will implement the Mitchell Plan. The Palestinians told Zinni there's been a significant drop in violence, and they say it's time to start the political process.

GENERAL ANTHONY ZINNI, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY: I have no illusions that this is not anything but a very difficult task, but we have to take the first step, and I see my initial mission as that first step.

AMIN (on camera): On Sunday, General Zinni will chair a trilateral meeting between Palestinians, Israeli and U.S. security officials to discuss which steps each side will take to consolidate the fragile cease-fire. For Israel, more calm; for Palestinians, steps like withdrawing these Israeli tanks from Ramallah, just over a mile away from Yasser Arafat's office.

Rula Amin, CNN, Ramallah on the West Bank.

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