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CNN Live Saturday

Israel Willing to Coordinate Cease-Fire

Aired March 16, 2002 - 22:02   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Talk of peace in the war-torn Middle East. Now Israel is saying that it would be willing to coordinate a meeting with Palestinians aimed at trying to achieve a cease-fire. But the Palestinians have yet to be contacted.

And CNN's Michael Holmes has been following these developments tonight. He brings us up to date from Jerusalem now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. special envoy Anthony Zinni spent the day shuttling between Palestinian Authority representatives and the farm of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who he met later in the evening.

Now after that meeting, the Israeli Prime Minister's office issued a statement saying that tomorrow, a three-way meeting would be coordinated, involving senior members of both sides, for the purpose of bringing about a declaration of a cease-fire.

Now what this essentially was, was an expression on the Israeli side of a willingness to meet. However, Palestinians have long held the position that they would want to discuss a cease-fire, but not until Israeli troops have withdrawn from all Palestinian controlled areas.

Tonight, that is not the case in those Palestinian controlled areas or at least some of them. Israeli defense force troops do remain. What will happen now is that the U.S. envoy Anthony Zinni will tomorrow, someday, go back to the Palestinian side and put to them the Israeli offer. However, the chances of Palestinians accepting that offer for a three-way meeting are slim, unless those troops are withdrawn.

Earlier, I spoke with Israeli government spokesman, Dore Gold.

DORE GOLD, ISRAELI ADVISER: The government of Israel is interested in reaching a cease-fire and move into the Tenet cease-fire detailed work plan, which will stabilize the situation here. Israel's willing to have a meeting to discuss Palestinian positions on this, and it really depends on the Palestinian side now.

HOLMES: Anthony Zinni's meeting on Sunday with Palestinian representatives will be the test of whether Ariel Sharon's offer will be taken up or whether Palestinians will stick with their position that the troops must go first.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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